The herald., 1894-12-16
AS A TRAVELLER SEES MEXICO.
What the Chances Are for War
With Guatemala.
How American Interests Will Pro-
tect the Republic.
q Peculiar and UnUanny Scene in n
Mexican Graveyard, Where Num-
mics Lie In the Cat soombs, With
Heaps OF Human Bo,sSs Around.

y StO btOoR Rootu Va - 49, HSS"eS
MeA leo and Guatemala, and though tia
cause OF the rupture whi ch threate n
war MAJ seem trivial to cold"bloofict
people oi the north. there is no telling
what the hot blood of sthe ,swarthy peo
pls to the south may lead them to ~her
international Disputes aris g. 1t takei
only two men, one with usty sworc
and the other O brsech-bmrnt gun, te
start q first.clsss revolution any where
south of the Texas border, and An inter-
national war cen be provoked just about
as easily down that way
On Friday the HEs.ALD publish
startling rumors from San Diego, ex-
clusively published them, by the way,
to the effect that the Mexican transport
Oaxaca, now in that port, is ws1tinS
there for orders, in csss-of war, to take
on arms and ammunition for the Metxi-
can government to be ll'nded OF San
Benito, on the Guatemalan frontior.
And it was also hinted that Don Joaquin
Redo of Mazatlan is in San Diego for th 3
purpose of purchasing the well known
steamer Manuel Dublsn for the use of
the Mexican government in case OF war.
These incidents are but links in the
chain of wsrlike indications.
W. p. Temple, native of this city,
representative OF one OF the oldest egtab.
lished and most influential families OF
Southern California, returned on Friday
from an extended trip through Mexico.
This gentleman. highly educated and
Intelligent observer, has noted the po-
litical situation throughout the republic
with special reference to the impending
war.
1t 10 the opinion OF Mr.. Temple, ex-
pressed yesterday in an interview with
. representative OF the HERALD, that
war will not come OF the trouble be-
tween the two republics.
''It is only question of the owner
ship of o strip OF land something like
100 miles in width along the boundaries
believe that the excellent Judgment of
President Disz will lind some way OF
overcoming the difficulty short Of blood
shs 3D."
President Disz is q wonderful man."
he continued. "They talk OF revolu
tion and the overthrow of the present
Republic of Mexico. but it will not be
while Diaz lives and rules, and in my
Judgment it will never be. But Disz ia
now the rock on which the republic Of
Mexico rests. He lie pre-eminently
peaceful man, clear in his judgment OF
great national issues and unalterably
opposed to unnecessary conflict.
1T is not the leading men OF Mexico
who talk war with Guatemala. | found.
That ia in the way OF favoring such
course, though it ls an open secret there
that the government has recognized the
possibility OF it before the present mis-
understanding ia set right. Indeed, in
measure Mexico is the eggressor, for
that govern ment makes the demand fc-
the territory in dispute, and Guatemala
simply disputes Mex ico's right to it.
American interests in Mexico are
unfavorsble to war, and have a weight,
especially with the president. 1t is also
the American interests which would
preclude the possibility of an overthrow
OF the repub bile after the death of Diaz."
Mr.. Temples trip was an interesting
one. and not devoid of incident. Leav-
ing this city on the Let OF June he went
to Ell Psso and then over the Mexican
Central to Aguas Cslientes and San
Luis Potosi. From there he proceeded
to Guauajuata, Guadalajara and the
City of Mexico. After stay of three
weeks in the Mexican capital he re-
turned by way of the Mexican National
through Qaltillc, Monterey and Loredo,
Texas. Thus Mr.. Temple visited all the
principal points in the republic and met
many OF the principal figures of Mexi-
can life, with whom he WAS able to So
cure an introduction and by whom he
was cordially received through his
high standing and learning.
THE industrial condition OF Mexico
is miserable" says he. "The property
is held in large areas by few people. In
the state of San Luis Potosi, for ex-
ample, are $4,000 people, only 5000 OF
whom have stated income. The re-
naming 10000 are peons. having no
employ ment, living in idlenees and
squalor, without pride or hope. as miser-
able and downtrodde1 a people as exist
on the face OF the earth. The 10000
people are the servants snd vAsssls of
5000.
"At Guanajusto / Was most deeply
interested in the pantion or municipal
graveyard. Here is plot of ground
comprising perhape two acres of ground.
The whole is enclosed by wall perhaps
l6 feet in heighth and 20 feet in thick~
ness. Through che influence of q friend,
Senor M. Rocha of the City of Mexico,
l was permitted to see the inner work
ings of the strange burial customs of the
place, privilege which few if any for
signers have enjoyed before me.
There are three distinct olasseu in
Mexico-the poems, the middle class
end the rich. All three classes are
buried here, but in lar different ways.
The rich buy plot of ground on the
level inside and hers in richly mounted
coffins they place their dead. The mid
die classes rent q hole in the massive wall
and the poems do likewise il able to for
they have peculiar superstitions and
notions regarding the dead. They pay
from Sc to So per year for the burial
privilege, and the rude coffins are placed
in holes in the wall and the holes are
sben sealed mp with mortar.
''In these holes the coftins rest in
peace just as long as the relatives or
friends or deceased can pay the yearly
rental no longer. l WAS fortunate in
being admitted 60 the strange graveyard
j1et at the time an order came from the
po!itico to disinter body. The rala-
tivea had failed TO pay the yearly rental.
The sezton climbed up the wall. With
a crow bar no jabbed away the mortar
from the face OF grave No. 285 and
brought forth the coffin. Inside were
the renains OF a woman. perfectly mum.
mifled. With rude hands he cut away
tha clothing from the form, and then
bore it to the top of the wall, where it
Was to lie, face up to the sun, for three
days. Taken from the wall, when the
damp OF the grave ia gone, the body is
4 -