For thirty years President Diaz has been teaching men to govern. He has made many men. He has modelled a nation. Diaz has always been a patriot, whether old or young. He has established thirty years of peace, and made a Presidency famous for its political rule. Not only do Mexicans love him, but Europeans who have filled their purses with Mexican gold must honour and respect so remarkable a man. It will be an evil day when anything happens to General Diaz; but his work will live. The nation he has moulded and made is too well impressed with the benefits received to wander from the path of good government or throw aside his able laws for long. Mexico is no longer a country in the making. Mexico is made, and it was Porfirio Diaz who made it.
Apropos of the book itself, the late Major Martin Hume wrote some months before, in a review on the work of some other author:
“Any book that truly and attractively sets forth the life-story of such a man as Diaz should be worth reading. Mrs. Alec Tweedie, a few years ago, produced in England an excellent biography and appreciation of the President, and the book now before us will certainly not displace it as the standard work in English on the subject.”
President Diaz himself selected it as his authentic biography.
The following letter from my publisher is, perhaps, therefore, of interest:
“Cranes Park, Surbiton,
“Feb. 25, ’09.
“Dear Mrs. Tweedie,
“I am very glad to hear that the President of Mexico appreciates your Life of him so highly that he wishes the book brought up to date, and that it should be translated into Spanish for sale in Mexico. I remember the day I took the book for the first time round the trade. No one seemed to take the slightest interest in Porfirio Diaz, in fact, very few seemed to know that he existed, and it was only when I mentioned the fact that you were the author, and that the matter for the Life had been supplied to you by the President himself, and that they would be bound to use copies, as they all know you have a public of your own, they gave me orders.
“I was surprised myself at the interest the book created, as repeat orders from both booksellers and libraries commenced almost at once, and continued to come in.
“I had always an idea that the book had something to do with the tardy recognition of the President by the English Government.