Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-04-09
A PERISHING RACE.
The Soap-Hating New Mexican 81
bis Native Lair.
An Uphessaf OF Civilization which vuf
Change the Condition Of New Mex
ieo-The Grsaser with His Red
Peppers and Onions.
IFt MeRae IN. NJ Cor. N. Z. rluesl


We are all sick at heart over the recent
apheaval OF civilization in our Territorial
midst. and sigh for the good old days not
ten years flown when no red-n nosed iocos
motive defiled our landscape, and there
was but one feeble-minded telegraph wires
and that only ran between Pueblo and
Santa Fe, and was out Of order ten months
In the year, and when no rude minions Of
the law interfered with our frolicsoms
cowboys when they got out their revolvers
and red paint and started in to whoop
things up and enliven the cemetery busi-
ness and drive away duh care and make .
night of it. ALI! the times have changed
indeed, and effete progress has stolen upon
us like a ciinch in the night and taken away
our jewel customs that we had guarded for
centuries.
The newspapers here are no longer what
they were. Ten years ago it was beautiful
TO see the outspoken way in which New
Mexican editor would handle his esteemed
contemporary. To be sure, the editions
were spasmodic, fci. the esteemed contem-
porary would generally come over and
clean out the office, and then the delay i'm
cident to the inquest and funeral and get
ting new edii or usually deferred the
next issue and gave the esteemed
contemporary chance to relieve his
feelings in burst of necessarily unan-
swerable obituary. The result was that
most of our journals involuntarily changed
management about once q month, and pro-
motion was rapid in literary circles.
Sometimes an editor would resort to the
low artifice OF seeing the paper safely put
to press and then skipping to Texas until
the trouble blew over, but as the Office boy
had to be drawn upon for editorials meant
me, and the editor himself was generally
ambushed on his way hack, che scheme
was not a perfect success. Another draw
back was that, as subscribers and adver-
tisers settled their accounts in strings Of
red pepper. onions, eggs. and other per-
ishabfe property, the financial interests Of
the journal demanded more prompt stten~
tion than could be given by man whose
main object in life was to get out of town.
Besides, as nine-tenths of the population
couldn't read, and the rest didn't wsnt to,
the circulation was in the main limited to
the exchange list and to few coroners
who found it to their interest to watch the
playfulness of the press. In those days
the life of newspaper was brief, but 10
was full Of gore and glory. The rival
presses would begin running at noon Sat-
urday, and at four O'Clock precisely there
would be an impromptu massacre on the
plaza, and then the editor whose trigger
was out of order went home on n shutter
and his type and hand press went to the
sheriff, while the others circulation would
increase until it mounted up to hundred,
may be, and every thing would be quiet in
news circles until the next paper. Now all
kl.ks l. ~
sit down in cold blood and inquire why his
contemporary, who is a well known wall
eyed thief and an intoxicated liar, has
been bribed with two dollars into attack
ing the public enterprise which developed
the new horse trough at the crossroads,
or something Of that sort, and his rival
will simultaneously publish a playful ailu-
sion to the fact that his brother editors
father was hanged for stealing Kansas
mule. and that his mothers career ter
minated in the penitentiary, but as a rule
ne more sanguinary results follow than
the biting of OF an ear or the loss of an
eve by the rough aud tumble process
known as "zouging" next time the two
meet in a fashionable saloon. The conse-
quence is naturally great depreciation Of
journalism in public esteem and de-
plorable scarcity of free fights in which
the community at large can take much
interest.
Besides this crying evil, the greaser has
been compelled to occupy a back seat.
There was day when the naughty de-
scendant of the Montezumas ruled this
blossoming land rolled his cigarettes in
one time and two motions and lay DOING
in the sun without fear of the encroach-
ment Of his fell eneuies-soap, spelling
books and work. His wants were primi-
tive, and his habits patriarchal His au-
cestors had built his adobe house, and the
only requirements Of the kitchen were
few strings of red pepper. some onions, q
couple of bags of beans, several dozen dogs
and cotton shirt. A thoughtful Provi-
dence placed within his reach opportuni-
ties for stealing tobacco, and the desire Of
his soul scared no further. In the remote
Businesses of the Territory the complexion
OF the greaser was that of tarnished cop
per. but in the neighborhood oflong -estab-
lished military posts tiie prevailing hue
was much lighter. His only souyce Of
wealth was the cattle trade. which he con-
Quoted on the simple but scientific New
Mexican principle of finding a herd that
wasn't too carefully watched and taking
his pick from it. Sometimes, of course. tho
owner of the stock demonstrated with six
hooter, or vigilance committee would
take up the trail and give necktie party
in his honor, but there are risks In all lines
of business.
The greaser is slowly but surely passing
away. The railroads and telegraph wires
have interfered with his methods in cattle
trade, and cruel and designing men have
introduced soap and education to complete
his ruin. Besides these slow but malignant
poisons, he has been brought face 10 face
with new and hitherto unknown horror
work-and his constitution refuses to bear
the strain. Try to educate a New Mex
icaD AND you have his inmost nature in re-
bellion; inhict soap upon him and You
trample on his most sacred feelings; COM
pei him to work and you Kill him From
where frown the gray walls Of the Ration
pass TO where tne Organ mountains scowl
upon Texas the greaser has jeaiously
.arded bis ignorance and dirt, and
dreamed his dreams in the sun In the in
tervals of fea- catching and red peppers
ani lived and died as conservative and
eight. minded New Mexican should. But
now his vitals are undermined by spelling
books thrust upon him by merciiess law
makers who have wrested the territory
from him; the beautiful and patriarctat
simplicity of his methods for acquiring
property has been shattered, and the only
alternative of work or starves.cn IS that
his privation will some day frenzy him.
and in a moment OF rash delirium be VIII
wash himself and
A smart Mlssourf Dog.