MRS. TAFT'S AIDE TO WEfl
Miss Alice M. Blech, Says Washington
Rumor, Is to Bo Richard Waln
wrlght's Bride,
Washington. Once again Washing'
flTJU2i.fr TV-
UU
26
tho United States and Mcx-
. , uhiij 'iulllllll5 H-'3
i ou"a oi peace is snown in ttie
thousands of miles of practically
unguarded border which half a century
ago demanded thousands of troops for
protection. If any additional guarantee
was needed It was shown in the recent
exchange of visits between President
Taft of the I'nited States nnd President
Diaz of Mexico. It required n special
concession from the Mexican congress
in order that the illustrious Mexican
might cross the border to grasp the hand of tho man who has
been honored with tho highest office of the United States.
President Taft set aside precedent and crossed over Into Mex
ico to return the visit and the many pleasing incidents con
nected with his-brief sojourn on foreign soil emphasized tho
friendly relations that exist between the two countries.
There have been meetings in the past between presidents
of American republics which were fraught with much of historic
significance to the people they represented, (ireat affairs of
state have been discussed in this manner with consequences of
great benefit to the countries involved.
In the year 1823 tho port of Guayaquil, Ecuador, was the
scene of one of the most notable events in the history of Amer
ica. Dolivar, the
liberator of the
northern provinces,
nnd San Martin,
tho liberator of
the southern prov
inces, met togeth
er for a conference
that decided the
destiny of South
America. Bolivar
was certain that
liis genius would
be rewarded by
the honor of the
election to the
first presidency of
the country to
which he had giv
en freedom. San
Martin, had he but
asked it, could
have become the
elected head of a
new nation. San Martin withdrew, however. The war against Spain had
still months to run before a constitution could be made effective and there
fore this hoped-for first meeting of presidents was only a dream that might
have been.
History shows that tho struggle for liberty continued for a generation
beyond the elections of the first presidents in many of the republics of
America. Early meetings may have taken place between some of them for
the purpose of informal discussion concerning unsettled policies of constitu
tion and government, but there are scant evidences of any such personal
communication. One meeting, however, is recorded, which was fruitful
of results that influenced the future development of the
whole region of tho river Plate. This occurred In the year
1865. At that time the war In Paraguay had reached a
crisis. The Argentine Republic, Uruguay and Brazil had
decided to combine forces against President Lopez of
Paraguay, but nt the moment harmony of action had been
lacking because of lndefiniteness of purpose among the
three republics. It was then that President Flore3 of Uru
guay crossed to Buenos Aires to confer with President
Bartolome Mitre of the Argentine Republic. He was
received in state, but the council was ' one for military
deliberation rather than for official and diplomatic cere
mony. The Brazilian minister was called to this meeting
and thete three agreed upon an offensive and defensive
alliance, the consequences of which are seen in the na
tional boundaries of to day.
In disturbances of this nature a president was apt to
be not only the constitutional but also the actual commander-in-chief
of the army of his country. Experience
on the field was an essential factor for success in the
executive -chair. A far-off reflection of the glories of
Creey might have been the ambition of many of these
leaders, .if the strong love for constitutional republicanism
had not held them and the people in check.
Meetings of American presidents, therefore, have In
the great majority of cases taken place as a matter of
neighborliness and to strengthen the ties of friendship
which must, as time passes, draw closer to each other the
republics of the new world. Their purpose has been alto
gether ono of peace. A notable Instance of such a confer
ence Is shown by the meeting held at Corinto, on August
21, 1904, when the presidents of Nicaragua, Honduras and
Salvador and a special delegate from the president of
Guatemala assembled with the express Intention of foster-
If N W
M PS.- ' , 'JZ I? ! f f. 4 President
I &v. Iff f V4i
tine Republic by the president of
Brazil In Octotbor. 1900.
Gen. Julio A. Roca was In his sec
ond term ns president of tho Argen
tine Republic. He had served his
country long and faithfully In many
positions of trust nnd was recognized
in Europe, whero he had traveled ex
tensively, as one of the most capable
President Roca of tho
Argentine Republic and
Errazuru: m
Chile, in the Strait or
Magellan. They dis
cussed practical affairs,
the administration of
their respective offices
uud the mutual relation
of their governments to
tho people's welfare, but
moro than that the visit
furnished an object les
son to ench president of
tho needs nnd require
ments of tho growing
territory through which
he had to pass.
