The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-02-16
other Happenings in and About Dallas.
Something About Mexico.

Something About Mexico.
Now that our country has railroad con-
nection with our sister republic OF Mexico,
and We are about to have liberal CONNER
cial treaty between the two countries.
everything concerning the ancient home of
the Montezumas must be interesting to the
general public. Mexico has SO long been
an almost terra incognito, save along
the immediate borders, that very
few people have an adequate
idea of the wealth, resources
and capabilities of that country. These re-
sources and capabilities however, are IN
great measure inchoate yet and need the
developing influences Of energy and enter
prise.
A HERALD reporter yesterday met Mr..
J. NJ. Roma, a native of Mexico, but now
an American naturalized citizen and resi-
dent OF San Francisco. Mr.. Roma is a
member of the large commission firms OF
Cabrera, Roma & Co., of San Francisco,
and II. L. Schmilinsky Il Son,
of New York. Mr.. Roma is en- route for
Mexico, and was yesterday guest at the
GranG- Windsor With him are Senior Chris
tobal Bros, custom house officer OF the
Mexican government, and Senior Rafael
Humara, q second lieutenant in the Next
can army, who is going to Chihuahua to
ioin a force of the Mexican army about TO
make a campaign against Indians.
our renorter found Mr., Roma to be an ex.
ceedincly intelligent peasant and cultivated
gentleman who speaks English quite tia-
entity, and in a long conversation with MN,
cleaned some interesting information con-
corning Mexico and the present outlook for
the country and hopes of the people. Mr..
Roma, although now citizen of California
still has a !ondness for his native land and
feels deep interest in It's welfare and pros
perity. IIes says that the wealth
in the hands of few
people, those OF pure Castilian blood, who
make the City of Mexico the central point
fer their pastime and habitation. They,
unlike the Americans, are not given TO in
vesting their means in speculations but
having untailing incomes, and, as rule,
princely in amount; they are devoted to
pleasure, patronizing the opera, support
ing bull fights, and taking much pleasure
in balls routs and high living gen.
orally. The great mass of the people
are of mixed blood, Spanish and Indian,
with many pure blood Indians. They are
ignorant, as rule, very greatly under the
influence OF their priests, and being an i'm
pulsive easily influenced people, have in
the past been easily led into revolutions,
which revolutions have retarded the growth
and development of the country. Now,
however, the country has grown
tired of these revolutions and
turmoils, and peace has been
dominant for long time.
President Gonzales, he says, being from
the army, military president, is not as
progressive or as liberal and comprehensive
in his views as he should be, or as the re-
ouiremeuts of the country demand at this
iuncture. He expresses himself as. glad to
see the national improvements that are
going on in Mexico, but thinks too many
railroads are being built, and that :he
American enterprise and energy that are
building these roads are OVERRIDING the
thing. He argues from the premise tina,
railroads, TO be successful and prosperous
must depend upon the agricultural prod.
ucts and resources of the country through
which they pass, and Mexico, agricul.
turally, is comparatively very poor. There
are millions Of broad tat acres there, but
they are yet virgin TO the pillow
and must be, to great extent
for number OF years yet, for the
native population must be educated up tC
the proper energy and enterprise to reclaim
the waste places and to make two blades Of
grass grow where only one grew before
Without large agricultural products are ex
tended, commerce cannot be expected, and
in the absence of both, save to limited
degree, what can these numerous miles o.
railroads hope to depend upon fol
expenses and dividends to stock
holders? 1t is true that Mexico has
rich mines, he says, and has numerous arti.
cles for export, in the shape of timber, dye
stutis, coffee, tropical fruits, etc., but these
articles are not numerous enough for the
support of the many railroads built and be-
ing built in the country. The consequence
is that these roads will lose money to their
owners, they vii begin to get out OF repair
after while and run down generally, and
they will be more hurtful than beneficial.
He says all classes of people are awaiting
anxiously the contamination of the CON-
mercial treaty between their country and
the United States, the terms being prepared,
and while they all expect the United States
to have the better of the terms, still they are
feel it must nevertheless be advantageous
to Mexico.
He expresses the opinion that it will not
be many years before the northern tier OF
Mexican states will be annexed to the
United States, and he didn't seem to feel
any regret at the prospect.
Mr.. Roma has been on a visit to the City
of Mexico, and is now returning to his
home in San Francisco He and his friends
came by steamer from Vera Cruz to Gal
weston, Senior Bros. being en-
Galveston they purchased tickets
via San Antonio and the Southern Pacific
railroad to Ell Paso, as they thought but
were imposed upon by the ticket agent, he
says, and were forced to come this way.
i
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