Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-10-29
AFFAIRS IN MEXICO.
Good Law and Courts. No Bri.ands.
and N Kindly Feeling Toward
The United Stntes

The United states.
! have but recently returned from Mexico,
and feel that / ought 10 make some effort to
disabusc the minds OF the people ON this side
OF tho Rio Grande OF the false impressions Of
the Mexican government aud people which
oeem to be almost universally entertained
here. Public opinion in Mexico, as we under
stand the term, is confined 10 the upper
classes. The poems DO not read books or news
papers, nor in short concern themselves with
affairs which do not affect their immediate
pursuits. The upper or governing class Of
Mexico, which does form pubic opinion, com
prlses, on the contrary, highly educated and
travelled people, who read newspapers and
keep themselves In the swim OF events botn Al
home and abroad; aud they are not, OH the
whole inimical 10 the States. Naturally the
high-bred Mexican gentleman, with family
traditons-and, by the way, there lie no coun-
try where family means morc-does not care
10 open his house and home to every American
tpeculztor who comes In his way. But he
recognizes fully the value 70 Mexico OF this
ass OF Americans and grants To them and
their enterprises full protection But to the
American traveller OF his own class he is as
kind a friend and hospitable = host as Is 10 be
found In any country.
Among the widespread delusions existing
In the States in regard 10 Mexico is that tina,
country Is full of highwaymen The idea is
ab%urdly erroneous There is a greater per-
centagc OF that sort Of people in New York
city than in Mexico south OF the Sierra Madre
Formerly bands Of disappointed revolutionists
did haunt the highway But President Diaz,
with the sword Of the law, and the grow ng
railS 2y system which has removed the temp
tstIon presented b, mule trains Of silver aud
coach loads Of well TODD people, have put an
eRd effectually ~ brgandzge. Mexico Of 70
day is ~ safe for the traveller As Connecticut
and the CITY Il Mexico ia 20 we'll policed that
the night vayfarer has nothing TO fear North
OF the Sierra Msdre, on the border, IL is true
that there are lawless people. Stray Apaches
from our own reservations raid into Sonora,
and on both banks Of the Rio Graude the
horse stealer and smuggler ind congenial
society. While this is al true IL Is true in as
great a degree OF the Wild portions Of the
United States.
So far AS the administration OF the law In
Mexico is concerned there is little fault TO be
found, for, although Americans, accustomed
a. their own system OF Jurisprudence, natural
" prefer it still the procedure OF Mexico,
which ID as in most Latin countries mod flea
ton OF the Code NapOlcan, is clear and logi-
cal, and the Mexc judges are generally men
OF learning and character There are, Il is
true, certain countryDcn OF ours, Who hav-
Ing trAusplautcd themselves have gotten at
ODDS with the laws Of Mexico. and have then
appealed to the accredited representatives OF
their own nation, and so been the cause -
come ill-feeling between the two peoples But
such cases have occurred in every country and
their occurrence does not initiate against the
courts.-F Sheldon Collins, ~. Nep York
Tribune