The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-25

even with the dual drivers in full |
operation, one never hears a gear
clash.
Twice during the visit to Mexico |
Governor Huffman was
constrained by circumstances to doff |
his title of state and don that of his |
He rendered surgical and |
medical aid to Representatives of two
states while in Mexico. and was lit
tie put out because Mexican host |
was on the job so fast in getting a !
Mexican physician when the rigors or !
the festivities got a little too much
for Mrs. Hogan of Indiana.
Some little tin god on wheels surely
presides over the destinies of Col.
Charlie Mitchell, for otherwise he
could not have gained an honor which
was thrust upon him at the tea given
by Mrs. Obregon in Chapultepec cas-
tie for the American guests OF me
Mexican Republic. Acting as duti-
full aide and escort to Lieutenant Gov
ernor Huffman and Mrs. Huffman.
Col. Mitchell attended this tea. En-
tering the hallway of the castle the
three saw a LADY, all alone, hurrying
to greet them Ut was Mrs. onregon
receiving her guests. Col. Charlie saw
his chance and greeted Mrs. Obregon,
all his galfantry. He in
troduced himself first, as was right
and proper. Then with all pomp and
ceremony he asked to present Lieuten-
ant Governor and Mrs. thurman.
While they four stood chatting the
hall filled with a sudden thrush OF
Americans, who saw Charlie acting AS
a sort of major-domo. Before the
dashipg colonel of Kansas could get
his bulk gracefully under way he
found his hands full OF cards, thrust
there by the incoming guests. For
nearly half an hour Col. Mitchell stood
at the right hand of Mrs. Obregon in
Producing to her the men and the
yomen of the United States who had
come to Mexico to pay honor to her
husband. When the colonel finally
got opportunity to rejoin his party in
the rooms of the castle he hied him
straight for the dancing floor and
there made full use of the standing
his erstwhile position had given him.
Surely a bold colonel who had acted
as official introducer for Mrs. Obregon
needed no introduction to the beau
tifu1 senoritas when the dance was on.
And he made it stick.
There was a groan of apprehension
from Americans on the train coming
back from Mexico as the train neared
the border. Today it is the opinion of
some that those groans have turned
to many signs of vain regret gureling
in the threats which were for space
wetted by long, copious and most nu-
merous droughts of real champagne.
Colonel Mitchell of Kansas saved to1
this state the honor Of being toastmas-
ter at a luncheon pointed to by Mexi-
can officials as the real turning point
of the entire celebration. Up to the
time of their luncheon the Americans
had sort of held themselves aloof, do
ing those things which courtesy de-
manded, but not "1imbering up worth
a cent. 1t was on the third day of our
stay in Mexico City that a small party
OF specially invited guests took special
interurban trains for the floating gar
dens of Xochimilco, the one spot in
Mexico where the ancient Aztecs still
their fathers. Xochimilco is a veri-
table Venice. On little garden plots of
an acre or more, each one surround
ed by shallow canal left when the
Lake Of Mexico was drained, the de-
scendants of the Aztecs raise all sorts
Of vegetables and flowers. Many of
them hold warranty deeds to their
grounds, which have not a single
transfer showing. They are the orig
inal grants Of land given by the Mon
tezumas, and the papyrus paper on
which the deeds are written bear no
signature except that of the Monte
zumas. The tract of land and water
which is Xochimilco covers a space
approximately twenty miles square.
In the heart of the tract, reached only
by boat, is Xochimilco Inn, pic
turesque restaurant, open air as to
sides and matched as to roof It was
at the luncheon given in this inn that
Colonel Mitchell acted as toastma Ster;
here that his personality caused the
Americans to forget their aloof dig
nifty, and open up with their real opin-
ions and impressions OF Mexico. The
Mexican officials present, headed by
Senior Torres. felt the same urge to q
general loosening up, and after this
luncheon there was no more of the
tense, nervous formality which had
characterized previous functions.
The Inauguration Of q president of
Mexico is q simple but impressive cere-
mony. 1t takes place at exactly mid
night in the chamber OF deputies,
which corresponds to the house of rep
named the members of the chamber,
each one in full evening dress, are in
their places. At about three or four
minutes of the hour the president
of the republic takes his place
on the speakers platform being seated
in the left chair Of the three on the
platform. At one minute of the hour
the president enters the hall,
marches down the aisle, mounts the
steps to the platform and stands be-
side the president. The president
arises, embraces the president elect.
moves gracefully to the side. AS the
president-elect seats himself in the
chair just vacated, the old president
retires to private life. There is no
swearing in, no oath OF office. And
the is no inaugural speech following.
The press OF two nations owes a
vote of thanks, which has once been
given, to Col. J. E. Thompson,
Phoenix, Ariz., who was the one man
in Mexico who remembered that the
newspaper fraternity of the two ma
tons is the power which reflects the
sentiment Of peoples. Colonel Thomp-
son, personal representative of Gov
ernor Campbell of Arizona at the in
auguration, conceived and carried out
an idea for q banquet for the news
papermen OF the two nations. Also
he dug down in his own pocket and
paid for that meal-the newspaper
men feel sure he must have at some
stage been a newspaperman and so