The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-10-20
THE PRESIDENT OF CHI F
A Talk With Don Ramon Barros Luco IN
the Executive Mansion at SANTIAGO

4 (.Ttfu VIII "a "IlO~C III w as
saved by a Bull-His Coming Visit
20 the United States-Queer Fea-
tures # the Government of Chile
Il Congress Without Salaries,
Whose Members Must Have indie
nendcnt IncOmeS-Thc President
and His Rights-A Look at the
Courts-The Chilean Police and
Army-Govcrnment Railways Mt
4 Success-Thc Church and Its
Vast Possessions.
OCopyrighted, 1914, by Frank G..
Carpenter.)
Santiago, Chile.
have just had an audience with
me grand dc man of the Chilean Re-
rublic. His name is Don Ramon
Earros Luco, and he has been con-
nected with the official manage 1T
of the country for many years. He
has been at the head of nearly every
Government department., has been
minister to Paris, and four years ago
was almost unanimously elected presi-
dent. which Office he now holds.
Don Ramon is noted as a patriot
and a statesman. He was one Of the
leading figures in the war against
Ralmaceda. and at that time had a
narrow escape. 1t was when the cat
tleship Blanco was torpedoed and
sunk by the enemy at so:r e distance
off the coast. Don Ramon was one
Of the officers on board and he saved
his life by catching hold of the tail Of
a bull that had been on the ship. The
bull swan to the shore, and it carried
Don Ramon with it.
That was twenty-three years ago,
when Don Ramon was then in his
fifties. He is now past three score
and ten, and is still full of life, al
though he is criticised as taking fire.
quent maps during the day. Indeed,
one Of the wits of Santiago has made
q bonmot in reference to him that to
me seems more sarcastic than Just.
This man says: The King Of Eng
land reigns, but does not rule. The
President of the United States rules
but does not reign. The President OF
France neither rules nor reigns. The
President of Chile-sleeps."
found Don Ramol far from sleep
ing during my interview. The talk
was arranged. through Mr.. Roland B
Harvey, who is the absence Of the
American minister vas charge
daffaires of u legation in Santiago
and my audience was given in the
Moneda, or Chilean white house. Thu
Moneda is also the state department
and before going in to the President
| had a short talk with the secretary
of state as to the growth Of Chile anC
the great development 10Y going or
in the south. l asked him as to thu
nitrate fields, and whether or farm
ers are to continue to hive their hes
fertilizers from this part Of thu
world. The secretary replied that W,
need not worry. I'VE are findin:
new nitrate deposits right along,
said he. IAN the industry is spread
ing north and south. If the presen
demands only were to be satisfied, ",
could supply it for a hundred years
but new markets are coming up an
the continent Of Asia promises to b
one OF u chief consumers. We ar
already sending a great deal O
nitrate to Japan, and also to souther1
Europe, including Russia and tn
balkan states. Germany is n of on
chief customers, and the Austro
Hungarians are steadily increasin
their demand"
At this point I was told that tn
President was ready to see me, an
senior Castro, n of the secretaries
MIR. Harvey and myself were take
into the audience room. This is MOI
like a large parlor than like the OF
fees of our White House. The fioo
hedsiiy CdTpeteQ ana nlStOTlCS
paintings hang from the walls. TT
room is luxuriously furnished. but
mas none of the soft touches or sofa
upon which the aged president is sal
70 sleep. Indeed, his eXcellenC
looked more like an active America
business man than a sleeper. He
snort and straight and inclined to |
Heshy. He has a big head, a 70:
lace and bright eyes. He asked n
10 SIT down beside him, and for Ia
an hour or SO we chatted together
10 his country, it's government al
us relations to the United States.
The president spoke of the compl
uoh OF the Panama canal, and thanl
ga the United States for the gre
WORK IT a one there fol the worl
lie told me he hoped to come mort
Ndrd TO visit us at the close of tn
year. His term Of office will then
oFer' and he expects to visit the ope
txS OF the San Francisco expositi'
congress will free him from t
provision that the president rema
II fhA