Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-02-26
THE SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
THE MEXICO OF TO-DAY.

ihC NuliCul quarterly Uullellu VI lne
American Geographical society contains
an important article on Mexico, contrib
uted by Mr.. Romero, so long the minis.
ter from that country TO ours. 1t is are
mar kable condensation of interesting
facts concerning the neighborug repub-
lie.
Mexico has the shape of cornucopa,
with its widest end toward the United
States, and this, says Mr.. Romero,
has been considered, allegorcally, as a
sign that it will pour its wealth and pro-
ducts into this country" He is conf
dent that it will at no distant day pro-
vide us with most of the tropical pro-
ducts, such as sugar, coffee and tohac-
co" which we now import from other
countries. Mexico has given us a great
deal of territory, the amount being
5GS, JOB square miles, exclusive of Texas,
and 930,590 square miles with that
State, while she has an area of 7G7. 22G
square miles.
In grandeur of scenery Mr.. Romelo
regards Mexico as the superior of Swift
zerland; but the snow line Is low in the
latter, and thus she surpasses Mexico in
the charms of her snow peaks, as well
as in her beautiful lakes, good roads
and fine hotels. Yucatan, a level coun-
try, differs remarkably in configuration
from Mexico proper and its ruins show
it to have been the seat of an advanced
people. DR.. lie Plongeon recently de-
clared, In his book called "Queen Moo
and the Egyptian Sphinx" that the en-
pire of the Mayas, in Yucatan, was the
cradle of civilization, which passed
thence to India, Egypt, Greece and
western Europe.
Vast stores of the precious metals are
found in Mexico and copper, iron in i'm
mense masses, lead, tin, platinum, and
cinnabar are among noteworthy products.
Two great ranges of mountains traverse
the country, one near the Pacific and the
other near the Gulf of Mexico. Between
these is series of rich valleys, delight
full in climate, known as the Central
Plateau, $50 level that even when there
were no wagon roads one could travel in
a carriage from the City of Mexico to
Santa Fe". The highest peak is Popo-
catapetl, 1910 feet.
There are no good harbors on the
Gulf coast. Vera Cruz is an open road
stead on " hich large sums have been ex-
pended. On the Pacific there are good
ports at Acapulco, Manzanillo, ano La
Paz. There are few large navigable
rivers, the high mountains and broken
surface turning the streams mostly into
torrents, with cascades, while the Rio
Grande after freshets becomes dry in
places. The rains begin in June, in
crease in July, and end in November, eX-
cept that they last longer on the sea than
inland. They fall from one to three
hours a day and then the atmosphere be-
comes clear and pleasant. The differ
ences in altitude are so great as to give
Mexico an extraordinary variety of
one of the most delightful in the world,
and its evenness in many places makes
the country valued as santarium.
Flowers are abundant and "a bouquet
which in New York would cost 81 in
winter, could be had in the city of MeXi-
co all the year round for % cents" so
that Mr.. Romero looks for the time when
: flowers will be exported in large amounts
to the United States. Mexico has also
magnificent trees, including III varie-
ties of building and cabinet woods,
twelve of dye woods and eight of gums
the cacayo and india rubber, copal,
liquid amber, camphOr, me zquite, yield
ing substance resembling gum arabic,
dragon tree, turpentne pine, and almaci-
ed. There are seventeen varieties of
oil bearing trees and plants, including
the sesame and the tree that yields the
balsam of Peru. OF die bananas there
ing fruit twelve to fifteen inches in
length and two to three in diameter.
The orange region is free from frosts.
In the hot zone is raised tobacco,
(which, in Gen. Grants estimation, was
superior to the Havana article" The
cactus yields freely white juice called
pulque, used as beverage, being
a tonic and nutritive, yet Intoxicating if
imbibed in large quantities. Other cacti
yield drink called mescal, which has
therapeutic qualities. The Yucatan cac-
tus has fibre like manila, exported in
large quantities to New York.
OF the people about 10 per cent are of
European descent, 43 native Indians and
IS mainly mixture of the two. Mr..
Romero finds great similarity between
the Indians and the Asatic Malay races,
notably the Japanese, in their very
black hair and eyes, brown or yellow
color, and slight oblIquity of the eyes.
! Wban no caUt tho TonoOaeo