The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-24
THE AMERICAN IN MEXICO.
A Country Where Foreigners Are En-
cOuraged land Protected.
Charles Dudley Warner in Harper.


With bountful nature, and a population
accustomed to work for pay that would
only support them in conditions of suualor
1t can be seen why the citizen of the United
States, who is always looking for place
TO invest his capital (meaning often Cnly
his Wits finds Mexico attractive. So long
as wages are low and the peon IS content
TO live as he does, and the American collar
can be changed into two Mexican dollars
for the purpose of land or the pay Of labor
the prospect seems a dazzling one for the
adventurer. The government invites invest
mentS by the most liberal concessions, and
encourages in every way the building of
railways and the development Of produc-
tive lands. / doubt if there is another
country where foreigners are so much en-
couraged and so wen protected by the au-
thorities as in Mexico. And this invitation
to foreigners will continue so long as the
government is administered in its present
spirit, until the MeXicanS are educated
and have learned to live better and to de-
mand adequate wages. Meantime the gov
eminent, while holding out inducements to
foreign capital is multiplying its schools
both for common and Industrial education
and adopting our new educational methods
from the colleges down to the kinderSar-
tens. In this transitional period the Ameri-
can sees an opportunity for making a for
tune 1t would sound strange in England
and it begins to be rare in the United
States, to hear of fortunes made by agri-
culture. But cases of it are said to be COM
mon here. | was told that in the little
clean, healthful, delightful city of Guadala-
Jara Q25,000 there are forty-SeVen million
aires mo one of them worth more than
three millions). who have nearly all made
their money from the product of their
haciendas Many OF them are from the
lower ranks, and began with no capital a
few years ago.
who have married Mexican women and
adopted the manners of the country; l
could fill this paper with instances | have
heard of of foreigners who came here
penniless and in a few years have risen to
positions of trust and ownership in banks,
railways and plantations But these stories
are common the world over These profit
able haciendas, where sugar coffee, and
cereals are grown, both the old and the
new, are really feudal municipalities IN ex-
tent and in authority. In the center OF a
tract of tens of thousands OF acres, only
a small proportion of which is cultivated,
is the owners residence. IL ne Is MeXl-
can (and comparatively few as yet are
owned by foreigners), there is a church
with tall spire or tower near the mouse
a landmark for every dusty Vlsitor-a store
and, grouped around, the mud novels OF the
poems who are the feudal dependents. The
hacienda residence may be surrounded by
a high adobe wall and within are the Varl-
Gus offices, courts, with tropical trees,
plants and flowers and fountains. The
large and poor population of this domain
are absolutely dependent upon the pro-
prietor Their dwellings are Wretched, even
for this climate: their wardrobe would
make rag market in any ghetto; ana tn isy
are apt to be in debt to the proprietor. who
gives them their wages IN store pay, at a
handsome profit And yet, so TAR as | can
see il is a contented and cheerful popula-
ton. both i'm country and city. There is an
air of leisure everywhere: church festivals
and holidays are frequent; every one mas
his siesta In the middle of the day; i'm small
cities the shops close from twelve to three;
the tramways take a rest then also, ana
there is no appearance that laborers are
driven in their tasks. You cannot hurry
anything or anybody. For tomorrow IS
ALWAYS coming 1t will thus he seen that
il is a good country for the laboringmen,
who can wear anything that will hold to-
gether. eat anything that cent VIII BUY,
his serape and who has not been taught
that if he has a piece of silver worth 50
cents it is his right to take II to the mint
and have il coined into a dollar.