Mohave County miner., 1886-09-26
M.Laoaps N MEXICO,
whsa They Hsvs Is.ss ~ Avssas - e.
tss1sly gsss~vvsstvs rsspse.

Whsa Tksy ussvs lSsss ~ Avssas - e.
tssssiy Csspesvssivs rssp's.
The American nsilroads In Mexico he
alrra,iy done nsucs to aroasa the n,a,t
,;a.iornly conservative people On t'se
lace u the gloos from tlieir lsthar.y,
ans in . manner that no other instru-
meniality pv,oably could have effected.
When the locomotive first appeared. IL u
said thar the pes,pls Of whole villages
fed shright~d from their habitations. or
organ'zsd processions with religious en-
b'ems and holy water. 70 sxorciss and
rspel ths nsonstsg. During the fret year
of The expesiencs of tbs Nexican Central,
armed guards ahso were considered ~
esSrtial accompaniment Of every train.
- had besn the case on the Vera Crus
rsiIfoad since its opening in iS73. But
Ill this 70 nov . matter " the past. and
90 impsessed h the government with the
importance Of keeping is rsilroad sys
TEN safe and intsrt that the Mexican
congrsrs recently dscres~l instant execu-
ti0i. without any formal trial. 10 any
osi~ caught in tins act u ~recking o.
roLbiny train.
Thst any improved methods Of inter
communication between different peo-
pie or countries--commsn roads, vessels,
railroads. o. vehicIss. or the liks--in-
crease tbs production and exchange q
commodities, is accepted - an economic
axiom. Bat there could be no moro
striking and practical illustration Of this
lsw than 4 little recent experience on
the l.ns of tbs Msxicsn NationL rail-
road. The corn crop, which u the main
reliance Of the people living along The
present southern extension Of this road for
food. had for severa. years prior 70 1855.
failed by reason VI drought; and. under
ordinary circumstances. great suffering
through starvation would Inevitably
have ensued. Tise natives. however. soon
learned that with ths railroad had come
. rssdv market at from Q 70 3 cents
per pound Tor the fiber known - .ixtle;"
the product OF species Of agsve. which
gro~s in great abundance in the noun
famous region II that sectios OF coun-
try. and which has recently come INTO
extensive use ., Europe and the United
6tatrs Tor tire manufacture Of brushes.
ladies corsets. mats cordage. etc. And
80 well have they improved their knowi-
edge and opportunities that ti,s quantity
Of ixtls Transported by the MSxican Ma
tiOnal railroad has risen from 224. 7SS
pounds In 1889 10 7Jo.31 in 1888 ~ g.
49S. 407 In 1854. and 3 53i. i9j ia tire first
seven months OF 1885; while with tho
non.y proc.et!s the producers have been
able u buy more corn from Texas than
they would have obtained had their |
crops been successful. and have hal In |
addition. and probably for tine first time !
IN their lives, some surplus cash to ex-
pend for other purposes.
What sort of thing. these poor Mexi.
cans would buy II they could was in |
dicated to the writer by se,ng In the /
hut OF laborer, ON the line of the Mex 4
can Central railroads. place destitute OF i
almost every comfurt. or article Of furni- |
ture or conveni-nce-a bright, new.
small keroseiie Lamp. than which moth |
ing that fell under his observation In |
Mexico was moe remarkable and inter |
estinS. Ri'nlarkSbe and interesting BE- |
cause neither this man, nor his father,
possibly. since the world 10 them began
had ever before known anything better
than a blazing branI as method for |
at night: and had never had !
titlser the knowledge, the desire. or the
Of obtaining anything superior.
But at Iast, through contract with and
nieiit on the American railroad.
tie desire, the opportunity. the incsnsio
purchase, and the knowleslge Of the
finple mea,anism Of the lamp. had
come TO TINS humble, isolated Mexican
peasant; and out Of the germ Of progress
thus spontaneously. N it were, deve!ope.i
By the wsyside. may come influences
more potent for civilization and the ele-
vation OF humanity in Mexico than all |,
that church and state have been able To-
fleet within the list three centuries.
David A. Wells IN Popular Scienco
Monthly.