Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-08
UNNATURAL BOUNDARY.
why the RIo Grande Causes 50 Much
Trouble.

from Texas SiftinGs.
Ever since men had common sense enough to
form themselves into communities. large rivers
have been utilized as boundary lines. 1t is the
most natural thing in the world TO select large
river as a boundary line hence rivers are called
natural boundaries. 1t is possible for nations
to quarrel about lines if they are merely artii-
cal; but the suppositi0n is that river is per
manen5 institution. although, like Governor
Roberts. it is always running. In Europe or
Asia, if You put large river down anywhere
out Of doors. it win stay where you put it. You
might 90 off and stay a. thousand years, and
when you got back that river would be right
there where you left il. Nobody can coil up
river thousand miles long and carry it Off any
more than you can lift lofty range of cloud
capped mountains up and put it into hand
cart Such. at least, has been the generally
accepted opinion in regard to rivers; but with
this. "a with all other rules, there is an excep-
ton, and the exception is the Rio Grande. which
IL the boundary line between the United States
and Mexico.
! The Rio Grande Is the most peculiar river in
the world Words cannot describe its crooked
ness, and the color of its waters are like unto
the compilations OF the hOrse-thieves who infest
Its borders. Whether the crookedness of the
natives IL caused by the course of the river or
whether the river has been induced to depart
from the straight line of duty 10y the bad exam
pie set II by the lords of creation who prowl
along its banks. is one OF those intricate ques-
tons We have not got space to discuss. The
soil OF the Rio Rande is alluyial. and very SINH
lar TO that OF the valley of the San Antonio
river. When ii rains the soil dssOlves into
soft kind OF mush, and the river f0ps about on
10, like a snake in water.
One OF the consequences Of this is that the
boundary line which is declared to be the mid
die OF the channel of the river. is as uncertain
and as utterly unreliable as political prediction
OF the Houston Post.
Fer instance John Smith an homes indus
trious aud unexceptiOnal Angl0-SaXOR settles
on the American side of the Rio Grande. He is
IN American In the fullest sense of the word
The Rio Graude. according to the c0stumbre de
Paris, gets on a bender, and next morning John
Smith finds that he has become by an act of God,
rs Blackstone calls it. Mexican. The boundary
hne has one around him during the night. hay-
ing selected a new channel. which leaves him
several miles in Mexico. The channel of the
river being the boundary, the MeXicans claim
the land as Mexican territory, and so il is. What
Is poor John Smith to do: When you are in
Rome you must howl with the wolves. In
short time John Smith has become Don Juan
Esmitee-that's the way the MeXicans pronounce
1t. He wears a great big s0mbrerO, smokes
cigarlttos big spurs jingle ut his heels he goes
to mass regularly, and TO inspire his Mexican
comrades with confidence, he steals an occasional
horse. In q few years. We're it not for his red
head and blonde freckles. and an occasional oath.
nobody would take HIM to be an American. That
Is all right as far as II goes. but just about the
time Don Juan Esmitec begins TO relish chile
con carne and other Mexican luxuries the
boundary line gets on another tare. and going
back 70 its old channel leaves Don Juan
Esinitee high and dry on the American side once
more. The Americans reclaim their land and if
Don Juan Esmitee does not move away he fails
TO feel at home. The very first time he gives any
OF his Mexican lingo TO his American brethren
or as soon he yields to his acquired habit of
stealing a horse. he has trouble of the most seri-
Gus character on hand. In other words he has
got 10 the end of his rope.
The same disaster befell the Mexican citizen,
who, contrary to his wishes. is converted into
an American, AMI back again TO a Mexican citl-
zen by this extraordinary river
Then again. In many places IL goes dry entirely,
and the two twin sister republics are left without
any boundary line whatever.
We are glad 10 see that President Arthur Is
comforting with the authorities in relation to
adjusting q permanent and Interchangeable bound
AIRY line between the two countries. Such a
step, IL 1t does nothing else, will fool the Ameri-
cans into believing that the United States is not
going TO absorb Mexico. and thus do away with
the necessity for any boundary line.