Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-07-08
THE MONTEzUMAs.
A People Who Have Some Good
Qualities But Many Bad Ones.
The Boosted Hospitality of the MexicaAnA
Purely Mythical-Common Law Mar
riages Very Common-Untrust-
worthy Poems.

A recent resident of the City of Mexico
was in Kansas City few days ago, and
in chat with a journal reporter ex-
ploded a great many of the romantic
stories told of ideal chivalry and other
Arcadian and idyllic characteristics of
the Mexicans. His opportunities for
studying the people were unexcelled
and he had little else to do. He trav-
eled all over the country many times
and studied the people with exceeding
care. For over a year he has been con-
nected with the Mexican Central rail-
way in an important capacity. 81 only
speak for myself" said he, ''bmt for
one I failed to find Mexico the fairy
land had pictured to myself There
are lots of Americans there who are de-
lighted with it and who would live
nowhere else, and it maybe my fault
that I do not like the place. But !
could not, even though I tried very
hard to do so, as my business called me
there. In the first place, the native
lower class Mexican hates an Ameri-
can. It is not very pleasant to have an
ugly-looking greaser growing out
'gringo!' as he passes you or hurl at
you the bitter curse 'taibrone!
"Some one has said that Mexico was
ninety-five per cent. climate and five
per cent. 'Ouien sabe?' (who knows?) I
have often thought that about fifty per
cent of 'miana' (to-morrow) ought to
be thrown in. The Mexicans never do
| to-day what they can do tomorrow.
The boosted hospitality and chivalry of
the lower classes are pure myths. The
upper classes are splendid people, high
minded, hospitable and generous. But
the lower classes, the poems, are the OPP
posite. They say: My house is yours,
but it is lip phrase and they do not
mean it. The blowing is done with
sticks and thrashing with horses and
the reaping with sickles. America. could
sell agricultural implements in large
numbers were it not for the duty. The
only thing we would need from them
is fruit and coffee. The prospects for
reciprocity are therefore not very fat
tering, as they really do not sell us
enough fruits and coffee to offset the
agricultural implements.
''It costs so much to get married in
Mexico that few of the lower classes
ever marry. The church does not rec
ognize state marriage and the state
does not recognize the church wedding.
The consequence is that common law
| marriages are Inc rue 4uST0 IS uUG1e
of what we call immortality in the sense
of promiscuity. The police never take
any notice of anythingunless somebody
makes complaint.
SIT is unquestionably true that the
peon is an unconscionable thief. Hotel
men never buy more than enough for
one meal. The servants would steal
the surplus. Everybody in.Mexico buys
lottery tickets, and have seen an ole
lady selling tickets within the doors OF
the cathedral. An important step is be
ing taken by President Diaz, who is q
wide-awake and progressive man, who
is bitterly hated by the clergy or priest
hood. He is taxing the large land own
ers or hacienderos, who own vast tracts
of uncultivated land. The owner O.
these haciendas declare they will have
{ to cultivate them or give them up. L
! is question if the poems would hav'
ambition to cultivate the land after i
was turned over. A great mistake il
, made by foreigners in going there il
the winter, when the place is dry AND
/ dusty. They should go in the summe
when the rains refresh the earth ever,
, day. Sharp showers fall during tn
t rainy season, but the sun rises brigh
and pleasant every morning. AS saic
in the beginning Mexico may do TO
l some, but 1 prefer the United State
and have come hack to live here"