The Inhabitants of tho
south and southwestern
United States "never
cease to be grateful for
the presidential visit
paid to them In 1901.
New Orleai.s. although once tho capital of a
vast territory ncqulrcd by a president of the
United States 100 yenrs before, had never
Keen a head of the nutlon until President Mr
Kinley came. This trip was continued, with
equally lasting benefits, through Texas, New
Mexico, Arizona nnd California. It was In El
Paso, Texas. Hint a meeting had been ar
ranged between President McKinley and Pres
ident Diaz of Mexico, but tho poor health of
ton ofliclal society la on tho qui viva
for the very latest rumor Is that MIsl
Alice M. Illeih. secretary to Mrs. Taft,
will soon resign her position to as
sumo that of tho w ife of - Richard
Wulnwright, tho son of Admiral Wain-
wright. Ever since last winter gos
sip hna been busy In prophesying Miss
liluch's engagement. Tho couple have
been almost constantly together.
Perhaps never before has tho sec
retary to tho wlfo of tho president
been as nverso to public notice as has
been Miss Blech. When It was dis
covered that Mrs. Taft, following Mrs.
Roosevelt's example, had chosen hof
amanuensis from tho state depart
ft?JS men of his generation. Dr. Campos
Ing by all honorable means tho peace of Cen
tral America. The four governments thus rep
resented manifested a decided moral resolve
to harmonize the ambitions of each for the
good of all. Stops like this lead to beneficial
consequences and undoubtedly the sympathetic
expression of regard between these neighbors
made easier the brilliant peace conference
held by the five republics of Central America
under Secretary Root's guidance In tho closing
months of 1907.
Central America probably leads in the num
ber of enses when presidents have grasped
one another by the hand and discussed among
themselves, by oral communication, affalra and
policies they were elected to guard. It is not
' a long Journey from one capital to another,
and between contiguous seaports the distance
is so short that Informal meetings aro easy of
accomplishment. Tho president of Salvador
and the president of Guatemala havo moro
than once exchunged personal greetings. In
fact, Gen. Rullno Barrios, whllo chief execu
tive of Guatemala, was an attentive host, for
tho presidents of Costa Rica and of Honduras,
during two administrations, visited hlru. Tho
presidents of Costa Rica and of Nicaragua
once met on the frontiers of the republics, and
so rapidly aro the means of communication be
ing extended In this century that undoubtedly
mnny similar meetings will be arranged In the
future for the bencllt of this Central American
' confraternity.
With the growing demand for mutual un
derstanding nnd the absence of all that dan
ger which has so frequently attended the visits
of European rulers outside the confines of
tbt lr own nations, these -International visits
are becoming more and more frequent. Some
times they are of an Informal nature, the
president traveling In his private capacity and
being welcomed as a foreign guest simply.
rr Some years ago President Zaldivar of Salva
dor came to tho United States and was re-
t eh. i li. . ii n - i.i . . l i
CClVea BS UCllueu Iliu jiubiuuh. ninmnn
elns of Costa Rica, Just beforo his brother en
tered the Naval academy at Annapolis, trav
eled Incognito throng" the United States and
was entertained by President . McKinley In
Washington. He line always looked back upon
that event with a kindly memory. Mary years
before that, however. Gen. RuOno Marrlos,
wiille president of Guatemala, visited tho
llwssw wwy wawww of
"United States, and so cordial was his recep
tion here that his government made this event
the subject of a special communication to the
government of the United States.
A former president of the United States
was also a traveler into a foreign land, al
though It was at the time a favorite subject
of argument whether he stepped on foreign
soil. In November, 1900, President Roosevelt
made his trip of Inspection to Panama. He
was formally received by President Amador,
by officials of the government, and Informally
he met the president of Panama on several
occasions subsequently.
What mignt bo called a return visit of
presidents was made shortly after this by
President Amador of Panama, who came to
tho United States In November, 1907. lie was
not in good health, however, and could not
receive tho attention which would otherwise
have been given blm. Whatever meeting took
place between him and President Roosevelt
was of the simplest possible nature.
