Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-17
power that assumes to control them keeps

power that assumes to control them keeps
at a respectful distance.
Looking on the map you will see that
were it not for the small State of Campeche
on the west, Yucatan would be surrounded
on three sides by water. On the north is
the Gulf Of Mexico, the sea of the Antilles
on the east, and on the south the Central
American Republics Belize and Guate-
mala. The eastern and southern portions
are traversed by those unknown mountains
called the Sierra de Yucatan, and range
of low hills occupies the northwestern
parts.
About all that is known of the topo-
graphy Of the State is that the Rio Hondo
forms the boundary line between it and
Belize, and that few other nameless
streams empty into the Caribbean sea, with
the lakes Conchankakah, Nova, Jatan-
opolch and Oeon near the center of the
State, and the Lagunas de Barcalas and
Agnadulce in the south.
The length of Yucatan from north to
south is supposed to be about $50 miles
and mean breadth 200 miles. A lofty
ridge occupies the center, which has the
character of desert, often, when rains fail
leaving the natives entirely without means
OF substance and producing frightful NOR
tally. 1t may be a wise provision OF
nature which keeps forever occupied the
most uninviting portions of the globe, from
Siberia's snowfields TO the desert wastes OF
Patagonia, and leads people to return again
and again TO the same dangerous localities
after their homes have been repeatedly swal,
lowed up by floods or earthquakes, swept
away by avalanches or burning lava, OF
depopulated by famine and pestilence.
Nearer the coast of Yucatan, the appear.
ance of the country greatly improves, being
interspersed with lofty forests and gently
undulating tracts, where corn, cotton rice
tobacco, pepper and sugar cane are pro
duced, and cattle raised in such numbers
as to furnish a considerable export tc
Havana Of hides and sailed meat. The
only other exports are salt fish, honey
wax, straw hats, dyewoods, cocoa nuts anC
few fruits and the valuable hemp, called
henequin, obtained from the fibers of the
ogdUe americana and much used in max.
ing cordage, hammocks and sacking.
The chief towns of to-day are Merida
the capital, with a population of nearly
$4,000, and Progreso, the principal sea
port, with $500 inhabitants. The present
Government was organized in 1924. After
ceasing to be Spanish colony lin 1921
Yucatan remained independent till she
voluntarily joined the Mexican Confeder.
alton three years later. She continued to
adhere, more or less closely, to the chaotic
General Government till 1910, when she
again proclaimed herself an independent
Republic. After successfully resisting all
attempts of Mexico to coerce her into sub.
mission, she again joined the Confedera.
ton in lS43, having secured peace on he1
own terms. Three years afterward she
again set up as an Independent Republic
but in 1852 she resumed her place as one
of the Mexican States
Though under the Federal Government
Yucatan has its separate Governor and
Legislature. The former is elected for
four years and receives a salary of $4,000
per annum. There is also one Secretary
OF State and two Counselors, with their
substitutes. The State-or rather all
that is known of it's divided into fifteen
pdrtidOs, or counties, each ruled by a Jefe
Politico. The Legislature is composed OF
twelve members, and the judiciary COM
prises one President, one fiscus and the
magistrates. The taxable property is val
ued at 1857 1888, and the State supports
POP public schools, with an average at
tendance of 1000 pupils. There is, besides
literary institute at Merida, with special
colleges for medicine and Jurisprudence,
and seminary for females; the Institute
of Valladolid; conservatory of music
and rhetoric, and Catholic academy.
The postal service has a distributing
office at Merida, with six routes and thir-
teen agencies. The Mexican Telephone
Company has established an exchange at
Merida, and the Government has tele-
graph offices at Merida, Motul, Soonceh,
Yzamal, Maxcanu, Ticul, Progreso, Lisko.
kob, Tekax and Mama Nice names are
these-as unpronouncable as unspellable-
and will inilict them upon you as seldom
as possible. FANNIE B. WARD.