New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-21

practically the first Introduction Of the mass of
Mexcans to American life. with ihe establishment Of
railway communication came the influx of nervous.
restless Americans eager 70 establish stores n "a
develop The country and thereby the almighty
dollar Tor themselves The lower-cnss Mexcnl thiry
rounded him. found himself showed aside and the old
peace and contcntmcn Of his humble life rndely narred
40 ,nc Spanish dCns the h % 81 s A "s o
respected their estates encro9chcd upon ny cattle
rascrs their land grants questioned and their family
dependents shaken in thor allegiance by offers OF higher
wages. -
curious study The poorsr Mxican In the railroad
towns longer nngs his striped sesapc gracetuy over
ton of his little garden to insure fortfrs and chill
colorado for his frugal meal No, but perchnhce ca III
spanish ons-shrewd educated mon progressive, and in
their way beraresign themselves TO the era OF pew
things aud seek to make the most of the business
opportunities Yet they feel their power and prestige
crippled Some have grown richer by inc adset Oh ie
+ mcr" than g' mere T ' "ccnaed wealth SO one result
Is inevitable. The Mexican does not love tne AneISa
and conservative to the backbone. Therefore, the
enterprise and pushing spirit of the new age are utterly
distascful Tey are stunned by the uproar suddenly
raised about their ears and offended by the rude care
lessness of American speech and nlanners Inen inc
American steals their women from them, and The
Mexican hates him with deadly, II silent. hatred The
don protects himself. He meets the American freely IN
business. but there he draws the Inc Ills nome is III
the strongest his castle and American enters ts
doors unless backed by the most exceponable intro
ana The barrier between business and social relations Is
nowhere more mmoyably fixed than by these old
families. who give admission 10 their hospitality as
cautiously as the most ristocrac cocrcs OF the East
But when the stranger comes to them properly pesehcu
eenerois freedom of his welcome With all that have
said of the dislike OF the Mexican for the American It
should be understood that this Is almost entirely silent
and uncxprcssed The American - hO0dlum " invades
the Saturday night boes dances aud conducts himself
like the noisy rniiian that he Is But the Mexican
seldom makes any active rcmonstrance. simply cohtnu
ing his dancing with caustic side saicasns upon
American manners. The lower-claSs Mexican nee'ihg
you in the street WILL would two years since don his
hat with suave - BuenOs dias. senor but he loves
You the better despite this outward show Ana tne
don is always courteous and coInpanionaDe enough WIN
the casual acquaintance whom he meets on the cars or III
the hotels yet they are but strangers when they part
grave exists for Castian exclsivcness the
fact that the hospitality of these spaniards has been
abused by who were unworthy of social considera
ton and the lesson has brought an access of caution
and distrust of the American.
SPA IsH CONSERVATISM Ar BAY
Now comes the most interesting question Of this prob
lem. Will the weaker be absorbed or swept away
by the sir0nger.-or will the wonderfully powerful Span
ish conservatism prove strong enough to hold lts own
How strong that conservatism is, be appreciated
only by those who have studied the Spanish peasant
the at home Ia distant colonies The Egyptians
ponghed with crooked sticks harncssed to beams across
the foreheads Of their The Moors Of Northern
Africa adopted this from them. AMI trlnspaDted plough
and harness when they invaded Spain And here In the
mountain valleys Of New-Mexico today, the descendant
of the Spanish peasant plOugns in the same way Even
he has money enough buy he prefers to pack
wood or produce upon the backs OF his burros and
drive them into town, is done In Spain aud In CUBA
Or If he must have cart he prefers the creaking com
bnation of logs, solid slab wheels. and raw-hide TO
modern farm wagon IL is this very conservatism this
coutentment with his life and methods. and pas
sive essance to Innovations that in great part proves
his protec ion MISTAKE has been made in regarding
The poverty and utter lowliness OF ordinary Mexican
life caused by the advance OF the railroad and the
process of "Americanzaion." The lies In the
ifn tGAlf no
