Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-04-01

head we will speak of Tie rich.
Employees on the railroads are
mostly Americans, except some of the
brakemen. Mileage salaries are paid.
Engineers make from $500 10 $3.50 per
month, fremen from $50 TO S175 per
month, American brakemen SO to $50
per month, Mexican brakeman SOC. to
G0c. per day, of course all in Mexican
coin. The railroad men place the
poems as among the lowest people of
Gods earth Ali steal, have no honor.
are treacherous Mothers offer their
children into vice for small pittance.
MAIN them in youth to make success
ful beggars of them. Heartless, with
out ambition-what wide field for the
missionary. In the mines, ore diggers
are paid SOC. per dav, teamsters Soc,
common labOrers 15c Once in a while
peon owns burro, and such a man is
lord among his class A burro costs
about $1,000
Guide books and literature of that
class always dwell on the pleasant
things in Mexico and forget the un-
pleasant ones. 1t is indeed long road
that has no turning, and there are de-
lightful spots and homes in the land of
the Montezumas, churches larger and
richer than any that America can
boast. Many OF the old customs are
slowly giving way to laterday civiliza-
ton and progress, but this change is
slow and has begun only with the last
decade, since the railroads penetrated
the country and are surely infusing new
life and vigor into a realm where time
is never counted and labor never too
menial for man. The Mexican is not
made of stern stuff that will ever
develop the wealth hidden in his
mounts and wales, but American
c1pital, pluck end energy is rapidly
pushing to the fore and reaping the
harvest which 4 divine Creator
planted at the threshold of an indolent
race, TO be left unheeded and un-
touched for centuries. In other words
this is historic region where:
"Cities arose, ruled, dwindled to decay
Empires were formed then darkly swept away,
Race followed race, like cloud shades DER the
field,
The stranger still to stranger doomed to yield.
We have detailed somewhat on the
dark side of Mexican life because it is
rarely mentioned.
BEGGARs.
Reader, were you ever in a swamp
where mosquitoes were thick? Our
train could not stop anywhere, neither
could We, without being surrounded by
a swarm Of filthy, half dressed
spectacles, pleading in the most piteous
tones, with Outstretched hands, "senor,
dun me un centavo," mister give me
one cent. A centavo seems to be the
height of their ambition, young or old :,
male and female. YA. ..ear this plead
ing appeal from the time you enter the
country until you leave it. Babes in
arms have been taught to stretch out
their little hands for money even be-
fore they can utter a syllable. They
stay with you like a spector or bad
dream, and the more you give to get
rid of them the thicker grows your
following. Like Banquo's ghost they
will not down, but the cry is heard
from desert station to city hotel, from
slum to the doors of the sanctuaries
"Senor, dun me un centavo." That
song was poured into our ears so
steadily that don't think any of the
editorial party will ever forget it. And
[ would like to be able to compute the
dollars that were generously handed
out in centavo measures from our
home on wheels. This side of Mexi-
can life is a deplorable one beyond de-
gree. No visitor can understand or
appreciate it, the nativesand authorities
themselves do not.
THE BULL FIGHT.
What the game of golf is to the Welsh
horse racing to the English; the curling
game to the Scotch; lacrosse to the
Canadian, and base ball and foot ball to
us, so to Mexico is the bull fight. And
its national amusement is the nation S