The San Francisco call., 1909-02-25
DIAZ, CAR
WITH NO LINE
OF SUCCESSION
Reyes, MexicO's Next Strongest
Man, Is Kept in Back
ground
President Plays Politics With
out Preparing for Nations
Future Needs
Chaos May Follow Death in
Rise Against American
Influence


or Marshall Field was. This partially
explains his success, and why there is
no one TO take his place.
. The oldest member Of his official
family is his minister Of foreign af-
fairs, who also served in the cabinet
Of Juarez, the father Of modern Mex
leo. Don Ignacio Mariscal is perfectly
safe. He has never coveted the presi-
dency. 1t is worth going to Mexico
. TO meet this charming old gentleman, a
: picture out Of early Victorian days,
with his hair done over his ears in a
roll. Disraeli fashion
Yes, I've been with General Diaz
80 years he says, but then we knew
each other pretty well in the days
when. we were having so much trouble
with those Frenchmen who wanted our
country, but not as much, they found.
as we wanted it ourselves-so we
kept it.
~ Every time the general is reelected
I so to him and say: Excenency, it is
quite seandalous. I'm a regular old
fossil Think how mean it is of me
never to give any of those young men
chance. 1 am going to retire But
= the general says: We old fellows Will
ask those young fellows to wait a lit
tie longer 1 can't get along without
you So I remain and feel much
ashamed Of my selfshness. Yes, Cen
2: 'eral Diaz and have been in harness a
: long time, and since Mr.. Fish and 1
used 10 exchange dispatches you have
p had great many secretaries of state
;. II your country"
MARISCAL A DIPLOMAT
Some Of our secretaries NAV think
they have scored point on him. but
refuse to believe that they have-a
single one. When Don Porfirfo Diaz
and Don IgnaciO Mariscal put their
heads together there is not much that
the youngsters of 80 and so years
teach that venerable pair.
p. Don IgnaciO has kept relations run
ming smoothly with the northern
. 'Efeighbor and made the approved Cas-
:ullan bows TO the other nations He
gan be so candid without saying any
: thing that you think he has given you
the key TO the archives. Oh he was so
:. sorry that Mexico could not allow US
coaling station at Magdalena bay,
3 but that was against the constitution
: the serviceable constitution which Don
b.. 'PorhriO discards at will. And Don
.. Egnaclo was equally sorry not to per-
init any small arms practice ashore
but there. again. was that bothersome
/. constitution We couldn't break our
: constitution. could We, Mr.. Root?
: Hardly.
Diplomacy. winning the favor OF for
.:eign nations for the discredited Mex
~.ico Of 80 years ago. has been the ally
OF Jose Yves LimantOur, the master
r mind Of financial Mexico. OF course he
:.llas been called the greatest finance
minister in the world Certainly no
? one. unless ii was De Witte for a short
:. time, has enjoyed anything like the
: power which has been his for ) years.
He would be impossible in any other
country. How long, for example,
would the businessman Of the states
or Of western Europe endure a system
=, OF stamp taxes according to the amount
Of business done. opening his books to
. government agents. while land never
paid a penny? One-third of the rev.
enue comes from stamps, Of which for
eign capital pays heavy share. Lii
mantour still works with an outrage
Gus and archaic system Of taxation, al
though he has a free nand.
-. Congress does not bother him with
questions. He need not fear public
criticism Eighty per cent Of the Mex
leans are too uninteiIigent to under
stand or consider such a thing as a
fiscal policy. Without even the inter
ference Of a board OF directors. he is
responsible only to Diaz whose wisdom
says STEADY" and Go Ahead" He
could undertake a policy in the GER
tainty that he could see it carried
through, rather than with the expecta-
ton that a successor might reverse
it inside OF six months or year.
OWES LIMANToUR MUCH
It is the sum Of what has been done
in his long service that pays a tribute
TO the man rather than to the nation
He has put Mexico on a gold basis and
her bonds at premium. He has spent
out Of the money he has borrowed from
abroad over $4,000. 600 in improving
and building harbor works at Vera
Cruz, Salina Cruz Manzanillo and Tam
pico and $4,000, 900 on the drainage OF
the valley OF Mexico. In five years
the government receipts increased from
ss3 100000 TO s55, 900 600, while the ex-
penditures only increased from $685.
600 600 to S49.OOO.00O His balance for
I9O7-19Os, the panic year, is $l4, ,00O 600
lie can say TO his fellow countrymen
as Warren Hastings said to parliament
that he IS amazed at his modesty when
he considers his opportunities A rich
man when he took Office he will be
much richer when he retires. 1t would
be expecting too much that he should
not have a busy brother or father in
law Relatives are Indispensable in
Mexico as they are IN Central America.
Brother Julio is in on the ground floor
Of many corporations. and so is the
son and other relatives Of General Diaz
IT was for Diaz to say who should
build and who should own the $4,000
miles Of railway; to permit the estab-
Hshment Of banks; TO make the grants
of hundreds Of thousands OF acres in
single tracts; 10 give the rights To
vast mineral wealth and the use OF
water power. Limantour is his right
hand man in dealing with foreign cor
porations: and every governor of q
state where a concession is can lay
some tribute, in his turn.
OF course. Diaz himself, has q great
fortune. But he lives simply; his taste
is for power. not for extrava gance
And he has set limit TO official COM
Missions They must not be rapaciOus
Unlike Central American dictators, who
60 for the carving knife If there is a
sneck Of gilt on the eggshell, Diaz
nurses the goose, and even feeds her
little gold dust by way of encour-
agement.
A third member OF the cabinet is