born to lot from which the lines Of caste offer him no
escape He must be ~ his father was, and he can have
no ambition hope that the future Will bring him
more IndOcnt BY nature, regarding ,wo days work In
five fair proportion, utterly unlike the American In his
ideas work and in his perfect lack OF desire Tor money
power OF advancement ne Is cOntented with his humble
lot and asks for hing No, IL 10 not the Aner-
can responsible for what ems the degradation
OF the lowercass Mexican but II s the lazy loving
anbItionees and happy nature of the Mexican himself
After all the changes which the railroad has brought
are largely superciN. Along its line the Iexcan has
changed his costume partly ana often Ills empoymenfs
III the centres Of the railroad towns his low adobe nuts
pulled down 10 give place TO slnSle palaces ana
ready-made clothing stores yet immediately he builds
new adobes the ouskris His goats stragsle upon
the railroad track and killed, while ne nhs no one
10 understand him when no asks for compensation and
he therefore moves little further away from the rail-
skilled In the mechanical arts, save iite rune
passed away In the towns ne no longer weayes ms
blankets the Jeans for his clothes, nor makes us
soes candles but be buys thu cheap and dreadful
products Of Eastern factories even down 10 the paper
Tor bis cigarritos which 10 simply yellow straw wrap
art Of making figree ewelry is the only one which he
practIses and that carried 10 remarkable degree OF
hal changes yet at heart aud in his hone life the Span
peasant remains the'satne. And twenty miles BACK
from the railroad in mountain villages that have VS.
ted the life Of the Mexlcans Is as prVe az petoe nc
frat wagon here the Santa re trail Only the
other day | saw sOmc Mcxicans thresning out their
wheat by driving goats ma cattle over the straw when
was scattered bard mud noOr Inc sDcer, passive
conservatism the rs ierti9 Of this race thoroughly
Snanish VET like ali spanish coloniss hating the Span
ards with indescribable hatred proves their DIST
means OF preservation from such results as have fol
lowed where the white man has come IN contact Win
the Indian. Here, too, the Mexican has resource Ii ne
crowded away from the vicinity uf the railroad ne VIII
fall back into distant mountain valleys. wnere no
American occasional ranch man. miner or uin-
like the Mexican live conentedy without hope OF gain
without business without anything save the pare means
of existence This generation VIII see no marked cnange
in the modes thought aud the inner life Of the Mex
aan ahougI there plenty OF external ana superb
apart as the poles every idea and belief are not to be
overcome and recOnced by less than half century OF
New-Mexico little than mere land Of rich graz
ing grounds fertile valleys, productive Mines ana TIM
bered mountains. The chariu of Romantic and mys-
ferrous past still fingers around her ancient adobe
churches, and her crumbng puebos as well as IN the
lower class, with the peaceful ambiloness content
ment of the poorer people and with tneir reItions TO
the Americans, presents the most Interesting study
that the Territory Affords.
POLITICS IN THE TERRITORY
Among tho 80 600 voters Of the Territory the proper
ton to Americans Ia rs three to one so that
any sharply defined question should arise "a has
fortunately the case, the Mexicans would hold
the power For the part the Mexicans are Repub-
leans. but their politics are influenced by two curious
factors Every Spanish don has following, more or
less large OF Mexcans. who like their ancestors hold
fairly feudal allie glance to mis- family These dons al
though the leading families all over the Territory are
bound together by generations OF Interim lrrage mover
theless are In some divided by family feuds pet
~ eaonsies There hostility the part Of some OF
the Otcros Armijos aud Percas, one side, against
some members OF the Romero Luna. and Chavez fani-
lies on the other Now BernalO County Is practically
controlled by the first three families while the Romeros
are suprt me in san Miguel County, and tho ChaveZs
and Lnas Valencia. So with the votes held by each
of these leading families 1t is matter. II the can
diate although q Spaniard. IA one against whom some
hereditary personal grudge Is borne 10 leap over the
party traces aud cast a pumper against him. 49,
There has very little feeling evinced in pot