Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-27

THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY aIGHr BE.
OF all the officers in the United States Army,
who have an acquaintance with the unfortunate
condition of affairs on the Rio Grsnde,
none are more familiar with the real con-
ditions than Capt John Bourke of the
Third United States Calvary, and that
fact is the reason why Capt Bourke was sum-
moned to this city by the Secretary of War
internationally things are pretty badly strained
on the border, and, although the State De-
partment is inclined TO mako light of
such statements, it is generally understood
among the diplomatic corps that Mexico is
really aggrieved at the slowness apparent in
the movement of the United States 20 stamp
out the petty revolutionary troubles that have
their origin on the northern side Of the river.
THINGS LIKELY TO BE WORSE.
What do 1 think Of the situation?" said
Capt Bcurke when approached by STAR re-
porter today. II really believe things cannot
help being worse before they are better
1 also believe that the United States is
going TO do its best TO make life
burdensome for the irresponsible and trouble
making Mexicans who have for the past year
made themselves conspicuously disagreeable.
NOW you must remember that there are two
kinds of Mexicans on our side Of the boundary
line. Those who reside in the towns-such
places as Laredo, Brownsville Matamoros
Corpns Christi and San Diego are in the main
very decent people and of course have nothing
to do with these troubles. The belligerent
class is made up Of the worst elements that
ever stood In the way of civilization.
Mexicans in their origin and speech, but
nti-Mexican in sympathy, they cause our
souther neIghbOr great deal of trouble In
cidentally they worry u.s. great deal for they
are just as much anti-American as they
are ant-MeXicsn Their character is utterly
devoid of principle and in all their utterances
there is no sembance of patriotism When YOU
say they are 'agin the government on both
sides OF the river you have stated their creed.
They live from hand to mouth and are alto
gether, extremely undesirable people to have
any dealings with.
MOST ARE OF THE CRIMINAL CLASS
Most Of them are of the criminal class
refugees from beyond the border. When there
is an opportunity to do little smuggling or a
great deal of smuggling they embrace it eagerly,
and If it happens to involve a murder or two
they are less disturbed about it than
anybody else. Some of them raise a few
cattle, which run around in the brush a few
goats, and handful of sheep, and occasionally
they take advantage of rainy season TO plant
few hills of corn and beans. None Of them
ever attempt to raise fruit although they could
their time in more or less successful endeavors
to raise trouble. To hunt them up and secure
reasonably sound testimony against them is
almost impossible. have discovered to
our sorrow all through this CARA business
They are uniformed and in summer
time very few of them have enough clothing to
dust fiddle, but they can shoot just as well
IA man who has the covering and dig
nifty of full-dress yegimentals, and if pur-
sued at night can, by throwing their
carbine and cartridges aside. speedily resolve
themselves into the most peaceable shepherds
Everybody in that region, or nearly everybody,
sympathises with this lawlessness and in very
many instances officials who have sworn to up
hold the statutes have barred the way SO effectu-
ally that justice has had to turn around and get
out the way she came in.
CONVICTION NOT CERTAIN.
II after much trouble murderous vagabond
is arrested his conviction is by no means GER
tain. If he has little money or a few COWS
with which to pay a fee he can hire somebody
who thinks he is a lawyer and who is at leas,
able to caumniate the civil or military officials
who caused the arrest"
"Is the Rio Grande valley Of any real value?''
VALUE OF THE RIO GRASDE VALLEY.
"Well, | should say it is. It's area is as grea,
as that of all New England and its
soil extremely fertile wherever water can
be poured upon it. just now it is the home
of the COYOTE and the wild hog, but the day is
coming when this country will draw largely
of its sugar supply and its grapes from that
same valley. Without water agriculture is pos
sible only in spots, but where wells
have been dug and pumps are operated
there has been a most satisfactory Weld.
The great need Of the country is a railroad
and when that had been supplied, say from
Brownsville to Laredo and up the river, cotton
will be raised in enormous quantities The
mulberry grows wild throughout the entire
region SO there is no reason why silk culture
should not be great success. The day
is coming when that will be a remarkably
wealthy section of the United States, but be-
fore such desirable condition is possible We
must purge ourselves of the detestable class
which now prevents civilization from putting
its foot in the valley of the Rio Grande."