Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-28
TOUGHS TO TACKLE.
The Unruly Element Along the
Border in the Rio Grande Valley
CAUSING ALL OF THE TROUBLE
That 1t Constantly Takes So Many Soldiers
to RepresS.
A REGION WE'LL WORTH RECLAlMING

NEW YORK, Dec 27.-Of all the officers
In the United States Army, who are ac-
quainted with the unfortunate condition sl
affairs on the Rio Grande, none are more
familiar with the real conditions than
Captain John Bourke, of the Third Unlteo
States Cavalry, and that fact is the reason
why Captain Bourke was summoned to TINS
city by the Secretary of War. Information
ally things are pretty badly strained on the
border, and, although the State Department
Is inclined to make light of such statements
it is generally understood among tue
diplomatic corps that Mexico is really ae-
grieyed at the slowness apparent IN 'he
movement of the United States to stamp
out the petty revolutionary troubles tnat
have their origin on the Northern sloe Oh
the river.
'eWhat do 1 think of the situations" said
Captain Bourke when approached py re-
porter to-day. 81 really believe things
cannot help being worse before they are
better also believe that the Gniteu
States is going to do its best to make llIe
bnrSensome for the irresponsible and
trouble-making Me1lcans who have Tor the
mast wear made themselves consplcuously
i
disacreeable. Now, you mustN remember
thai fbere are two kinds of Mexicans on
our side of the boundary line. Those who
reside in the towns-such places as Laredo,
BroUpsville, Matamores, Corpus Christi
and San Diego-are in the main very de-
cent people and, of course, have nothing TO
do with these troubles.
A Mean Glass of People to Deal With.
1.-THE belligerent class is made up of the
worst element that ever stood In the way OF
civilization. Me1icans in their origin and
speech, but anti-Mexican in sympathy, they
cause our Southern neighbors great deal
of trouble. Incidentally they worry us
great deal, for they are just as much anti
American as they are anti-Mexican. They
are utterly devoid of principle, and In all
their utterances there is no semblance OF
patriotisn. When you say they are
against the Government on both sides OF
the river, yon have stated their creed.
They live from hand to mouth, and are, al
together, extremely undesirable people to
have any dealings with
''Most of these people are of the criminal
classes-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 q murder or two they are less
disturbed about it than anybody else.
Some of them raise q few cattle which run
around in the brush; a few goats and a band
of sheep, and occasionally they take the
advantage of a rainy season to plant few
hills of corn and beans. None of them ever
attempt to raise fruit, although they could
do SO easily; they prefer putting In their
time in endeavors to raise trouble.
Impossible to Give Them Justice.
s'To hunt them up and secure reasonably
sound testimony against them is almost i'm
possible, as we have discovered to our sor-
row, all through this Garcia business. They
are ununiformed, and in summer time very
few of them have enough clothing to dust
fiddle, but they can shoot just as well as
man who has the covering and dignity OF
tull-dress regimentals, and If pursued at
night, can, by throwing their carbine and
cartridges aside, speedily resolve them
selves into the most peaeeable shepherds.
Everybody in that region, or nearly every
BODY, sympathizes with this lawlessness,
and in very many instances officials who
have sworn to uphold the statutes have
barred the way so effectually that justice
has to turn away and get oct the way he
came in.
ffIf after much trouble murderous vaga-
bond is arrested his conviction is by no
means certain. If he has little money or
q few COWS with which to pay fee he can
hire somebody who thinks he is lawyer,
and who is at least able to calumniate the
civil or military officials who caused the ar
rest"
'Is the Rio Grande Valley of any real
value?"
Great Value of the Valley.
t'Well, 1 should it is Its area is as great
rs that of all New England, and its soil is
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 the
same valley. Without water agriculture is
possible only in spots, but where wells have
been dug and pumps are operated there has
been a most satisfactory yield.
''The great need of the country is rail-
road, and when that has 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 a
great success. The day is coming when that
will be remarkably wealthy section of the
United States, but before such desirable
condition is possible we must clear our
selves of the detestable class which prevents