Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-02-13
THE

THE MExcANs.
Some OF Their Business Hsblts Whicttt
Render Close Commercial Connection
with Them Undesirable.
I have lately talked with a gentle
man who is thoroughly conversant with
this people, whose remarks are here
substantially reproduced:
"The Mexicans, I may say, appear
to be divided into two groups-thoss
who have some education, and the
poems, who are absolutely ignorant, ex-
cepting that they show the animal in-
stinct to provide themselves with the
meager daily necessaries of lie. The
former class are intriguants by nature.
Their business habits are t%ortuous, and
from the time they wake in the morn-
ing till they go to rest they seem to be-
studying how to put up a job on some
body who has got a little means at com
mand. Your Mexican does not consid-
er there is anything wrong about this.
When reproached with a cr%ookedness.
they simply show their white teeth by q
bland smile, and hug themselves with
pleasure that they have been smart in
getting the best of the 'gringo.' Tricks
are not tried on the natives, because
there is no money to be made there.
The large towns swarm with, lawyers,
and once in their clutches, it is sadois
la plata Your Police Court in San.
Francisco has a few lawyerlings of the
same type; but, Heavens! you ought to
see the brood that hangs round a Mexi-
can court, under the name of
'abogados.' /.
II will mention an instance" the
gentleman continued, .'of the trouble i
got into about a piece of land 1 pur-
chased, or thought l purchased, neal q
principal town. L was a piece of three
hundred acres, from a grant set aside
for school purposes. In the first place,
l made application to the ayuniamiento,
and was told l could have it for some
three or four centavas an acre; but aft
erward found out that a member of the
council and IN outsider, who divided
the proceeds of the sales of these lands,
objected, and I could not get the land
at all. Then a merchant Of the place
sent me notice that he could sell me
the property. and give me what was
called in old times with us a warranty
deed, guaranteeing me possession
against all comers. I took his offer:
but had scarcely completed the bargain
when l found some n surrounding nv
purchase with rude brush fence.
"sWhat are you doing here?' I
asked him.
~"'Fencing in my land,' was the re-
ply. 4 bought the whole of it, max
ing a comprehensive sweep with his
hand, many years ago, for fifteen dol
lars
81 was in a fix. l mentioned the mer-
chant; but the fe%nce-builder laughed.
l went to the merchant, but he calmly
told me that although my title was
good, as he had insured it, l had better
settle with the invader, as he did not
want any trouble with people who were
customers. 1t would injure his business.
l did not settle. A%fterward, when 1 was
lying sick in my room, with an internal
%salentura. a couple Of abogados entered
with a billra yard long, covered with
stamps. They said it was for rental;
and threatened the direst consequences
if / did not pay. l was half mad with
fever and rage, and had they not beat a
hasty retreat would have thrown them
out neck and heels. The stranger in
Mexico, the nan who is tempted to go
into business there and has money to
invest, thinks it all plain sailing, No
one so bland as your educated Mexican,
till the stranger has made his invest
ment, and proceeds, as he thinks, in
the credulity and simplicity of his heart,
to acquire a rapid fortune. Then he
finds his way barred by unforeseen OBJ
stacles. Dues, charges, taxes, counter
titles crop up on every hand, and they
must be paid or settled, else you will
have no peace. After q year or two, if
you can not guard yourself by some
strong protective interest, you will have
no property. Cor. st. Louis Repub-
kc0N.