The gold leaf., 1909-10-21
Taft and Diaz Meet.
CHIEF EXECUTIVES OF TWO NATIONS
CLASP EACH OTHERS HANDS
IN FRATERnIzlMe SPIRIT.

ClASr tACh UthtkS HANDS
IN FRATERnIzlns SPIRIT.
President of the United States
and President Of Mexico are
Recipients Of Great Hospi-
tality = They Visit Each
Other. Exchange Courteous |
Words of Personal Regard
and High Esteem. and Ex-
press Pleasure at Friendly
Feeling Existing Between
the Two Countries = Ell
Paso. Texas, and Jaurez.
Mexico, Share the Honors-I
Occasion to be Remembered
Ell Paso, Texas, Oct. 16, 1909
The long expected meeting between
the President OF the Republic OF Mex
leo and the President OF the the
United States took place here today.
Amid salute OF artillery and the
playing of martial bands, with the
clanking OF accouterments and
brilliant fash OF gold lace, President
William H. Taft and President Peril
rio Diaz clasped hands in formal ac-
knowledgement OF the cordial rela-
tions existing between the two
governments. While outwardly the
meeting was attended with display
| OF sOldiery. n flare of trumpets, a
boom of canon, and a pomp and
ceremony suggestive OF supreme au-
thority, in the actual handclasp OF
the two executives and in the ex-
change OF courteous words there was
simple, but cordial informalities.
The first meeting OF the two presi-
dents occurred at IL o'clock here in
Ell PasO, on American soil, when
President Diaz, accompanied by a
brilliant staff escorted by American
and Mexican soldiers, paid his re-
spects to the American Chief Execu-
tive.
| President Diaz was the first to
speak. He assured President Taft OF
his warm personal regard and his
high esteem for the man who had ac-
complished so much in the Philip
pines, in Cuba and elsewhere, and who
had now the honor to be the Chief
Executive OF SO great. a nation as
the United States. President Taft
in simple American fashion, declared
that he was glad to meet Diaz. He
was glad to meet the President OF
such great nation, especially glad
to know the present President, who
had made the nation great.
Both Presidents dwelt upon the
cordiality of the relations existing
between the United States and Mex
leo. President Taft declared that
tOday's meeting was not necessary to
make stronger the bonds OF friend
ship; it merely typifed the strength |
OF the bonds as they already exist.
No words of international note were |
uttered by either. There were smiles
of contentment on their faces and
the hand clasps were hearty.
President Diaz on his visit to Presi-
dent Taft was attired i'm full dress
uniform. He was accompanied by |
members Of his cabinet and military
staff. Secretary OF War Dickinson
rode bseide him and an aide occu.
pied the the forward seat in the
carriage. With President Taft when
he greeted President Diaz were Secre-
tary Dickinson and Postmaster Cen
eral Hitchcock, Captain Archibald |
W. Butt, General Albert Meyer, y. !
s. A., Assistant Secretary W. W.
Mischler, e. c. Wagner OF the White
House staff and others.
Both in the matter of decorations |
and the welcome from the great |
crowd that thronged the vicinity
where the meeting OF the two rulers
took place, the City OF Ell Paso did
things handsomely. Mayor Sweeney
had proclaimed q general holiday
and business everywhere was sus-
pended. Lavish decorations bright
ened the streets through which the
presidential procession passed. All
| OF these thoroughfares were crowded
| with spectators, whose cheers were
more than enough i'm volume and
continuity to impress upon both
presidential visitors that they were
in city which wished them well.
1t Is no exaggeration to say that
| no official head OF a friendly power
would have received a more cordial
greeting in the United States than
was accorded most spontaneously ( o
President Diaz. The same can be
said with equal truth in regard to
the welcome given 10 the President
OF the United States when he stepped
on Mexican soil.
The arrival OF President Diaz on
this side was signalled by salute of
twenty-one guns. Assisting in tn.
reception OF the Mexican Executive
were Secretaries Dickinson and Nagel,
Postmaster General Hitchcock, Gov
ernor Campbell, of Texas, and his
staff aud Mayor Sweeney and the
city officials Of FL Paso. Tie mill
tary headed by Brig. Gen. Myer aud
staff formed in procession and r--
corted President Diaz to the stand in
front Of the Chamber of Commerce
building, where the meeting with
President Taft took place. Follow
ing the first exchange of courtesies
between the two rulers President
Diaz withdrew in the snme MANNER
| i'm which, he arrived, receiving tie
same salutes he received when he
first crossed the border.
From an early hour 10 the morn
ing the streets OF Ell Paso had been
filed with soldiers i'm uniform. Regi-
ments OF infantry, artillery and cav
airy had been brought from Forts
Bliss and Sam Houston to form the
brilliant military escort which was
one OF the most conspicuous features