The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-04

A HINT FOR MINISTER GRAY.


HINT FOR MINISTER GRAY.
Ii recent reports are true, when ex-
Governor Gray goes to Mexico as min
lister of the United States he will find a
condition of affairs that needs in
v~estigating. There is reason to believe
that he can do this country a genuine
service by first thoroughly informing
himself and her making n truthful re-
port as to the real condition of our re-
lations with Mexico and the status of
American citizens in that country. To
all outward appearances, and in a Dip
lomatic sense, our relations with Mexico
arc entirely friendly, but it is asserted
by some that this is only a superficial
condition, and that in reality the Mex
lean government and people detest the
American people, and omit no oppor-
tuDity to show this dislike of us. If this
is so we ought to know it.
There is every reason why Mexico
should feel very friendly towards this
country and people. 1t wac the United
States that forced Macmillan out of
Mexico. thereby preventing the estab-
lishment of a monarchy and making
possible the establishment of a
republic. 1t is true that repub-
lican government as it exists In
Mexico is a dreadful burlesque on real
republican government. hardly differing
in anything but name from a dictator
| ship, but. such as 1t is. the Mexican peo-
pie are indebted to the United States
for it, and by as much as it is preferable
to a monarchy and a foreign dynasty
they ought to feel grateful to the United
States for having saved them from ore
and given them an opportunity to estab-
lIsh the other.
If the statements of q correspondent
writing from the City of Mexico are
true the feeling entertained in Mexico
towards this country and people is very
far removed from gratitude or friendli-
ness. This correspondent says that not
w~ithstanding the fact that Americans
have invested largely in Mexico, and
that they run nearly all the industries
there worthy of mention, they are hated
by the people and Disseminated against
by the government to an extraordinary
degree. We quote from his letter:
No impartial American can stay long in
that country without feeling he is among
people who not Only dIstrust but hate
him. This Is invariably the case. He
does not need. like the writer. TO have
lived for years among them TO know their
social leaders. native and foreign. thor
oughly. to have in reach data which. when
publiahed musg nraciplfaf0 DrOm Mt de-
ctsive inquiry by the United States. He
soon sees and feels 1t. He is o 'Gringo." q
Yankee.
Underneath all their courtesy. their les
a la disposition de listed" and ''su casa"
greetings. turks a snakelike tseachery and
q deoeltful jealousy Of all men who conie
from a country more civilized and prosper
Gus than theirs. And whas Is more re-
m%arkable Is that their hatred of Americans
is so little disguised. 1t ruas all along the
gamut, from the most squahd peasant to
the highest in the land. Too much space
would be needed here to instance the
hatred of the poorer Gloss.
The Journal does not vOuch for the
truth of these statements, but gives
them for what they are worth, coming
from an American who has lived in
Mexico quite long enough to know what
he is talking about. He says hat Presi-
dent Diaz and members of his Cabinet
discriminate socially as between the
American minister and those Of
European countries; that Mexican
papers, all of which are subsidized by
the government, are permitted to openly
abuse Americans. and that citizens of
the United States engaged in business
are Disseminated against in every
possible way. 1t has not been long since
a p%rohibitory tax was laid on Ameri-
can insurance companies doing business
in Mexico, and it is rumOred that
American sewing-machine companies
are to be the next object of attack.
Other instances are cited in proof of the
assertion that, although Americans are
dong more than any other nationality
for the development and prosperity Of
Mexico. they are cordially hated by the
government and people. who only
tolerate them to make money out of
them.
If this is true the American people
ought to know it, and, by the same
token, they ought to know it il it is not
true. Let us know tho t~ruecOnditiOn of
our relations with Mexico, not as they
appear in the su~gar-c0ated language of
the State Department. but as they really
are. The American people have a right
to know if they are being fooled or are
making fools of themselves in supposing
that the Mexican government and peo-
Pile feel very kindly towards them. 1t
is to be hoped that Ex-Governor Gray
will 20 there not primarily to make him.
self popular in official circles, but to see
that Justice is done to his countrymen
and to inform himself with a view of
informing them as To how American
citizens really stand in Mexico and how
they are treated.
II greatest menace TO this town Is its
control by q newspaper ollgarchy. Banded
for power and plumber. q press combine
will grasp the an distance while leaving the
people the form of popular government.
Puffery of slaves, elander of opponents is