Theso occasions have not lnckcd in cere
mony, although In most cases It has been the
Individual traveling In a quasi private capac
ity rather than tho representative of a nation
who was the recipient of the honors bestowed
by a nation upon a distinguished guest. Al
, though the personality of a president has
always been a factor In his reception, the cere
mony has been doubly impressive when ho has
been formully and by premeditation Invited
to visit a foreign country and a different
people from his own. Such visits havo been
rare, even In America, ai;J when they occur
aro of more than passing Interest. Especially
in Latin America, too, where the peoplo take
delight In ceremony and where their artistic
lnEtlnet appreciates the valuo of tho event, nn
occuslon of this kind becomes a wonderful
agent In increasing friendship and mutual un
derstanding. It Is pleasant, therefore, to record two
brilliant Instances of the meeting of two great
presidents of American republics, arrnnged as
an affair of state and carried out with nil tho
pageantry for which the scenes wero bo well
fitted. Reference Is made to the visit paid to
tho president of Brazil by the president of the
Argentine Republic In August, 1899, uud to the
return lslt paid to tho president of tho Argon-
Salles bad assumed the
presidency of Brazil In
1898. His early life had
been nassed under the
empire, but the spirit of
the ago hnd fired his re
publicanism, nnd, despite
all tho traditions of an
hereditary aristocracy, he
had devoted his genius and
his energy to the establish
ment and perpetuation of
the new republic.
The Argentlno Republic
and Brazil have long beenjon
friendly footing, but, sepa
rated as their capitals are by
1,000 miles of ocean, or by
an equal number of miles of
almost untraveled forest,
they have not always been
able to find opportunity to
meet in intimate friendship.
For this reason, and be
cause the times seemed fa
vorable for expressions of
personal and national regard.
these visits were arranged
between the two nations. It was the first
time In the history of South America that an
oflicinl visit wns paid by one president of a
republic to another. A squadron of the navy
escorted Prcddint Roca to Rio Janeiro,
where the Brazilians wero lavish in their hos
pitality. The city was en fete for days, and
tho enthusiasm f tho people was tho best
evidence of the success of tho hitherto un
tried event. The Argentino Republic, not to
be outdone in a display of hospitality and
friendship, made even more elaborato prepa
rations for the if turn visit of President Cam
pos Salles the following year. Buenos Aires
was decorated in all the perfection of which
that beautiful city Is capuble. The people
demonstrated tin t their friendship and hos
pitality was as sincero and spontaneous as
that of their neighbors, nnd the Impressions
of good will left on" each other, however much
it may be founded on sentiment, havo un
doubtedly carried far-reaching consequences
in the hearts of tho citizens of these two
republics.
Visits of courtesy of an Informal nature
are becoming more and more frequent as
good-Wlowship spreads from nation to nation.
An Instance well in point Is seen In the pro
poned call at Rl do Janeiro, Brazil, of Presi
dent Motitt of Chile, who will pay his respects
to tho president of Brazil when he returns
from Europe early In the coming year.
Meetings on t ho boundary between nations
aro of a somewhat different character nnd
cannot, from the very nature of tho locality,
be surrounded with the elaborateness of cero
mony attainable in a nation's capital. They
have a world wid .' significance, however, since
they show that presidents can shake hands
across the border nnd that what they llko to
do In brotherly affection the neighboring
peoplo will do alro. Another good result of
such a meeting I? the direct benefit upon the
people of tho re: ion through which a presi
dent travels, for it brings him Into touch with
ninny persons and conditions he might not see
othcvwlsc, f.nd c rrles evidence to all alike
that he Is their xecutive official as well a
that of the lcsK'jnts of the capital of the
nation.
Consequences of great benefit, for In
Btante, followed ti e meeting, in 1899, between
the latter prevented him from making such a
inne tatirnev away from his home, and in his
stead he delegated several high odklals of
the Mexican government to meet and greet
President McKlnlfy on the International bridge
across the Rio Grande connecting the two
republics.
MR. PLAZAZUS' RECORD
One of the Reasons Why He Couldn't Get Ex
tension of Credit.
"We're pretty nearly sting proof," said a
banker the other day. "Any tlmo any one puts
one over on us he'll have to operate With a
mace. Nowadays no bit of Information about
a client's personal character Is considered too
pennyroyal for us to notice It.
