Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-11-09
The Rio Grands River.

onnlcis between Americans and
Mex cans are continually occurring on
The RIO Grande. Only q short timo
ago hoI osn lieutenant. accompanied
sr several Mexican soldiers. crossed
the Rio Grande AT Eagle Pass with hos
tile intent. and several OF the invaders
were shot in the river while trying 10
return to the Mexican side of the
boundary
For this and similar disturbances the
X 20 Grande river is partially to blame.
1t IS n most peculiar stream. Ordinar-
lily IL is the most natural thing in the
world to select large river as II boun-
Diary line. hence rivers are called
natural boundaries 1t is possible TO,
nations to quarrel about lines il they
are merely art ticial. but the general
supposition 10 that a river is n perman-
ent institr ion. In Europe or Asia, IL
you put large river down anywhere
out OF doors, il will STAY where You put
Il. You might go OF and be gone
thousand years, and when YOU got back
that river would be right where yor
loft it. Nobody can coil up river
thousand miles long aud carry ii of,
any more than you can lift lofty
range Of handicapped mountains up
and put il into hand cart. Such. At
least, has been tho generally accepted
opinion IN regard to rivers. but with
this. rs with all other rules, there 10 an
exception. and the exception in this
case 10 the Rio Grsnde. which 10 the
boundary line between the United
States and Mexico.
The Rio Grands 10 the most peculiar
river In the world. Words cannot de-
scri be it's croosednesS aud the color 81
it's waters il like unto the compleIlons
of the Mexican horse thieves who infest
its borders. Whistler the crockedness
OF the natives is caused bv the waters
Of the river. or whether the river has
been induced 10 depart from the straight
line Of duty by tho bad example set it
by The lords OF creation who prowi
along its banks. is one OF those intrl-
Gale questions Ne have not space TO dis
cuss The soil Of the Rio Grande s
slluyial and very similar 10 that OF the
VALLEY OF the San Antonio river. When
it rains, the soil dissolves into sof,
.
on II, Ike snake IN water.
Ono Of the consequences Of this Is
that the boundary line, which is declar.
cd TO be the middle OF the channel Of
the river, is as uncertain ant as utterly
unreliable IA political prediction in
tho New York sur.
For instance, John Smith, an honest,
industrious. and unexceptionable Anglo
Saxon. settles on tho American aide OF
the Rio Grsndc. He is an American
citizen in the fullest sense Of the word
The Rio Grande, according to tho cost
pnbre del PAS. gets on a bender, and
next morning John Smith finds that he
has become. by sn act of God. as Black
stone calls it, Mexican. The boundary
line has gone around him during the
night, having selected new channel.
which leaves him several miles in
Mexico. The channel OF the river be-
ing tho boundary. the Mex cans claim
the land as Mexican territory, and so Y
Is
What is poor John Smith 10 do,
When you are in Rome you must howl
with the wolves. In short time John
Smith has become trsnsmogrihed into
/ Don Juan Esmite-thats the way the
MeIicsns call il. lie wears . great
big sombrsro; smokes clgaritos; Big
spurs jingle at his heels. he goes to
mass regularly. and to inspire his Mex
lean compares with confidence, he
steals an occasional horse. In few
I wears, were it not for his red head and
/ blonde freckle. and an occasional oath.
| nobody would take him TO be an Amer
I lean This is all right. as far as il
/ goes. but just about the time Don Juan
/ Esmte begins TO relish Chill con carHc,
/ and other Mexican luYureS, the bound
airy line gets on another tare, and go-
! ing back 20 its old channel, leaves
Don Juan Esmite high and dry on tho
! American side once more. The Amer-
/ cans claim their land, and II Don Juan
| Esmlte, docs not move away, he fails
/ 10 feel at home. The very first time
| he gives any OF his Mexican lingo to
/ his American brethren. or as soon 80
he yields to his acquired habit of steal
NC horse, he has trouble OF the
most serious character on hand. la
other words, he has got 10 the end of
/ his rope.
The same disasters befall the Next
can citizen who. contrary TO his wishes.
is converted into an American, and
back again 90 Mexican citizen 10y
this extraordinary river. Then, again,
in many places il goes dry entirely
an the two twin sister republics arc
/ left without any boundary line what
ever There should be a permanent
and Interchangeable boundary line be-
tween the two countries. - Texas