The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1891-02-05
ODD OLD MEXICO.
An Americans Observations on
Greaserdom.
A Country Whose Militia Is Composed
of Convicts from the Prisons
some Peculiaritles of the
People.

If there is one thing of which Mexico
is more prolific than revolutions it is
peculiarities. The peculiarities of that
country are many and astonishing, not
that viewed this people from narrow
standpoint, says a writer in the Chicago
Times, much as the average English
tourist views America, for we Ameri-
cans are too familiar with representa-
tives of every cline and nation to be
guilty of such insular prejudice, but the
American dwclisl in Mexico will find
the peculiarities of that Nation too
marked to be overlooked. For instance,
what would any civilized people on
earth other than the Mexican think If
their persons and property were. placed
under the guardianship of convicts?
Yet such is the case there. Police duty
throughout the country districts and in
large cities like Chihuahua is performed
by the soldiers of the regular army, said
army being recruited from the convicts
of each State. Complaint as to their
inefficiency or dishonesty, however, is
rarely heard, though it is an open secret
in Mexico that small bribe to the ''of-
ficer' is sufficient to secure immunity
from arrest, but this fact, so far from
being made a ground for complaint,
seems rather source of congratulation
than otherwise. How far we are in ad-
vance of this system of recruiting the
ranks of the police, especially in Chica-
go, it is difficult to say; there may be
some who would extend to us the advice
about not throwing stones; however, be
it said to the everlasting credit of the
Mexicans that their police are natives
of the country in which they WELD the
baton.
From the police ono naturally turns,
especially in this case, to the criminal.
In Mexico the burglar, is positively un-
| known. The houses, constructed as
they are, in view of uprisings, revolu-
tions, etc, present to the would-be-bur-
| glar but small chance of success.
What with blank walls, barricaded win
dows, and solid wooden doors, the
dweller within the average adobe is pre-
pared at nightfall to withstand the siege
of a regiment.
The phase of robbery most popular in
Mexico is of tho Dick Turpin pattern.
Dick, however, from all accounts, usual
ly gives voice to that timc-honored com
mand: "Your money, or your life, y
whereas, the Mexican brigand invaria-
bly, demands your money and your life,
and no amount of plumber, pleading, nor
promises will avail to save the latter
should the opportunity be favorable to
4hn fap fol - NJ
this is simply that the laws of the coun-
try provide that the highway robber, if
captured, shall suffer death, thus fur
nishing the incentive for his invariable
bloody accompaniment to his original
crime, that he may forever silence the
witness of tho deed.
The Mexican is the only natural-born
bred .in-the-bone socialist in the world
He has never read up on the subject; he
never hears our long-haired ranters
vociferating about the beauties of theil
system, nevertheless he is the ideal so
cialist, and, although he is not up to the
average in arithmetic, he knows the rule
of division to nicely. The average
Mexican will share his blanket and hi
last loaf or penny with you, should yol
need it, but if you have any thing yol
are expected to be fully as liberal; i
you don't, he compcls your liborality b.
taking your possessions away from yoI
! forcibly. In Short If you have not, h
gives; if you have he takes, whethe
or no.
One side of this characteristic of th
, Mexicans is best exemplified by thei
, proceedings in the event of the marri
age of one of their daughters to al
American. The Mexican, bear in mind
is possessed of the ineradicable ide
2 that Americans are all rolling in wealth
, This idea is source of never-ceasin
= envy on the part of one sex and satisfaC
! tion to the other. When an America
!. marries Mexican girl her whole fam
!, lily, her sisters, cousins, aunts, etc, an
n all their sisters, cousins, aunts, etc, fc
= hundred miles around are invited
:. the wedding. This includes every bloc
relation to the very remotest. The
not only come, which is bad, tbut the
stay, which is worse. There they cam
and until every ounce of food and ever
u dollar in sight is gone there they continl
; to camp, and should the luckless brid
groom have employment they stay sti
longer, encouraged in the most naturi
and artless manner by theirvcry hospit;
. blerelative, the bride. The feelings of u
groom under such circumstances can
. imagined, but a protest only meets vii
. tears from the bride and indignant asto
. ishment from the guests, before whit
% the bridegroom generally succumbs.
q is apparent that the Mexican mere
. gauges the hospitality and charity
- others by his own, and wants to be do
y by as he does to others.
"a English Sw nd!ers.
Is Here is the newest dodge for plund
10 ing the British householder, says t
Ie New York Sunday Journal: circu
10 is received by the lady OF the hot