New-York tribune., 1881-08-15

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sitting in his ruins looking wise. And steal What
you see lying about here that these peopl haven't
gathered in you may set down as not worth stealing
They're Oh the lookout for something all the time
and they generally find it. too.
PAwNING A PLOUGH.
Look Mt the haclendas all over the country ;
they like forts not built for protection from In
dians but from their own people. Every night the
great gate is locked and whatever is behind those
stone walls has TO stay in, and whatever outside
has to stay ont. till morning. Everything on the
farm is taken under cover, not even one of those
old wooden ploughs patterned after the first one
Noah patented in the ark is left in the field at
set you will see the laborers driving home with the
plough-beam the yoke, and in the morning he
brings it ont again. If one of our American ploughs
was left in one of these fields night il wonld
be taken to pieces and distributed the country
in forty places, and half of it pawnad. And as for
harrow, they wouldn't leave tooth in it! Speak
ing of ploughs what do you suppose these brutes do
with one of our Yankee ploughs when they get it :
Why, the first thing they do is to saw off one handle
and make it near possible like their old
wooden ones then they do everything they can
think of TO break it, and fall back on the wooden
institution which they've used a Thousand years
It's lust holy terror! Here am with stock of
machinery that would set up a rst-class establish
ment IN the States that is just rusting to pieces
when they expect to get it all for uoth
ing. When you've been amongst 'em year. "a |
have. and have what of Satan
they really are you'll change your mind about 'em
Yon tourists, who only meet em the street, and
see EN- grlnning and bOwiHg and shaking hands
AND embracing You as though you a long-loSt
telling you their house is yours and their
wives and daughters and everything they own is at
your dispostion-you only one side II 'em I've
seen both sides. I've tested their hospitality and
have found out that there ain't hit of real genu
hey re the sbr.xp iaaf
people on this continent, just long headed rs law
yers. and so jealous of us Americans that they hate
u.s.
-" This railroad business is just nuts for them
They amt q going TO stand in the way of our build
ing railroads and opening their ports for EN- inst
returns They know well enough that in ease the
# they fail they'll just rip mp the rails and sell em
for old iron And as for concessions, if you'll Just
name any two points in Mexican territory that amt
have to do is to go before Congress and ask pernis
sion to make one; they'll give you a chance TO
waste your money and will throw in any amount of
subsidy you ask for"
DO they intend to pay all these subsiiies7"
ell. what's the odds If they don't What arc
TO grant em and gives 'em an mpo tance in the
eyes OF the world; and in any event--a convenient
htte revolution Tor instance-they have the rail-
roads,"
SOME MORE SINFUL WAYS
Washerwomen pawn the clothes of unsuspecting
and trusting Americans when given them to he
"asAct engineer mas had To Visit
some empeao and pay down the cash for garments
that were already his to get them out of pawn
Either one by one all in a lump. these garments
are gathered into the nav of the Mexican " unclep
The statement of my friend. the machnist, may be
colored by sad experience. but there is much
truth IN what he says; II is only fair toward those
of our conntrymen contemplating coming here to
give the actual coloring of the dark side as ell as
the bright.
In regard to stealing this know, that nothing
along the line of the great Mexican railroad
from Vera Cruz the City OF Mexico left outside
after dark nothing that the strength of two men
can lift. Even the car-coupngs are taken in
side the station and locked up. This road once in
Toduced air-brakes on their cars. but the workmen
punched holes III the pipes and stole the tubing so
they taken off. On the &" National road, and
doubtless all others also they stole the bolts that
fastened the rails to the ties until they were finally
rivetted on. One OF gang of workmen undertook
to steal the cap oil cartridge of dynamite and the
result that he and several others went To their
reward.
Instances might be multiplied to show that the
bulk OF the mixed population of Mexico are thieves
and beggars. Ii is uposSible to mention the term
stealing without finding victim. Two evenings ago
| was at the house of "a prominent American here
whose wife that very day had had a valuable watch
stolen from her; they in consultation that
ble recovery Of some furniture stolen from them
few weeks before. That afternoon met a mission
ary, well known here, who showed me a watch that
had been stolen from him and which he had ONLY re-
gained by paving S5J to recover it from pawn The
wife OF II high American official in Mexico told me
that same evening that at the first oiiicial dinner
given by her husband she lost so many spoons and
forks that there were hardly any left in the even
ing. Though there is nc other city of any size near
le III l;oo,
customs officials search-or have the right to search
all nerchandis arriving and departing through
tie city gates, property lost is rarely recovered
Even in the event of Identification and the arrcst of
the thief, II is so difficult recover stolen goods
that hey are In The majority of left with the
magistrate.
No = readers Of THE TRIBUNE NAV set mucb of
the above down tn the spleen of n man who ha. lost
ms Valse, ana may he prejudiced in consea eauencc
but as nlne-tcnths of the above are postiyr forts
elected without muck inquiry, they wlll be left
without 1urtler comment.
WAR UPON TUE MISSIONARIES
The Mexican Government guarantees the nrotec
ton OF all religious denominations yet there have
been many disturbances and few murders since my
arrival. The first week of April met two mission
aries who had been chased out of Qucretero hv n
mob melted by the Bishop OF that city. The Gov
ernment vindicated its honor and supremacy by re-
turning them under the promised protect;on of
troops. few weeks later "a natiye missionarv wos
set npon and stabbed to death by mob of RELIGIONS
fanatics near ApizacO, the main line of railroad
10 Mexico so Tar as can ascertain, nothing has
been done to punish them. A month ago npotber
native preacher was attacked near the ancient citv
OF TeXcoco by a party Of men who shot at him.
Not succeeding in killing him. rs he fed In n neor
town, they went TO Texcoco and lodged a cornplaiut
against him that he had hrcd at them saw him
in jail week later. an old man who carried M
serene ana benevolent countenance as it is posi-