The Red Cloud chief., 1880-06-17
The Population and Politics Of Mexico.

The Population and Politics Of Mexico.
II i amaEin. 20 see upon how small
ratiuns an Indian or haf breed a
thrive and DO the hardest work saw
II Vera Cruz half breeds working ten
hours IN the hold Of a ,tvaUcr packing
away sugar ant coffee. the thermometer
standing At over lur deg. and the e
working harder han New lorS steve
dorcs. Vet their breakfast consisted VI.
only i~0y!.llIS and Il cup 81 coffee. This
ability To endure fatigue upon a very
small mount II food make the Indian
an admirable soldier. lie will make y
forced march Of two or three DAYS al
most without r%atious, and Will then bc
A. ready to fight - an lri-hmau at Don
nybrook Fair. The Indians have
another characteristic that makes them
invaluable soldiers in a land like Mex
leo. They DO not care whom they fight
for, or for what principle they ARE led
into battle. ~ long ~ they fight some
BODY. AMI in the revolutions they al
ways join thu party that wins ~ o ~
lhcsbat,!c Is over General trrini tells
a story IF his experiences when u Lieu
tenant in the Mexican war. Tn" Amcri-
/ can army defeated the McNicans. and
the defeated army being deprived 81
their arms. Immediately became camp
followers. Grant cngagin. a MEXICAN
Captain ~ his holy servant nj : a
month.
Next TO the pure whites. these In
dians are by far the beet population
that Mexico has. The inhabitants may
be divided into three classes, First.
whites Descended from the original
Spaniards. or from German, French or
English ancestors: second. the uurc In
dians: and. third. the nn..tisp-. or
mixed race. who constitute the labor
ing class. Putting the present popu-
lation of Mexico nj 10000, Oop. which
i probably slightly under the real iig-
urc. those of pure European descent
probably number 100000. Or twenty
per cent. of the whole population; the
Indians. $500, 900. or thirtv-fiyc per
cent. AMI the mcstizos. i.Jun. ODO, or
forty-iive per cent These Indians be-
long To various tribes. and differ "a
much among Themselves in habits. APP
pcarance, and their intellectual quail
ties a. AnglU-SaNons and Latius. The
Indians of the cities are a low. brutal
lied lot, constantly drunk. and only
engaged in the lowest mental duties.
In some parts Of the country. however.
a. at T~lapacovan and Amatlan. Slsy
are Woodworking. industrious people.
neat in their dress and sober in their
habits. In the mining districts they
make by far th. best miners. and com
mand the b.et wages. The m"s'iIus
are the principal agricultural laburrrS.
small shopkeepcrs and politicians. They
are generally undcr,i1cd, with copper
colored skins and straight hair.
Without the energy Of the pure white
or the hard working application
of the Indian. these mestilos have
very little To recommend them. They
are lazy. stupid. thieviSh ia their pro
pensiiies. anil Unfortunately fond of
pulquc. which il. next To their love Of
revolutions, ,he greatest banc of the
country. The wealthy landowners.
merchants and bankers both in the cities
and in the country. are almost altogcth-
cr Imperialists. They were ali in favor
OF Maximilian, and. looking down upon
the mestizos, who are the politicians of
the country, they refuse To take any
part in the present Government. The
Indians take no Interest in politics un-
less there is some fighting to hc done,
and her they will. as mentioned be
fore. fight with equal readiness upon
either side. The me-tizos. from whose
ranks the Presidents and other political
officers are mostly recruited. are. a. n
rule. "agin the Government. no mat
ter what il may be-. IL Is Ia the lazy,
treacherous and. AT the same time. Cu-
easy nature of this class that the rcvo-
~lutiOns are mostly due. The mass 81
the people take 10 interest ia politics,
and never mention the Government eN-
I ccpt To abuse il. IL Is scarcely to be-
expected that much improvement will
take place in this until the population
increases. and perhaps the bcs; thing
that could happen to MeVieo would be-
that she should lose the States nearest
the border. and then there IL = chance
that the remainder might be- able To up
hold a good Government. The .duca-
tional system is a. good rs ha; Il the
United States, aud the smallest village
has It's public school. But education
does no, seem " do the children much
good. Litter 10 y. j. Sun.
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