Arizona republican., 1910-04-25
CONTROVERSY
 Is SETTLED. The Final Outcome of a
 Friendly Argument REGARDING MEXICAN PRES. Though It Took Place Months Ago and Was Al most Forgotten Incident In Mind of One, the Other Remembered It

Some months ago while on the train enroute for the east. James C. Goodwin struck up chance acquain- tance with Horace H. Cummings of Salt Lake City, superintendent of the Latter Day Saints schools Of that city. It was about the time of the famous meeting between the presidents of the United States and of Mexico at Fl Paso. \ good natured argument took place between the two gentlemen over the question of whether or not Presi- dent Diaz had before been in the United States. Mir. Goodwin was un- der the impression that he had not been, while MT Cummings was equal ly as confident that he had. Neither could convince the other of the error of his way and the two parted at the end of the journey. the best of friends. Mir. Goodwin regarded it as d closed incident and was naturally somewhat surprised few days ago upon the receipt Of the following letter from the school superintendent:
 Salt Lake City. Utah. April s, 1910. James c Goodwin. Mining Engineer.
 Tempe. Arizona.
 Dear Sir: Just before leaving for a long absence in New York last fall I received from you a copy of the Ari- zona Republican containing an acc count of the meeting. in Fl Paso. of the Presidents of the two republics and an underscored statement that President Diaz had never before left Mexico. This was in proof of your statement in our conversation on the -..lx account of President Diaz's visit 10 this country many years ago and the ovations given him by the rulers of our nation.
 Besides the enclosed statement of A W. Wins. for twenty-five years president of our Mexican colonies and a valued personal friend of President Diaz. l am authorized hy him to say to you that the account of President Diaz's reply to after-dinner speeches'l during his visit here was related to him (Mr Ivins) and John Henry Smith Cwhose name l am also using by pcrmission) by President Diaz substantially as related it to you and our friend on the train.
 Now. whether this trip of President DiaZ to this country was by consent of the Mexican Congress. or whether it occurred after his first term and while Gonzales was president l can not say: but that President Diaz has been in this country since his first term and before the Fl Paso incident l am positive. for I remember reading 1, it in the newspapers and magazines many years ago.
 My object in writing this So long ! after the conversation on the train is to convince you that my account of | the incident I related was not an in- ! sincere or manufactured statement. An | old almanac conundrum l remember | seeing when boy read: What is the ! easiest thing in the world to make? A | mistake. And editors as well as | school teachers and perhaps engineers I can make them. and quite innocently. !! too, sometimes. N
 With kindest regards. l remain
 Yours very truly.
 HORACE F. CUMMINGS.
 The communication which MT. Cum nings refers to in the above from \. W. Twins is as follows:
 April 1. 1910. Dear Bro. Cummings: The follow ng quotation from The Maker or Iodern Mexico. Porfirio Diaz tby Mrs Mice Tweedie. published in 1906. ages 294-295). should set at rest the If question as to whether the President li vas ever outside of Mexico prior to II Iis meeting with President Taft He and his wife travelled by coach |, nd carriage to Tihuacan- thence by Il nule team some twenty or thirty tl niles to EsperanZa. where they took train for vera Cruz. continuing their purney by sea to New Orieany Here H hey were met by Hon. John W. FOs-i er on behalf of President Arthur and II Tere conveyed by d special train pro- ided by the President Nf the United II tates. II We had a beautiful reception at II hicago and went tS Washington. lew York. Boston and Niagara Falls. ]. tc. }l
 Sincerely yours, fI