Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-16
MEXICO NOT BARBAROUS.
SOME OF THE LIBELS ON THE
COUNTRY CONTRADICTED.


Every Man One Meets Not Walking
Arsenal or Cut Throat-Despicable
America Desperados When OvertaIxen
by just Vengeance Made Influential
Citizens by Sensational Correspond
ents.
A party of gentlemen just returned
from Mexico, says letter to the Kansas
City Journal, bring fiattering reports
from that country. True, they were there
but limited time, but long enough, and
made such good use of their eyes and ears
as to determine that very much Of the re-
ports coming from that country are falsely
colored, either ignorantly or from mali
cious motives.
Instead of every American, man or wo-
man, being compelled to encase himself
or herself in chain armor, and forced to
carry an unlimited number of reVoIyers
for protection, this party found sOci-
ETY. as quiet and safe as IN our own Kan
sas. Evidences Of refinement were found
on every side; home life as sacred: people
were as polite and courtesies were as
freely extended if not more so } as in our
own favored land. There are, of course.
lower strata of society in Mexico. as will
be found also in the United States; but in
the latter there can, with close inspec-
tion, be found as much brutality. TO
speak mildly, as can be seen in any
Mexican city or town. The trouble is.
Americans are too prone 10 isOk upon
Mexico as country largely peopled by
natives who have not had Opportunities
to take upon themselves the same en-
so noticeable in our own
country. Those who visit the newer re-
public soon discover their error. Many of
our impressions of Mexico and the notions
the MeXicans have of us are derived from
the mutual contact of the natives of that
country with class of our own citizens
who find temporary abiding places there
for the same reason that they formerly
went to Texas-tO get beyond the reach
of the strong arm of the law.
But a short time since reports came of
the outrageous murder Of an American of
influential family, who had been cowardly
stricken down by a Mexican assassin.
This looked bad, though written and pub
lished to the world by one who had been
disappointed in securing wealth with the
rapidity and ease of COrtez. An Ameri-
can mining capitalist at Zacatecas took
the trouble to Investigate and found the
truth. 1t was-the american of in
fluential family" proved to be a workman
on the railroad, who, away from home
and friends, thought himself at liberty to
indulge in his brutal passion. In passing
through the village near which he was
laboring he saw a woman of pleas
ing form and feature, and ap-
preached her with designs none
of the purest. Becoming alarmed she
fled from him to her home, followed by
this "American of influential family,',
who entered her house and sought to out
rage her. Her cries aroused the neigh
bors who came to her assistance. The
american of influential family" fed, fol-
lowed by the justly infuriated crowd. in
the midst of which, by this time, was the
husband of the woman. A few hundred
feet away from the scene of the attempted
crime the husband overlook the desperate
and buried his knife in the back of the
man who had attempted so great a wrong,
killing him instantly. In this country no
jury could have been found to convict the
man who would thus protect his honor.
This was the real cause that gave rise to
the story Of Americans being murdered
'without cause" in that locality.
AS all know, Mexico is spread upon the
map like half-Opened fan. down the
centre of which the Mexican Central
passes through country of never-vary-
ing climate and ever-blOoming roses. The
temperature varies only from 20 to so de-
grees the year round, there being a con-
tlnual summer, ages in duration. To the
right and to the left, as the tourist Jour
neys to the City of Mexico, beautiful val
leys, majestic mountains, forest and plain,
are passed, country retaining so much
of its attractive and romantic originality
as to make this the one trip for an Amer
lean to take.
Shortly after leaving the Rio Grande
the altitude increases and the hot country
is passed, and the country known as
TERRA Frio is entered, where fruits of
the tropics and temperate zones abound,
and where scenery riValing that of any por-
tion of the world is to be seen. The altitude
from little south of Chihuahua to the
City of Mexico ranges from 9,200 feet to
5000 feet, country where continuous
ocean breezes drive away malarial in
huences and make bracing the air of
tropical languor.
Only in the lowlands on either coast.
the Tierre Caliente, can tropical diseases
be found. There comes on both sides an
immense strip of country, from north to
south, Immediately west and east of these
coal lands, the gradually rising grounds
through which one is carried from the un-
healthy country to paradise. In this
last the Mexican Central finds its way,
crawling along the immense ribs in the
centre of the republic, through a country
that would pale the supposed grandeur OF
Eden, the garden spot of the world.
Retaining primitive customs, habits and
manners, the people of the City of Mexico
and of the various cities north present
evidences of refinement, of taste, beside
which the inhabitants of our own coun-
try would not show in enAiable light. In
Mexico is probably one of the finest pic
ture galleries in North America, where
are shown the works of old masters and of
modern Mexicans which would fill a pal
ace on the walls where are found our
choicest collections. The street car sys-
TEN, the public buildings, the canals-aIl
things of modern life-present a study to
the tourist.
The Mexican people at home are happy
and more prosperous than could be ex-
pected, for only few years have passed
since their emancipation from priest rule,
and the peonage system, while slavery,
promises to be brief in lapse of time. Morn
ing, noon and night, new wonders pre-
sent themselves, and enough in this
actual life comes daily in view to cause
one TO lose sight of the mysterious past
that must once have been therecord of
this ancient American country. Out of
the present will come a new future, and
new movements will take the places of
those ruined cities, walls and pyramids
that now attract the many who close
their eyes to all the glories here to be
found.
The visitor to Mexico need take with
him only good common sense, good habits,
and requires less money than he would
take to Europe, and then three months in
this country, with the attentions paid by
a courteous people, will ever be green
spot in his memory.
ruUr uOVrvY,1, Doo-r