The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-12-19
MINISTER GRAY At HOME
CALLED HERE BY THE SERIOUS ILL
NESS OF HIS son PIERRE.
He Does Not Believe Mexico and
Guatemala VIII Go to war-Ameri-
cans Are Fast Undermining Mexico
That Country, Says Minister Gray,
Has n bright Future before 1t.

The Hon. Isaac p. Gray, United States
minister to the Mexican government, ar
rived home Wednesday afternoon, and Is the
guest Of his son, Pierre Gray, on st.
Marys-st. Mr.. Gray was called home on
account Of the serious illness Of his son
Pierre, whom he finds slowly recovering,
but he viii remain several weeks before
returning.
Tt has nov been year since my wife
and 1 went to Mexico" said Mr.. Gray last
night. land I am sorry TO say the climate
does not seem To agree with very well.
True, the weather is beautiful the year
round. perennial spring weather being
found in the City of Mexico, but there
seems to be something in the climate at
an altitude of 1000 feet that does not. agree
with Us. Mrs. Gray has lost in weight
twenty pounds since we went there.
War Cloud VIII Pass over.
Everything is quiet in diplomatic cir
cles in Mexico, with the exception Of the
little war cloud over the boundary line
with Guatemala, but 1 do not think that
this viii amount to anything. During the
fourteen years President Dilz has been
at the head Of the government there has
been continual peace, and this is his policy.
During that time the country has been
rapidly developing, capital has been invest
ed, railroads have been built and the coun-
try generally has enjoyed a greater degree
of prosperity than ever before. The Gua-
temalan trouble is only a little ripple upon
the surface of international affairs and VIII
be settled by a commission. Even when I
left the city last Friday there was a COM
missioner of the Guatemllan government
there with some proposition for mutual
settlement of the trouble.
Mexico is being very rapidly American
lied and is profiting by it. American. En-
glish and German capital Is being largely
invested throughout the country in mining,
railr0ading and planting, and this moderni-
cation has brought on a new era. The gold
mines are being worked. new railroad en-
terprisas are spnnging into existence con-
stantly, and now the coffee planting fever
has come. The widely diversified soil and
climate Of Mexico make the country nat
urally adapted to raising a great variety Of
products. Coffee planting is the newest
thing and this will in the near future be
a large factor in Increasing the wealth of
the country. SO far it has been highly sue
cessful and a large capital IS being invested
In this enterprise. And this influx Of wealth
is being manifested in a substantial way
in the capital. New buildings Of modern
design are being erected; we have six rail-
roads, telegraph lines, telephones, improved
streets and general metropolitan air.
Two Thousand Americans.
There are in the capital about two
thousand Americans, or residents Of the
United States rather, and our re.ations. So
caiily and automatically, are nothing but
pleasant. The methodists, episcopaians
and presbyterians each have a church and
there is a Y. NJ. c. A. and an English
daily newspaper with press dispatches.
r.lr. aaf. fef
Their suave natures, gentle manners and
cOurt,y bearing can be noticed even IN the
beggars on the streets, and among the
h gher classes the department is perfect.
At no time does a Mexican so far forget
himself as to be impolllc. The court Of
President Diaz is brilliant and formal. but
the socia. affairs, as>wel as those Of state,
are happy occasions.
1.-The introduction OF railroads and the
telegraph has had much TO do with the
modernizatior Of Mexico. On account Of
the rapidly with which news now travels
and the facilities afforded for the rapid
transportation Of troops, the reign Of the
banditti chiefs is over. and this element has
now been almost entirely eradicated. ii
has had much to do also with the elimina-
ton of petty rebeliions, which before the
advent of President Diaz We're so preva-
lent and which kept the country in a con-
slant state of unrest. The first indication
of trouble is now felt at the capita. within
a few hours, warnings are sent, and, if
necessary, troops are hastily massed be-
fore the trouble has been allowed to
crysta..ize. The day Of the Mexican ban
dit has passed and modern civilization has
succeeded him.
THE power exerted over the country by
the people of our own country is evidenced
in the fact that everything Is tending to-
ward the American. Where French was
formerly the favorite foreign tongue. and
in fact for a time WED with the native
Spanish for favor, the English language Is
now supreme 40 foreign fayorite, and