San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-18
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENT
NO. ,.
Goodbye to Topo-SaltillO 5000
Feet-Its Cool Air and
Grand Cathedral.
The American Impetus to Mexico.
The Railroads and Their COur-
teous Notwithstanding
Made Easy.

salu goou-Dye 10 IOpo, It's heallng
waters and the jolly crowd at the
Springs hotel and prepared to climb
nearly 5000 feet to Saltillo. Suisse
quent to my leaving there were con-
tinued arrivals from Texas, among
the latest being DIR. and Mrs. Ruther-
ford, the state health officer; Mrs.
Rutherford's neice, Miss Cardwell,
and Master Frank Ross, the son of
Governor Ross, of Texas. The DOCTORS
mission was to inquire I'M to the small
pox scare at Monterey, which had
been very greatly exaggerated. Since
my last letter, the hotel parties had
made frequent visits into the city, on
most occasions bright little Ed.
Randall, home for the holidays,
acting as guide and interpreter
to the guests. On Sunday
night the band on the plaza was the
attraction, at least it was till we
heard it. 1t possessed quantity If not
quality and doomed its brass with h
superb lung power that spoke vol
umes for the invigorating climate.
1t was the most homelike sound l
have heard in Mexico, an American
circus and the brass band always ad-
vertised as the irresistible touch to
the great American excursion, would
not have been ashamed to toot In
chorus with it. Where were the
love-strung guitar. the tinklIng man.
dolin, whose swaying, halting music
wraps the heart In sleep till one floats
in q lotus bark down an endless sea
of dreams? | don't know, Monterey
is the most Americanized of all Mex
lean cities. One feature of enIight-
ment, which Is Enthusiastically from
American influence, Is the growing
freedom of intercourse between men
and women of the upper classes.
While 1t Is not possible for lady to
attend any place alone with a gentle
man, except her father or very near
relative, parties of them do
walk and take ice cream to-
gether, provided young lady has
her brother, generally as young
and gay as herself to play propriety.
The brothers seem accommodating
and the girls with their bright faces
and their pretty vivacity, their spirits
bubbling over in liquid spanish, are
evidently not pining for that ancient
and respectable but rather oppressive
institution, the duenna. Every nation
is known and it's civilization gagged
by its treatment of its women. If the
gradual drawing nearer of this repub.
lie with her sister so narrowly divid-
ed by a single stream, yet 80 wide
apart in thought and power, can so
influence and Undue the ethics of that
yet to be enlightened country with
her own more broad conceptions of
living, and breaking the unhealthy
barriers of bygone social creeds, help
tn show what happy, sensible and
intelligent interchange of thought
and interests means between man and
woman. as we'll as between man and
man, she will have wrought a nobler
work than the conquering of great
country. And 1t is American enter
prise In Mexico today that is develop
Ing the country, revealing her posi-
bilities, and building future for
both races in Mexico. There are those
who lie in the dark and gIowl
and would show their teeth at these
irrepressible Americans who come
into their land and carry things with
40 moving hand, but the sensible
ones keep quiet, and If they are
shrewd, they see the value Of these
same selfassured aliens. 1t is Ameri-
cans who have built and run the fac
tories, the best hotels, the street Car
lines, established dairy which pro-
duces the finest stock in Mexico and
supplies the towns hundreds of miles
distant with such cream and butter
as are fit for the best; and the rail-
roads built and run by Americans are
the most complete revolution that is
going on in Mexico today. And here
let it be said to those who are about
to-and especially to any woman,
who has not available, that somewhat
overrated and unnecessary append
age, man to take along-do it. Go
1t. Travelling is as easy and safe as
In your own country. Officials speak
ing your ownalanguage will give you
every atten tion and courtesy, and on
every American Mexican railroad you
will be as comfortable as on the best
roads in your own country.
1 travelled to Saltillo with Mr..
Frank Hall, of Monterey, who speak
ing the language, knowing the coun-
try and the people so thoroughly,
proved a most kind and valuable ci-
cerone. No one must miss the scenery,
so they should take the s a. m. &C
commodation train. This of course is
not as comfortable as the regular pas
senger, and travels without any un-
due haste, but one can endure much
tiresome crawling for the sake OF such
Vistas Of the Sierras. AS the crow
flies. Saltillo is scarcely nineteen