The record-union., 1895-06-22
lspeclal correspondence of the Rnconp- uNroN.l

tral Mexico with its delicious summer
climate and lis abundant reminders of q
romantic history. is not more widely and
properly appreciated as vacation resort
It has many of the qualities which Ameri-
cans instinotiyeiy seek in their travels;
1t presents conditions in sharp contrast
with those of their own country; and
some of its landscapes have degree of
beauty rarely found elsewhere. The
scenes which are spread out before one
standing at the higher points of this town
remind one of the most favorable views
from the Alhambra. On the lefC Is the
shining dome of Popoeatepetl; immedi-
etely in front, the red-tiled roofs of the
city, scattered amidst an abundance Of
green foliage and brilliant flowers; fur
ther on, the fertile valley, suggesting the
vega OF Granada; still beyond. the back
ground of broken mountains; and over
all, the luminous atmosphere Of the
tropics.
If we like Europe because it is old, it
Rhould be remembered that, az present.
ing phase Of European society, Mexico
is older than Europe; for we see here
cut off from the parent stock it becomes
arrested In its development; it falls into
state of social stagnation, and remains
In this condition until, by natural growth
from within, or increase from without, 1t
assumes the forms and spirit of an inde-
pendent national life. It may happen
that body of colonists will continue in
this condition permanently, or TIL 1t is
overwhelmed by the rising tide of dis
tinct population near it. The French
oolonists in Louisiana and Canada appear
to be of this sort. They retain character
istics of old French life and language, but
there are few signs that either is soon, or
ever, to rise TO the commanding position
of an independent nation. The Spanish
colonies in America were arrested in
their civilization at the point at which the
Spanish nation stood when the colonies
were established. The parent nation.
however, retaining intact the forms and
spirit OF her national life. and influenced
by the general movement Of the nations
near her, carried on her civilization to
more perfectly developed phases.
Nowhere in Europe except. perhaps,
in the Valley Of Andorre, can one
observe the conditions of early European
society to better advantage than in
Mexico Some Of the colonies planted in
America have in the course of time
gathered the forces of an independent
existence, and IL certain lines of progress
are outrunning the nations from which
they were derived. The United States
and Chile are nowadays accustomed to
think they have reached this point. But
only the more penighted Mexican would
set forth such claim for themselves.
They are looking forward to this time.
with faith that rests on fairly good
grounds in the progress of the past de-
cade.
In the colonial development which fol-
lows the period OF stagnation already re-
ferred 10, 1t IS not TO be supposed that the
movement presents an even front: certain
forms and institutions remain stationary,
while along other lines the advance may
be rapid. This is, OF course, true of the
progress OF all nations, but it is more
especially true of colonial progress than
OF any other, partly for the reason that
colonies waking from their dormant con-
dition appropriate, in their completed
forms, methods and means that have
been slowly and painfully wrought out
elsewhere. Ii would be very difficult 10
tiud a more striking illustration OF this
than that presented by the economic his
tory OF Mexico during the last two de-
cades. By her inherited Spanish con-
servatism; by her strong element of In
dian stock, which tends constantly to
revert; by her geographical isolation; by
the survival Of the spirit of absolutisn,
and by the dominant power OF the church,
the people Of Mexico remained for gener-
alton alter generation without important
changes in their economic affairs, aud
with very little change Of point of view.
When, therefore, foreigners extended
railroads into the heart of the country,
from Vera Cruz up the difficult eastern
slope to the densely populated table,
lands OF the interior, and from the Rio
Graude across the arid region OF the
north, two societies, with the characteris-
tics OF PERIODS centuries apart. were
brought into immediate association. The
problem here presented has scarcely its
parallel elsewhere; for no other country,
retaining so many features characteristic
OF the end of the sixteenth century, has
been so suddenly brought into intimate
relations with the most advanced nations
of The world, or had its means OF internal
communication SO suddenly transforme ed.
BY the influence of these external forces
we are enabled to observe q society at
tempting 10 leap over three or tour CEN
# zIr Ia rrar1 1eal-S.
tion.
Mexico engages our attention not
merely on account Of what she has been,
or now is, but also for the interesting
problems which her future is to present.
one OF these arises from a consideration
OF the different rates of increase of popu-
lation in Mexico and the United States.
On account OF the imperfection OF the
statistics it is Impossible TO determine
accurately the rate Of growth OF Mexico's
population IN the last ninety years. But
to affirm that 1t has increased from 5.0O0,-
000 to II, 000,0 000 is not to go very wide Of
the truth. With reference to the United
States. il may be safely said that thu nom
ulation has increased in the same neriod
from about 5000, 900 to about 65. 00o. 900.
And during this remarkable growth the
larger nation has been as we'll ted and
clothed as the smaller, which has grown
more slowly; and there is no more need
of taking account Of a checking pressure
of population against subsistence in the
larger than in the smaller nation. There
is, moreover, no more reason 10 antic-
pate very great modification or the rate
OF increase in the one case than in the
other. except as one overfiows into the
other; bat a continuation OF essentially
+hn hitharfo axisfinr rate of increasn II,