Arizona citizen., 1878-01-11
The Rio Graude Troubles.

Jostle our elbows only at distance oi
 some four hundred miles, the great
 press of the country has been guessing
 at the cause of the border difficulties
 The amount of ingenuity displayed
 and the curious combinations of cause
 and effect arrived at would, in some
 instances, do great credit to the comic conundrum guessers at the end of a minstrel troupe.
 Two great theorles have been pre- dominant, however, and these have
 been rolled about and felt over in
 leading editorials as precious morsels
 but neither of them will give sausfac
 ton to the well-informed and steady
 going patriots resident on this frontier The first of these theories asc-ibes the causes of the Rio Grande troubles tc the summary manner in which certain enterprising Americans took posses. sion of the Fl Paso salt lakes, and pro ceeded to levy toll upon every one who wanted salt enough for his bacon and beans; where, as the world knows, these lakes had been held in common for years and years, and under Spanish and Mexican laws, could not | lss un- der individual control. Now, while salt as a condiment, a sort of an ad. lunct, serves valuable purpose and fills what might otherwise be a great void, it, this individual and peculiar common salt, is not in itself satis- factory basls for anything, and partic- ularly for all troubles along the Rio Grande, from Fl Paso to Brownsville, some seven or eight hundred miles. This theory therefore, while it may be useful for local application, just as salt itself is often useG for local bodily ailments, chilblains for instance, can- not be said to furnish a sufficient cause for the Texas feuds.
 The other theory Is that all the trouble is due to the natural depravity and in- nate highwayman character of the aver age Mexican. Itis peculiarly noticeable that this idea is preferred by all the inconoclastic papers; those which, Apache-like. rather tear down than build up, and which, in tbe pursuit of their nefariouS ends, have tried to des- troy the cherished fancies of youth |; such, for example, as that Washington was the Father of his country; that a Department Commander might in some things. as the prompt payment of money honestly due, be just and fair to all sections under his imperial sway {; that all Arizona mines are sure to prove bOnanzas, and that a Prescott paper might, under pressure, be be- guiled into once telling the truth. Now, when the female youth, beauty and worth of our country has pictured the descendants of the cOnquistadores as something noble, upright and dig nified beyond comparison, these des- troyers seek to demOlish all the happy fancies at one fell swoop and make these same men merely a set of horse thieves and bandits. Of course, we in Southern Arizona having such inti- mate and close relations with our hon. est, virtuous, energetic and peaceable neighbors of Sonora, know how ab- surd and ridiculous this theory is, and notice it only with a feeling of loath- ing and pity for it's supporters and propogators.
 From the foregoing it is evident that guessing should be laid aside, for it takes some knowledge and observation to really get at the merits of the mat ter, but when once got at all is clear as day and the only wonder is, why it was not known before Out of pure humanity and love of truth, we will now advance the true theory. and cor dially invite criticism as to its capacity to fully explain each and every phase of the problem.
 Every man who ever saw a Mexican knows that his paramount characteris- ucs are love of native land and respect for its constitution and laws. While an American in a moment of patriotic will take drink, toss his hat in the ar and yell tiger" a Mexican will as invariably rise to the Occa- sion with "VIva Mexico" or "Viva la Constitution" A Mexican always obeys the laws, it is as natural for him as it is for a new baby to squall at Naturally this same re spect is given to the framers of the and laws whose assertions and advice are known to be as true and good, at least as gospel.
 Going back into the history of Mex leo we find that the General Con stituent Congress-" in putting into the hands of "the Inhabitants of the Fed eration." "the most arduous work, tine code which had been en- trusted to its care" did SD, on October 1. 1924, with an address to MeXicans from which we extract the following:
 "YOur representatives inform you. '' that ii you wish to place yourself on a level with the happy republic of .' our neighbors of the north, 1t Is| '' necessary that you should elevate