San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-08-25
OLD MEXICO.
TEN YEARS EXPERIENCE AMONG THE
AZTECS.
An Old Fort Scott Boy Interviewed by a
Monitor Reporter.

Mr.. A. w. GlflOrd, now resident OF
San Antonio, Texas, was one OF the ell
terprising newspaper men OF Fort Scott
from 1869 to 1873, and for the past III
years has spent his time In Old Mexico,
studying the advantages and induce
ments of the country for the investment
of American capital and enterprise and
the development ofseveral mining prop
critics, which he believes TO be equal to
any on this continent. Mr.. Clifford is
now en- route from trip east TO his
mining properties, located in the states
of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, and Is
spending few days in this city visiting
friends and pricing mining machinery
with the Fort Scott foundry.
Reporter: Tell us something about
Old Mexico What kind of country is
it anyhow? Is it possible for white
man to live in it?
Mr.. Clifford: The only reason that
Mexico don't take the cake as the most
valuable portion of the North American
continent, is simply because their peo-
pie don't know anything about it, and
only form their opinions of the country
and people, from the sensational matter
appearing in our newspapers for the
past five years. Show me an intelligent,
unprejudiced American who has spent
that country and | will show you an en-
thusiast on Mexico and her wonderful
undevelOped resources. Her mountains
abound with untold millions OfgOld and
silver, while the surface Of these same
mineral bearing mountains produce nu-
merOus wild plants and shrubs OF iibra-
Gus character. that in time will prove as
valuable rs the mineral, while the val
Ieys produce the fruits and plants OF the
tropics, and the whole only awaiting the
honest, genuine American push and en-
terprise backed by sufficient capital to
utilize the cheap Mexican labor, and
Mexico will soon go to the front as the
most important OF all foreign countries
rs regards trade and commerce with our
country. Your question is like Calling
gun-t8kes in everything in range, and
to answer it would fill columns. Suffice
to say: The population of Mexico are
not wild and woody and hard to curry"
rs many believe, but equal to our own
race in civilization, and II a white man
will behave himself he is just as safe as
you are In this city.
Reporter: see that the GlObe-Dem-
ocrat states that all Americans interest
cd in Mexico are loud in their praise OF
the country, and opposed to war be-
cause of personal interest. Does this
come from a selfish mOtiver and what
are the facts?
Mr.. Clifford: Should not the Ameri-
cans opinion who has lived in the cOun-
try and studied the people be worth as
much as the sensational reporter who
lives on the frontier and takes in Mexico
by observation. Americans with inter-
est in Mexico and living in the country
I hat hot ;,f
Il hundred fold with war with Mexico,
but are opposed to war from principle,
knowing that the good people CT Mex |
leo are clamorOus for extreme friendly |
relations with us, as almost every act, |
both national and state. throughout the |
entire republic for the past five years |
has proven and that such evidence of |
kindness and friendship should not be |
met by war from a powerful sister re- |
public like our own, without just cause |
and prOvoCation.
Reporter: What is your opinion of |
the troubles in question, and how will |
they be settled?
Mr.. Clifford: The sober second thought |
of our good people will, hope, prevail. |
II they will only be patient they will |
find that Cutting violated the laws OF |
Chihuahua and Mexico, as 3 resident OF |
same, for which he will serve his sem |
tence of two years and pay his fine of |
$500, unless he has money and influence |
TO appeal his case to higher courts. A |
judge might be bought "alle
same Mclean man" in our own country. |
Mr.. Bayard, evidently influenced by |
some of our enterprising Texas demo-
Gratis, who, with an eye to the future, |
didn't propose to let any golden Oppor-
tunities for either general or national |
notriety slip by, simply got his cart be-
fore the horse in his demand for Cut |
ting's immediate relace, and by the time |
he gets him harnessed up properly he |
will find that he has no use for either |
cart or horse. In the Rasures affair at
Piedras Negras our own officer first vio-
lated the law in kidnapping him and
turning him over to Mexican officer,
Mondragon, who ordered him shot, and
for which he should be punished. Then
our government, after positive knowl-
edge, should demand the trial and pun
ishment of Mondragon, and the payment |
OF proper bill of damages for the bene- |
fit Of Rasures' family, which dare say |
the Mexican government would gladly |
pay on demand.
Neither of these cases are fit subjects |
yOnd sensational newspaper reports, and |
poor, innocent little Mexico takes po-
sitiOn defying Uncle Sam, without right |
or justice in its favor.
On the war subject, l don't know OF
any grander language than to quote Gen.
eral Taylor, who said In New Orleans in
December lS47, are not always, after the
heat and excitement of the battle, sue
ceeded by feelings Of poignant sorrow
and pain; and that war, after all, Is a
great calamity, and is the greatest glory
who can prevent or terminate it. Again
under date Of March 4, 1884, he wrote to
a friend:
81 am peace man, believe state of |
peace to be absolutely necessary to the |
proper and healthful action of o IT repub-
lican institutions. On this important |
topic freely confess myself to be the
unqualified advocate Of the principles 80
often laid down by the father of his
country, and so thoughtly recommended
by him in his farewell address to the
American people. No man can feel
more complete faith than | do in the
wisdom Of his advice, when he urged on
us the propriety OF always standing on
our "own soil" Again, in his platform
of principles April %, 1913, he said: ~
look upon war at all times and under all
as a national calamity to
be avoided If compatible with national
honor. The principles Of our govern
ment, as well as its true policy are OPP
posed to the subjugation Of other ma
tions, and the Acknowledgement of other
countries by conquest"-in the language
OF the great Washington "why should
we quiet our own to stand on foreign
ground?"