T is an open secret in Mexico that

the close of his official career. In official circles it is whispered that two years hence another hand will take up the reins and assume the labors which General Diaz has carried on with dazzling brilliancy for nearly a quarter of a century. for certain conditions which exist in the revolutionary districts the event would have taken place ere this. For several years President Diaz has ardently wished to retire from office and would have

But

done so but for the urgent pleading of the men of his cabinet and others who are influential in national affairs and who feared what a change in administration might bring forth.

The Mexican press does not handle public men and public affairs with the freedom that is enjoyed in the United States, therefore the public does not know that for more than two years the president has been in rapidly failing health and the tremendous burden of government has been too grievous for

him to bear. President Diaz is 73 years old and had he not possessed a constitution of iron would have completely broken down under the strain long ago. As it is, he continues to exercise a personal supervision of the most important affairs of state, but gradually the burden has been transferred to other shoulders and a

school of training is in progress preparatory to a change in administration.

Who will be Diaz's successor and what has the future in store for the republic when the stern yet loving hand that has guided her from a comparative state of barbarism into one of awakened and rapidly advancing civilization?

To

Mexico the question of Diaz's successor is the most vital that has confronted her

people in years. Accustomed as we are to such a republic as the United States, the question naturally arises why is a prospective change in the presidency of such vital moment to Mexico? It finds partial answer in the statement that Mexico is a republic in name only. Her government is an absolute dictatorship backed by the force of the army. From our standpoint her elections are howling farces in which the people are supposed to have the choice, but in which actually they have no choice. Governors of states are picked up and shuffled about at the will of the republic's dictator as chess men on the national board. When a new president is chosen it will be the army and government, not the people, who will place him in Diaz's chair.

Another reason for the fear attached to a change in the presidency is revolu tion. Lucky will Mexico be if such a change is brought about without the letting of much blood. This is why President Diaz is still retaining his office. When he retires, the army of the republic will be in position to cope with any rebellion that may occur, in short, to make a president and see that his seat is kept secure. With this end in view Mexico's army is undergoing a revolution of its own and when the revolution is ended and Diaz steps down and out the army of the republic will not be a thing to be treated lightly by any foreign power in the world. Those who ought to know declare that Mexico was never more ripe for revolution, but two years hence it will be a sorry job to start any trouble in the republic.

Unless there is a change in present plans Honorable Jose Ives Limantour, minister of finance, will be the next president of the republic. It is openly stated in official circles that General Bernardo Reyes, secretary of war, has withdrawn his candidacy, if such it might be called,

in favor of Senor Limantour. Since Diaz's gradual self effacement began, Limantour has undoubtedly been the brains of the republic; and where two years ago the army was probably to a man with General Reyes, it is now with Limantour, despite the fact that he is not a soldier. In view of this fact, Limantour's views upon subjects of national importance to Mexico are of importance.

While in the City of Mexico recently I had the honor and pleasure of an interview with the minister of finance and secured from him an authorized statement regarding many public questions. I found him to be a man of great magnetic power, short of statue, small of frame and very slender. Secretary Limantour is not at first glance a man of engaging appearance. When he looks at you, however, and speaks in his short, sharp, incisive way as though delivering a broadside, you are suddenly filled with the idea that you are face to face with a great man. His eyes rivet you, his voice demands your whole attention and you can think of nothing save the man before you. In conversation Limantour takes short, quick walks about his room, ever and anon turning quickly and unexpectedly facing you to deliver another broadside.

He is the kind of man you cannot afford to waste words with. He takes the shortest cut in conversation and is impatient if you do not do the same. Courteous to a fault, he will not let you know when he is annoyed unless you catch the trick of watching the uplifting of his eyebrows or the flash of the eyes. The secretary speaks seven different languages fluently. In conversation about the United States he is likely to make you feel ashamed of your lack of intimate knowledge which he possesses of the affairs of your own country. Talk about Mexico and he expects you to be as conversant with the affairs of his country as he is with those of your own. With

all his evident great reserve force he gave me the impression of a man who had been driving ahead for years at reckless speed with the safety valve tied down.

When I expressed my desire to talk with him about Mexico he smilingly replied: "Pretty large subject for a busy man. Ask me some questions."

"Do you think that Mexico is destined to become a world power?" I asked.

"That question covers one of the biggest subjects that can be formulated with respect to this country. I might say that I firmly believe that the geographical situation. of Mexico, her resources which are of all kinds and the number of her people, place the republic in a position to become in a short time a very powerful nation."

"Upon what main resource does Mexico depend for future greatness?"

"Upon none but upon all. The mining future of the republic will certainly be for many years in proportion to her present condition. Mexico is already on a level with the United States in the matter of mining produc

tions and we can say that although the working of the silver mines commenced some four centuries ago, these works are still in their infancy and that they are susceptible of immense development, especially if we take into account the

immense variety of ores that are found in this country. Pass to our agricultural productions. It is sufficient to say that the territory of the republic contains the most varied climatic conditions and a great variety of soils. Water may be scarce in some of the higher regions, but it is easy to construct irrigation works and by means of dams detain the water that during the rainy season precipitates itself in torrents without any benefit whatever and finally runs off into the sea.

"You have asked me about the commercial interests of the country. The commercial importance of the republic will naturally rise as a consequence of the development of the mineral, agricultural and industrial resources. It is to be noted regarding the latter that the rapid evolution that has been seen in several branches of industry during the last ten or fifteen years and the abundance of raw material that is to be found in the country, constitute the best promise for the future of manufacturing industries in Mexico."

It had occurred to me that the rapid invasion of Mexico by foreigners who are apparently seizing all the larger business interests of the republic might have awakened the fear in official circles that the United States would eventually dom inate there. So I asked the minister how the government viewed the investment of foreign capital in Mexico. He answered without hesitation and with positiveness which left no doubt as to his sincerity.

"The government," he he declared, "looks with the greatest sympathy upon the investment of foreign capital in the republic, when such investment is carried out with prudence and good judgement and thus leaves in this country the staple elements of prosperity. Unfortunately, we very often see illy meditated undertakings organized outside of the republic which are gotten up for mere speculation through middle men who

know little of the country and who make use of improper methods. The failure of these undertakings is to be lamented, seeing that, generally speaking, those who lose their money do not attribute their loss to the carelessness with which they have proceeded nor to the conduct of the promoters. On the contrary, they attribute their failure to the country; whereas, the truth is that in the majority of cases neither the people nor the authorities nor the institutions of the country have had anything to do with the ill success of the business.

"It is therefore of the greatest importance to confide the investigation of every prospective investment to honorable persons of experience who have knowledge of men and things in Mexico. When carried out in this manner, the investment of foreign capital in this country will always be beneficial to the investor and to the country and will be received by the government with open arms.”

Passing to the subject of commercial relations between the United States and Mexico, Senor Limantour said:

"The probability of steady increase of trade between the two countries is very great. In my judgment both countries will derive immense benefit from everything that will tend to increase trade relations. Lack of transportation facilities between the States and Mexico no

longer exists. It is very recently that a new link has been forged by the construction of a line of railroad from El Paso to Liberal, Kansas, whereby the Chiccago, Rock Island & Pacific has been joined to the Mexican Central, thereby making a short route from the City of Mexico to Chicago and through Chicago to the vast markets of the American seaboard. Such undertakings as these cannot but promote greater trade relations. American capital is now engaged building lines of railroad in Mexico which will cause us to seek your country more and more as a market for our products."