The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-26
COWBOYS OF MEXICO AND TEXAS.
A Business Mans Descriptior-Hopes for the
FIXTURE

A Business Mans observation-disclosures for the
Future.
Washington Special to New York Tribune.
In conversation with a correspondent to-day a
man who has large business interests in the
Southwest which require him to travel extern
sively in Texas, Arizona. New Mexico and in the
northern States Of Mexico. gave an interesting
description of the border population on both
sides of the boundary line between the United
States and Mexico. Among other things he
said:
',rhe great difficulty in the Cutting matter is
that the Secretary of State and the people of the
United States generally have not the remotest
conception of the true state of affairs along the
border. Even the people of eastern Texas have
a very incorrect idea of the condition of things
in western Texas. All the western part of
Texas. New Mexico and Arizona and all
the northern part of Mexico are dry coun-
try. 1t is what is called the arid region.
The rainfall is not more than one-fourth
what 1t is in Washington In all that region
it is impossible to raise any of the ordinary agr
cultural products of the country without irriga-
ton, and the possibilities of that are limited.
But nature abhors both vacuum and desert.
So she has planted in the arid region variety
of highly nutritious grasses. There, too.
found shrubs and small trees bearing nutritious
leaves and hence a vast and exceedingly val
liable pastoral region, upon which fed mil
that this border country between Mexico and
the United States is what We sometimes call
Cowboy country The whole range cattle
business had its origin in Mexico The current
phrases and the manners and methods of the
business have been copied all over the United
States where live stock is raised the range.
But the fact is the man with the spurs and the
lariat gives character to this entire area, for as
said, the herding business is the basis of
all trade and the original source of all the COM
IT dc
upon it. Everybody is more or less cowboy,
the lawyer the DOCTOR the shoemaker, the tailor,
the merchant and even the editor. Cutting is
sort of cowboy newspaper man. Many OF the
real cattle men are as fine, generous and kind
hearted men as you ever saw, but there is also
on both sides of the river large number Of
rough men-regular desperadoes.
Cattle stealing, Indian fights and fights
among themselves appear to constitute the prin-
cpal charm of life with them. So. take the en-.
tire border country and you have a population
which is not at all characteristic of the people Of
the United States nor of Mexico. A chihuahua
cowboy is as peculiar citizen of Mexico as
Texas cowboy is of the United States. When
we in the United States regard all Mexicans on a
level with the people along the border, we are
as much mistaken the cultivated people
of the City of Mexico would be
in assuming as / presume some
York and Washington on the same level,
morally and socially, with the cowboys Of Texas
Now wouldn'tit be outrageous for two adjoining
countries to become embroiled in war on account
of the antics of this wild border population2 Of
course We must maintain the dignity nf sur Pow
srhn.- ana protect American citizens abroad,
but think the best way to regulate the border
is for Mexico to punish our rascals when she
catches them in her territory and for to pun
ish her rascals when we catch them in the
United States. 1 think that would be good
sort of reciprocity. and I'd be in favor of put
ting it in treaty"
In reply to an inquiry as to whether any i'm
provement is visible in the border population
the Texan said:
sOh, yes great improvements since the rail-
roads were built Everybody sees it, and / am
inclined to believe that twenty years hence we
der as we now have along the Canadian border"