Evening star., 1870-02-12

The extended tour of pleasure and obserya-
ton made by Governor Stewards party through
Mexico has served to bring out some interesting
facts pertaining to the present condition of that
country. They naturally enjoyed unusual IA
ilities for investigation, and one of the party,
q oil. Evans, of the Orerldnd Nonthly and Alta
California, has crystalized these observations i'm
work on Mexico, which will soon be pub
lished. 1t would seem that as much as we excel
the Mexicans in productive industry, the me
hanic arts, and government, they excel us in
architecture, painting, and the ornamental arts
The same absorption OF vast landed estates by
the Few, resulting in the poverty of the great
mass, which Prescott describes as characteristic
Of the Aztec standardization three centuries
ago. still prevails, and results in the like op-
Pressiye cheapness of labor.
The Catholic Church has stir n stro,g 70,
ligious power. But as n political power the
church itself has been conquered: its lands.
which once obsorbed three-ffths of the whole
country, have been cOntiscated; Ii owns only its
buildings for worship, and a few of these are
gwen over by the authorities to Protestant con-
gregations. The priests are forbidden to an
pear I'm public professions, and even to wear i'm
the public places their 8. shovel hat. ~ as that
portion of the priestly garb is styled. There
are about forty Protestant churches in all Mex-
leo, OF which twenty-three congregations are in
the City of Mexico.
The press Is free even ts license. The prin-
clPles OF republicanism,-free speech, free
schools, and freedom of religious worship,-are
thoroughly engrafted in the minds of the people.
At these schools they are also taught industrial
arts and trades. Parties divide nominallv into
Republicans and Radicals. Though party
feeling is strong, the issues are ill-iefned. and
lie Chiefly between .ins'' and outs ,, thou,b
the questions of State rights the forcible division
OF the great landed estates, Csome of which are
ten miles sIuarc and tenanted by thousands of
families.) general amnesty to the monarchists.
and other questions Of general importance, are
being agitated.
Mr.. Evans regards Juarez as the strongest
and ablest President Mexico can have. but yery
unpopular, owing to the chronic restlessness of
the people. He stands no chance of reelection at
the end of his term, which still runs for two
years. Diaz will probably be his successor.
The wars and executions have so thinned out
the men that the young women, many OF whom
are Of great beauty, have hardly hope of mar
rylng In this respect only does the country af-
ford any present inducements to Yankee immi-
grafton The agricultural and mineral re-
sources are unrivalled by those Of any part of
the United States They can raise all crops that
we raise, and all that We cannot raise. But il is
with great difficulty the Congress can be induced
to vote the revenue necessary to keep the GOV
ernment in existence, and with equally great
,difseI.lty that the revenues they do vote can be
collected in the present exhausted condition of
the people. In productive industry Mexico is
poorer than ten years ago, but in the reforms She
has wrought in her institutions there is hope of
a brighter day coming.