During his presidency, he made many changes to help the poor and foreigners. He focused on agricultural economic development. With the help of Belgium, he founded a school for agriculture. He made a new Water Code in 1902, and got rid of the law that forbid foreigners to purchase land. In adition, he got American Investors to come and create the "Cerro de Pasco" mining company, which boosted economic growth. A railroad was built from La "Oroya" to "Cerro de Pasco". 