Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-02-18
The Editorial EXCurSi0niStS.
PROMINENT NEWSPAPER MEN
OF THE NATION ON THEIR
WAY TO THE LAND OF
THE AZTECS.
Now and Then Signs of the PRINT
tive Red Man Appear, but Clvili-
cation is Fast Effacing Them
Some of the Missouri
Editors En- Route.

Editorial Correspondence of the Ledger.
On THE TRAIN EN- ROUTE TO GAL
WESTON, TEX, Feb. 15.-The members
of the National Editorial Association,
some 300 strong, have ten Buffet
sleeping cars and are travelling in
style. After The meeting in Calves
ton the party will visit the city of
Mexico. Quite a NUMBER OF the Mis-
souri, party went in advance and we
have with us only the following Mis-
sourians:
L. o. Nelson, Bunceton Eagle.
John Marens, Hamilton News-
Graphic.
o. d. Gray, Sturgeon Leader.
FL. J, Groves, Lexington Intelligen-
Ger, wife and sister.
w. R. Bowles, Greenville ADVOCATE.
j. II. Edwards, Jefferson City Tri-
bune.
John w. Jacks, Montgomery Stand
ard.
R. M. White, Mexico LEDGER.
The weather Is beautiful and all are
enjoying the trip over the Frisco rail-
road, which is one of the best equip
ped roads in the country.
There are signs of the red man to be
found between st. Louis and Texas
along the st. Louis & San Francisco
railroad. But there are signs only,for
civilization in its highest type has
made the country to blossom as the
rose. Even along that part of the
road between a point a few miles south
of Fort Smith, Ark, and Red River,
which is the eastern portion of the
Indian Territory, and embraces the
Chickasaw Nation, the red man, who
is in evidence at the railway stations,
present an Americanized appearance.
He may be een mounted on the
strong-muscled Indian pony, a man
hardy of limb and keen of eye, dress
ed in combination style, SO to speak,
retaining some of the garments and
ornamants of the untamed fathers,
and nearly always with the handy
lariet hooked on to his big horned
saddle. The latter is his pet, and next
to his wholesome appetite receives
much of his attention. 1t is his pillow
at night when on a journey, a hunt or
a cattle drive. Its trappings and dec
orations are measured only by the
means of the owner. Hence the In
dams saddle is usually the sign of his
wealth. "The Indian Country" as it
is called, no longer satisfies in all re-
spects the morbid curiosity of the
seeker for sensations. You never hear
of a train being SHIELD up" by Indians.
Under the gentle but powerful infiu-
enc of church and State in their sep
arate and distinct spheres, he has been
brought up to a higher place, and
when you read of the great Indian
school at Carlisle, Pa, you should
recoIIect that the young men and
women there in training come from
the Territory. In fact, the bronze
face figure with stolid visage and
strong jaw, set off by long, coarse, jet
black hair and sombrero, who gazed
at our train In the Chickasaw Nation
at station after station, may this COM
ing June meet his sweet daughter
on this very rail route, and be ready,
too, with ample transportation facili-
ties, not only to carry her, but an
average number of trunks, cro the
plains to the modernized home. Here
We find a study in government and
human evolution. Men who once SUBJ
sisted on wild animals and fowls, and
but for their skins and feathers would
have had to 60 naked; who fought
| with weapons of flint and seasoned
wood, and who killed each other and
carved their own bodies in pursuance
of savage whim or instinct, have dis
appeared over in the happy hunting
grounds. By gradual stages the brute
has been;merged into the man of af-
fairs. If there yet fingers any of the
| old untamed sort, the fact is empha-
sized by the ready rope-stretching
way they have down here in Federal
courts, a process that made a Judge in
Fort Smith-honored Judge Parker.
and that spread a salutary warning to
such self-evident good effect.
1t was something of a surprise to
learn that there are still many thous-
ands of acres of Frisco grant lands for
sale in Missouri. The State is hardly
ever thought of now as one of the
young frontier commonwealth, so
well provided is it with railways, fac
tories, large cities and the other ele-
ments of progress and growth. But
it is learned that the wise eastern pol
icy in early days of aiding and en-
couraging capital to build railways
through vast reaches of unoccupied
fertile lands was one of the measures
adopted by Missouri. Thus her gov
eminent lands ere put to a practical
purpose. The st. Louis & San Fran
cisco Railroad has some 100, 200 acres
Of land grant left. We get a view of
the specimens Of these from the car
windows. They lie alongside Of and
are mixed up with the famous wheat,
cor and apple lands of Missouri. No
wonder the State is getting on with
such rapid strides! The founders
counted well, The heirs of her NUM-
ficent public domain, the railways,
have met l~iberality with even greater
~liberality, and one Of our editorial
party could step off the Frisco train
into possession of some of the roads
lands at astonishingly low prices.
Think of the best land at from 90 to
s5 per acre. Apart from what the
soil a dc in the way of grain, grass
es and those famous apples, one has a
chance, ii he is as lucky as many
others who have gone before, to dig
up zinc, lead or coal. Southwest Mis-
souri, has all of these. The editorial
reflections are soothed to rest In con-
temptation of all this. Here is a haven
Of peaceful release from a Iife's toll
on the tripod; a place where one may