The chronicle=news., 1913-02-28


ever occurred TO NictorIano iiuest'
until Tuesday OF the past week
when he WAS suddenly made Pres!
dent pro ten OF the Republic Of Mex
lco-camc two years ago. when h
was hastily summoned one norniIG
TO the palace by his saerailzslmo
Por!!rio Diaz.
lie WAS received in th" Hall OF III.
Ambassadors. a lon;. narrow room
used for stat. receptions. and one oi
the few places In the palaces reached
by only one door. and thus rice. from
Interruption. lie found the aged
President alone. as brief as ever In
his words. but with 4 certain gentle
ness in his voice. which the COM
mandcr OF the army had not no.
tiecd before.
II was the day before Diaz left for
Vera Cruz, whence he was to sail
for Europe. and he had summoned
Hucrta to announce to him his de-
c!sion to quit Mexico forever. His
hand had become too infirm for
the ruling OF the most tempestuous
people In the western hemisphere.
and he was reading. without quail.
inI. the handwriting on the wall.
p!al's speech TO Hucrta at that
moment. as reported to tho present
writer by close friend of the new
President. was As follows:
II am taking the only step pos:
siblc for the peace OF Mexico. and !
have only ono regret. my friend.
That Is. that a military man is not
to take my place. God alone can
tell what the future will bring forth.
As for you. who have been always
faithful. remember this: You are n
soldier. obey: do not question au-
thorIty. but vigorously prosecute ev-
cry order that Is SIveu you to exc.
cute.
You arc OF Chapultepcc. Remem-
Der that. II those Of Chapultepcc do
not give good answer for their
training then. indeed. Is our nation
faitthlcss."
The tears came into liucrta's eyes.
Hc Frustrated himself and kissed the
hand OF the nations exalted hero.
who was about to pass forever from
the scene of his conquests. He sai3
nothing. He made no remonstrancc.
by word or look. He was at that
moment. as he had been from child
hood. a soldier from hair to heels.
The picture OF the parting OF these
two gains more Significance II wc
pause TO consider what the men
stood for. Dixx. the haif-lndiau ad.
vcturcr. had scrambled from obscur.
ity and poverty TO . place In his
tory which rangs him ~ one OF the
handful OF surprisingly great meu
Of the nineteenth century. witho'it
education. without training. withans
observation of the ways OF other ma
tions. and with only the hard school
of experience TO. his teacher and or
ly intuition for his guide. he had
tempered his government to the pc-
culiar character Of his people 'a1
had welded them into cohesive
mass.
iiUorta. by every Tigh: or he'll
taEc. should have been OF an opp1-
site type. or an excellent family,
bcariIE In his veins noble spanish
blood. associated from chill lnps,l
with the most cultured circles of The
Rcpublic. on. night have expected
from him some slight satisfaction di
the downfall of one whom all ~
clals had always considered ~ in
tcrlopcr.
Yet Hucrtr. the artistocra,. Lai
always been a loyal follower OF DIaz,
the plcbinu. Hucr,a. the cul;nI-l
had always been devoted To piay. '.e
unlctt,rcd
Tho explanation lies in the iac,
that both ~cT. born soldiers. and
Hucrta recognized in Diaz the IS.
..f .,,,. al. ali hi
life. har assiduously cultivated -,
instan, obedience to constituted Az
thOrity.
In reminding liucrta that he wa!
"or Chapultcpec." D.az was appeal
Ing to the best OF the martial spirit
which he had been at lifelong pain.
to inculcatc in the hearts OF hi
army. Diaz never had any dclusion
abou, the secret OF his hold on hi
people. lie well knew IL to be mill
tary, and lie never, except towart
the very last. was rcmiss in his cul
tivation of the strength of his army
Ono of his chief military plan
was the establishment and maiuten
ancc OF the military school ut Cha
? pultcpcc. IL was the Mexican Wcs
Point. There Diaz had assemble,
the best instructors obtainabie 70
tho subjects required in the traininl
of n modern soldier.
Theoretically the students ut Cha
pultepcc were chosen. as are the stu
dents at West Point. one from cacl
of the congressional district
throughout the republic. and as re
suit of competitive examination. Bu
like other things In Mexico practic
and theory went far from hand Il
hand The Mexicans have the bes
constitution aud the worst govern
ment in the world.
Diaz personally selected the Stu
dents for tho Chapultcpcc schoo
Curiously. his preference was Away
for the aristOcrat. Nothing please
him more than to learn that tn
young scion of some ancient hous
was desirous of entering Chapultc