The statement was called out by tho pres
ence on the banker's desk of a large roll of
manuscript reports, pinned together. The un
fortunate who hud been made a Bubjcct of nn
antemortem had always thought himself a
pretty fair sort of a citizen. He hadn't done
anything very objectionable, beyond getting
stewed now nnd then, riding a bit too fust In
autos and acting as a chronic host for Broad
way's chorus girls, the New York correspon
dent of tho Cincinnati Times-Star says. It so
happened that ho wanted an extension of
credit and had applied to his bank for it. And
the credit man did the rest.
"We have here," said the banker, "the
usual Dun and Bradstreet reports on Mr. Pla
zazus. Wo have a highly entertaining scries
of clippings, in which our late client appears
as the leading man In a lot of funny doings
by electric light. We also have statements
from every man he has avr worked for and
bo far as possible every man he has ever done
business with. And still we haven't enough. I
have aBkcd for a special report upon certain
phases of his activity that aro not shown here
Every bank In New York has been victimized
at various times by men who offer us nn ap
parently clean bill of health. We don't find
out until It Is everlastingly too late tbrt they
are sufferers from a moral pip. Nowadays a
man to get credit standing nt a New York
bank must pass an examination that would
send tho average deacon howling to the
woods."
In Mr. Plsznzus' case his request for a loan
was refused and he was asked to take his ac
count out. Not that It wasn't sound finan
cially, but two years ago he had been Jobbed
by a bunch of shell workers. "A mau," said
the bank president, "who tries to get money
In that way expects to profit by a dishonest
game. He's apt to try to hand us a . queer
check next time he gets hard up. i That expe
rience of his proves him to be hot merely
a fool, but a dishonest fool. We can't afford
to waste tlmo on cither class.' .
mi)
ment, thero was a great hue and cry
for the favored one's picture. But not
until now has it been possible to se
cure one.
Somehow the Impression hns gone
forth that Mrs. Tuft's secretary la un
attractive nnd of middle ago. On tho
contrary', Miss Blech Is most attractive
looking and is In tho early twenties.
She has smooth brown hair and al
ways wears neutral shades or white,
which throws it into a beautiful contrast.
Miss Blech has mastered seven lan
guages. Probably the one thlngh which
attracted Mrs. Taft to her was the fact
that sho was told that the young wo
man was a thorough plunlst, having
won much applause in the local mu
sical circles.
: Miss Blech has filled a difficult role
most successfully and has mado her
self a favorite, not only at tho White
House, but in official circles general
ly, by her efficiency, tact nnd diplo
macy.
Tall, slender, quiet and reserved,
Miss Blech hns a charming manner,
and a delightful personality, which
have won for her a host of friends.
She Is well known to Mrs. Roosovolt
and Mrs. William S. Cowles, both of
whom have shown an Interest in her.
She has lived much of her time on tho
continent, and at Alexandria, -Egypt,
and has the polso and reserve of the
traveled woman of culture. Sho does
not appear In society, and lives quietly
with her mother In an uptown apart
ment. Miss Blech usually arrives nt the
White House at nine o'clock In the
morning, and with Mrs. Taft goes over
the correspondence, takes dictation
and receives such instructions as tho
wife of tho president may have for
her. Her duties aro not heavy, and
the afternoon usually find the day'ti
work done.
; BICYCLE WITHOUT FORKS. .
Paris. A novel bicycle built wltl
out forks, so that If a tiro bursts or
Is punctured during a race or a long
ride It can bo speedily changed, has
been Introduced in this city. It will
bo noticed in tho illustration that in
place of the usual fork to keep each
r
Attaining Friends. . . .
The world will valuo you for what you glve
If you Invito friends by your manner, and ar
kind and cordial, you will have them. If )'di
wait for tho world to luvlte you, y?i will b
disappointed.
wheel In position there Is a single
stay on alternate sides on tho front
nnd back wheel. They give a some
what inr.ccuro appearance to tho ma
chine, but are said to have stood the
tests wyll.
The Final Test.
"Doctor," npked tho ' patlerit,
whoso eyes had been undergoing treat
ment for a period of six months or
more, "do you think they're all right
now?"
"Yes," said tho oculist; "I think I
can assure you, Mr. Piuchnlckel, that
j our eyes aro cured. But there Is ono
more test I should like to apply. Seo"
If you can, rend that at n distance of
12 or 14 Inches without blinking."
Whereupon he luld the bill before
blm.