THE MAN WHO MADE MEXICO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 227, 7 January 1911, Page 9

THE MAN WHO MADE MEXICO.

A ROMANTIC LIFE. There, are many interesting and remarkable men in the world to-day, but one of the most interesting and remarkable is Porfirio Diaz, President of Mexico, who not long ago was re-elected to the Presidency by an overwhelming majority. His career has been one long series of struggles and ultimate triumphs almost unprecedented in the annals of any country. For the eighth time ho is President of the Mexican Republic, and for 33 years has been at the head of Mexico—a sort of uncrowned king. When he first became President things were about as bad as they possibly could be. He has brought the land from confusion and revolution to its present condition. In her book, "Porfirio Diaz," Mrs. Alec Tweedie describes the Presi- , dent as "a man of iron will, determined grit, and completely master of himself." He is one of those extraordinary men who never seem to grow old. Born just 80 years ago, his life has been one long romance. Struggles, war, imprisonment, dangerous escapes and wounds, military success, and then this long and continued Presidency have been crammed into a career as full of incident as it is wonderful. Not long ago one of Mexico's leading men wrote to Mrs. Tweedie: "I believe as long a* General Diaz lives the people of Mexico will not elect anyone else as President. Every day we love him more, a»d thank God he keeps in such good health and that he looks younger and younger." Before General Diaz ascended what someone has called "his throne," Mexico was in a terrible state. In the short space of 59 years there had been no less than 52 dictators and presidents. Civil war and revolution were rife. The illfated Emperor Maximilian had had his struggles for Imperial power, and had tragically failed. In 1876 Diaz became for the first time President of Mexico. In those days it was only possible for a President to hold office for a term of four years. But during all these succeeding years he has only once been out of office, and then a relative took his place temporarily, and Diaz kept an eye upon things. EARLY DAYS. He has succeeded to great power entirely through his own efforts. His father belonged to a good family, but was himself the keeper of a small inn. His mother was a beautiful Indian girl. There were seven children, and the father died when little Porfirio was a baby of three. After that his mother had a very hard time indeed, for there was very little money. For the first seven years of Porfirio's life he went to the village school, but he felt he wasn't learning enough, so, with wonderful force of character, he set about earning small sums, which he set aside to enable him to get a better education. His mother's great ambition was that he should become a priest, and he very nearly did as she wished. But he eventually decided that a soldier's life was his real metier, and he entered the army. Slowly but surely he rose until he became a general, and at 46 he was made President. Mexico needed a strong man to rule her. She got him. VERY LITTLE MONEY. Although President of a Republic, General Diaz is by no means a rich man. His yearly income from the State is only about five thousand pounds, or barely half that of London's Lord Mayor. But Diaz doesn't mind that, for he is a man of simple tastes. His home is unpretentious, but comfortable. Most of his work is done in the early morning, and official business is practically finished by the time of the mid-day meal—the great repast of the day.out there. In Mexico nearly everyone takes a siesta in the afternoon, but not so the President. During the hours when the sun is hottest, though he does no official work, ho is busy with his own personal matters and •private correspondence. But this, of course, means that his secretary and other officials have time to rest or do what they like. It is only the energetic President who "keeps going" all tin time. Writing once about Mexico, Mr. Frederick Harrison said: "The marvellous restoration of Mexico, from being a hotbed of anarchy and the victim of superstition to its present condition as one of the best-governed and most enlightened of modern countries, has often attracted the attention of political observers. General Diaz is the man who has achieved such triumphs." A ROMANTIC LOVE STORY. The love story of the President and his beautiful wife is a romantic one, and quite in keeping with the rest of his career. Madame Diaz is the idol of the Mexican people. They call her lovingly by the name of "Carmelita," or "dear little Carmen." Years ago, when she was quite a small girl, she read of the President's bravery, and at once set him up as a hero, and worshipped him from afar. In those days she never hoped or expected to meet him. At last came the four years when President Diaz was out of office. In those days he had, of course, less to do, so he went more into society. "At one of my first balls," said Madame Diaz, "I met my hero. I was very, very young, 'and I hardly thought he' would even take the trouble to look at me. But he did. We were introduced, and I remember now my excitement over that meeting. I was tongue-tied with shyness, but he seemed so kind and gentle that I liked the human man even better than I had liked the phantom one." Well, there may or may not be something in affinities. Anyway, Perfirio Diaz fell straightway in love with pretty Carmen Rubio at first sight. He had met the right woman jnst at the very moment when he was most in need of a companion who could be a real help to him. Carmen Rubio was well-bom. highlyeducated, young ;ind pretty, while he was a soldier of humble origin, no longer ■in his first youth. Diaz felt the difference between them keenly, and hesitated to ask her to be his wife. But he had fallen desperately in love, and at last, he proposed, and was accepted, "No woman ever influenced a man's life more completely that Carmen Rubio did that of Porfirio Diaz. Nothing eould have been more fortunate than their marriage. Each strengthens the other, both are full of love and sympathy. Porfirio Diaz to-day would not be the refined, gentle, human, kindly, sympathetic being he is had he not linked his life with Carmen, a fact he himself is the first to acknowledge," wrote Mrs. Tweedie.