The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-26
NO CHRISTMAS IN MEXICO,
Where the Present Holiday Time Comes
and Goes Without Advent Glory.
The Week Given Up to Open Gambling by
Both Sexes, aud Bull-Fighting in the
Plaza-The Effect of Such Customs.

bringing nothing and leaving nothing to remind
one of Christmas times as they are at home. In
| Mexico there is no Christmas-certainly no day
set apart, there is with you, IN which the peo-
pie generally participate, in some way. in COM
nemorating the birth of the Savior of the world.
1t is not observed here as day for social greet
Jugs and family reunions-for the exchange of
kindly remembrances. aud those little but price
less tokens of regard between friends and kin
dFed. II brings no special happiness to the
children, for there Is no Santa Claus-no pleas
ant actions or traditions concerning that mys-
ferrous and ubiquitous parsonage which 80
fascinate the youth of almos. every lsud-no
| gathering of the little ones around the Cristmas
| tree, no meeting of the older ones around the
| festal board There is no attempt upon the part
of any one to use the sacred memories OF this
natal day OF our Savior for the moral education
! OF the people, or the improvement of social re-
iat;ons-no effort put forth to bring home to and
| instil into the hearts Of the masses a true con-
ception Of the goodness and greatness OF Him in
| whom humanity was dsiied. and at whose birth
! the angels proclaimed ION earth peace, good will
to men,"
| The week between Christmas and the first day
|
feast time" Instead of being improved By
means of social gatherings and other rational
amusements, it is time for rioting, gambling.
and hurtful designations.
It is well attested fact that Indians in all
| parts of the world are inveterate gamblers
| The Mexcans, in whose veins the blood of the
Indian is largely mixed, are generally possessed
| of the same strong desire to indulge in games of
| chance at every opportunity and under almost
| any conditions The laws in this part of Mexico
are quite severe in the punishment Of gambling.
and ordinarily, il is but little INDUCED In, ex-
/ cept in such q secret manner as to admit of
small chance of discovery. But during about
| two weeks in each year, beginning shortly be-
/ fore Christmas and extending for few days
into the new year, the laws against gambling
| and bull lighting are suspended, and the eager
inclination of the people for such sports Ia in
| dulged to the fullest extent
In the principal streets of almost every city
| gambling houses are opened. each provided with
bar and refreshment room. where games of
chance of various kinds, are openly played by
| men, women, and children of all ages, and be-
| longing TO all classes Of society The fevorite
game IN this locality seems to be ''chuses, prob
ably provincial name. as it does not appear in
| the dictionary. 1t is somewhat similar to
/ roulette" and bets are permitted in any
amount from six cents upwards, thus affording
not only the opportunity, but also the
| inducement for rich and poor alike to risk
|
provided for those who prefer such modes of
/ gam bling but they are much less popular with
| the people than ''chuses," which appears to be
| favorite if not sort of national game.
1t is uncommon thing during these feast
| days-more properly this season of gambling-
i to find in one room as many as Eve hundred
] persons, OF ali ages and both sexes, sitting or
1'standing around a score more of tables. and
nearly all of them engaged In trying their luck
4 upon the rolling OF the balls.
| While bulfhghting is no longer largely in
dulged In yet during this week of Indulgence"
this sport is carried on to excess and the plaza
de Toros' is place of popular resort. 1t is not
the common people alone who attend and ap-
plaud The conspicuous portion Of the audience,
| and large portion, too, is made up of the best
families of the place In the programmes an
nounclng special Sunday bull-hght something
like the following will frequently be found; The
| preparations for this event very elaborate.
Some of the most beautiful and lively of the
young ladies of the city will preside, encourag-
| ing the contestants with their smiles and APP
plause. and may reward those who may show
special skill and courage by the distribution Of
| appropriate prizes and decorations" And these
young ladies. dozen in the group. be-
tend, and seated upon elevat-
ed platform, in conspicuous view of
| the assembled multitude, will act as ''queens" at
/ the cruel contest. appauding most heartily when
| the iron darts thrust into the sides of the
brute. when in turn the bull in attacking one
| of his mounted pursuers. succeeds In disembow-
cling the poor horse, who is carefully blindfoded
/ that he may be unaware Of coming danger At
the Plaza de Gallos" where cock fighting Is In
dulged n other great crowds assemble and
! large sums of money wagered upon certain
incidents the final result of each contest.
/ The effect of the unrestrained freedom of
| these feast days. as they are called is dis
| astrous to the morals of all the people, and es-
pecially so to the poorer classes. Gambling here,
as In all other places. results in certain loss to
those who can i'll afford to lose, and ia large
profit to those who manage the game and to
their confederates. 1.-The big fish eat the little
ones" And so when the feast is over there are
hundreds who suffer from cold and hunger
| there is wretchedness in many homes-and the
daily record Of vice and crime is largely in
| creased.
Probably the worst-certainly the most dis
graceful-feature of these days of revelry and
dissipation, is that the laws against gambling
ars suspended by the State and city authorities
solely for the purpose Of gain. Il Ftll appear
strange to an American that the chief EXECUTIVE
of nation. State or city should modify OF. ALSO
lutely SUSPEND the operation Of any law Without
action on the part of the proper legislative body.
Just how this is done in Mexico, is something ]
| cannot explain, but that it is often done, and
sometimes from motives not at ali commendable,
is we'll known to every observing person.
During the feast days" all the gambling
houses are under the control OF company
formed for the purpose, to which. for a certain
sum lin hand paid. the State authorities grant
the exclusive privilege to open such houses for
limited number of days The city tolerates the
evil in consideration of a certain license fee inn
posed upon each table, and it is charged-it is
to be hoped with foundation in truth-that
city officials are often members of the company
that controls the gambling monopoly. During
| these days large numbers of people from the
surrounding country visit the city, and business
is more than usually brisk. The stalls at the
markets, the places of public amusement and all
kinds of business which ordinarily pay city
license are assessed double rates. Thus the
city creates and protects vice which but
work injury to the people, and then demands
ment for permitting the wrong to exist. Laws
are enacted for the suppression of gambling,
which is thereby declared to be a crime, and
| then the law is suspended or the crime condoned
for paltry money consideration. With the
vice thus protected and sanctioned by the au-
thorities il Is no wonder thai naonla of all ranks