815.51/403
The Chargé in Honduras (Belden) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 24.]
Sir: In confirmation of my cablegram of today’s date19 I have the honor to report that Dr. Arthur N. Young, accompanied by his wife and two children, arrived in this city at one o’clock on Sunday morning.20 On Monday I presented Dr. Young to the Minister For Foreign Affairs and in the afternoon of the same day in company with the Minister Dr. Young and I paid our respects to the President.
A few days previous to Dr. Young’s arrival I received the Department’s instruction No. 368 of June 9th. last relative to his mission here and delivered a memorandum to the Minister For Foreign Affairs giving the information concerning Dr. Young contained in the Department’s instruction. The contents of this memorandum were published in the daily papers.
Dr. Young has been well received and has commenced his studies and it is generally hoped that he will be able to assist the government and to accomplish some real good.
In his conversation with the President the latter expressed his satisfaction upon the arrival of Dr. Young and his desire to place everything at the Doctor’s disposal to facilitate him in his work. The President dwelled upon the necessity of introducing reforms in the administration of the governmental departments to the end of reducing the expenses but he especially stated that he strongly wished to find some means of doing away with the system now maintained whereby the sale of aguardiente (the native alcoholic beverage) was an important source of revenue to the government as he was most anxious that the sale of this liquor be prohibited and that, therefore, he desired that the Dr. make a special study as to the manner in which a new source of revenue could be obtained to offset the loss which would result from the introduction of prohibition in the sale of aguardiente.
It is as yet too soon to express an idea as to what success will ultimately result from Dr. Young’s visit.
I have [etc.]