West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1891-05-14
ODD OLD MEXICO.
An American's Observations okl
Groaserdona
A Country whose Militia Is cs~psssa
OF Co"vlcts from shs rrsseA.--
some recui,aritiss or ths
People


II thcrc Is ono thing Of which MsxicS
Is moro prolific than revolutions ~ n
peculiaritics. The poculinrfties OF that
country arc many and astonishina, noe
that viewed this people from narrow
standpoint. says writer in the Chicago
Times, much as the average Enrilsh
tourist viows America, for We Atner1@
oans are too familiar with representa-
tivcs Of every olime and nation to bs
guilty OF such nsular prejudice. but The
American dwcllor In Mexico will hnd
tho peculiaritics OF that Nation 80
marked 20 bo overlooked. For ipatuncs,
what would any civiliscd people on
osrth othor than the Mexican think if
their pcrsons and property were plseeA
under tho guardianship Of convictsS
fot such Is the case thore. Police duty
throughout the country districts Ana "a
largo cities like Chihuahua is performed
by tho soldiers OF tho regular army, saiA
army being recruited from the conviots
OF each State. Complaint 80 70 thsiv
ineflolcncy or dishonesty, however. is
rarely heard, though 10 10 an open soores
in Mexico that small bribo TO tho LOT.
ilcor" is sufficient 20 secure immunity
from arrest, but this fact 90 far from
being made n ground for compiHihk
scems rather source OF congratulations
than otherwise. How far we are In I'd
vance OF this Aystcm OF recruiting the
ranks OF the polioo, especially In Chioa-
60, IL Is difficult TO soy; therc may be
somo who would extend TO us tho kdvios
about not throwing stones; however. be
IL said 10 tho everlasting credit OF the
Moxicans that their police are natives
OF tho country In which thoy WELD shs
baton.
From tho police ono nhtnrkifS tufns:
especially In this caso. TO tho criminal.
In Mcxico tho burglar is positively an
known. Tho houses, constructed ea
they ero, In view OF uprisings, revoid-,
tiong ctc., present 70 the Rouldsl,eibnr.
glar but small chance OF success.
What With blank walls, barrioaAoA win
dows, and solid wooden doorA the
dweller within the average adobe ts pre-
pared at nightfall to Withstand the sia9S
OF a regiment.
Tho phase OF robbery most popuiaf n
Mexico Is OF tho Dick Turpin pAtterns
Dick, however, from all accounts, usuui.
ly gives voico 70 that titne-honosed oons
mand: "Your money. or your lieo.~
wheroas, tho Mexican brigand invAvie,i
bly, demands your money and your lifa.
ana no amount OF plundeF, plesAtnG. nee
promises will avail 70 save the issAar
should the opportunity be fsvOgabla ~
the robber for taking a. The cause ef
this rs Amply that tho laws OF tie cons!i
try provide that tho highway robboS, II,
captured. shall suffer doath. thus fur,
nishing tho incentive for his tnvssishls
bloody accompaniment 20 his original
crime, that he may forever silenoo che
witness Of tho deed
The Mexican Is the only haturai-bofS
bred In tho-bone socialist IN the world.
he has neyor read up on the subiect, he
never hears our long haired rAntaxa
voctferatiDR about the beauties Of theif
system, nevertheless he - the ideal &C.
eialist, and, although he is not up 10 the
average In arithmetic, ho knows the ruIs
Of division 70 . nicety. The average
Mexican will share his blsnkot and his
last loaf or penny with you, should yoa
need IL, but II you have my thing you
arc expected 70 bc fully ~ liberals II
you don't, he conpels yovr iiborality By
taking your possessions away from Pea
forcibly. In short, II you have not, ke
gives; 81 you have. he takes, wheaAef
or no.
One sido OF this characteristics Of tse
nltAiCehb ~ Dobt eASmpilueu Dy theiE
proceedings In the ovent OF the MART
ago Of ono Of their daughters 70 AnI
American. The Mexican, bear IN mlnA.
Is possessed OF the ineradicRbie idesr
that Americans are all rolling IA wealth.
This idea 10 a source Of noveF-eeasine
envy on the part OF ono sex snd ssNsfscf
tion TO the other. Whom an Amovioan
marries a Mexican girl hey whols fasn-
lily, her sisters, coneinH, aunts, oto., and
All their sisters, cousins, aunts, oto, fof
hundred miles around arc invited "
tho wedding. This includes every blooa
relation TO the very remotsst They
not only come, which ts bad, but they
stay, which Is worse. Thoro they camp,
and until ovory ounce of food aud every
dollarin sightisgone thoro they confines
70 camp, and should the luckloss bride
groom havo employment they stay stkit
longer, encouraged IN the MOST nstorAl
and artloss manner By their very hOsplss-
BILE relative, the bride. The feelings OF tfse
groom under such circumstances can 10
Imagined but protest only meets Win.
tears from tho bride and indignant astoaS
ishment from the guests. before whlon
the bridegroom generally sucoumbs ~
Is apparent that tho Mexioan merely
gauges tho hospitality and eharity ~
others by his own, and wants to be dOno,
BY as he does TO others