The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-15
It's Attractions for the Tour


Inry circumstances into an extravagant
story of adventure, TO be read by vis-
ionary minds; that the impassioncd
words of praise bestowed by Humboldt
seem almost Incorporate; and that
nearly every other student of the
country's history, institutions and re-
sources, who has honestly expressed
his impressions, has been accused of
entertaining extrava CANT views. They
could not have avoided this criticism
and at the same time have done jus
tice to the subject.
The Mexico Of Montezuma-the
birthplace and favored home of rom
ancc, of an ancient civilization, which
in the intensity of its interest has had
no parallels; Of a heroism grandcr and
| more faithful than has characterized
any other country or period of which
historian or novelist has written--com-
prised only about six degrees Of lati-
tudc, from the 18th to the 2lst. And
| yet within these narrow limits there
existed and flourished tribes and races
and civilizations possessing extraord-
| mary characteristics, and illustrating
| great principles, centuries before the
=
| and still other centuries before our
own beloved country had achieved in
| dependence.
The Mexico of today is a mighty en-
pire, stretching from the sources of the
Rio Colorado and Rio Grande on the
north to the Gulf of Darien on the
south, and from the Gulf Of Mexico
on the east to the Pacific Ocean on the
west-an area the magnitude of which,
although grand in its proportions, is
yet grander in the wealth of its soil, it's
forests, it's mines it's climate. its seem
cry, it's antiquities, its history, its pos
sibilities.
Back in the brief and unhappy reign
Of the Emperor Maximilian the Min
lister Of Public Instruction, in an Off
cial report urging his Majesty to au-
| thOrize am expedition of scientific dis
covery, wrote as follows of the historic
and material resources of the country:
Mexico has many secrets to dis
| close to us-a peculiar civilization
which science should revive, races
| whose origin eludes us, unknown Ian
guages, mysterious inscriptions, and
imposing monuments. 1t is a vast re-
|
by large rivers and lofty mountains,
which, situated near the equator, pos
sesses every climate because it has all
attitudes; where the redundant vegeta-
tion Of the tropics shelters inumerable
tribes of animated creatures; where,
in fine the internal wealth cores
ponds to that of the surface for the
millions which, during the centuries,
Mexico has poured into the lap of
Europe, are but the first fruits of the
treasures which it has in store. .
What has been done by mining as
sociations is worthy of all praise; what
is known as yet of the mineralOgical
wealth of the country is undoubtedly
the smallest part of that which exists
The sites thus far turned to profit are
those for the most part which hazard
has presented. A truly scientific eX-
ploration would disclose to this branch
of industry a future of unexpected
prosperity. A country of so bold and
broken an outline, and subjected to
the powerful and varied action of eX-
tremes of climate, as well as to that
of the forces proceeding from the in
terror of the earth, holds out large
promise to the physics of the globe
and to meteorology." But MaXimiliar
had other and more pressing matters
to attend to. His throne was in dan
ger; the stern and terrible realities OF
war stared him full in the face, ant
scientific discovery and investigation
were nece essarily put out of mind fol
/ the bivouac, and for the march from
which he never returned.
Physically considered the Mexico o
today extends from latitude Is de
. grees to 30 degrees north, and from
= longitude Sc degrees to III degrees
, west. It's extreme length northwes
and southeast-from the southern lin,
Of the state of Chiapas to the northern
limit of Southern CalifOrnia-is littl,
more than 1000 miles; it's extreme
breadth something more than 1,lO
miles. It's coast line exceeds 1,6O
miles on the Gulf of Mexico and tn
Caribbean Sea, and 1900 miles on tn
Pacific Ocean. Its northern frontie
) is Lee miles in length and it's southern
= Is 532 miles. The total area of tn
; Republic is 766, 4S2 square miles. b,
. the Constitution of 1857 the countr.
2 was divided into twenty-three states
I one territory, and one district. Tn
= | system of government Is almost iden
= tical with cur own, from which it wa
g largely copied; but in practice it /
' necessarily not yet as republican as
2 is in theory, or as it will be in fac
/ when the peon, or native Indian, VIII
$ constitutes three quarters of the en-
. tire population, has better qualified
1 himself for the duties and responsible
a ties of citizenship Since 1857 the mum
= Der of states has been increased +
- q by the formation of new one
. from portions of old ones The fol
/. lowing table by Antonio Garcia Gu
v bas. a distinguished Mexican stats
Q tician, gives their names and popu
?, lation in 1884.
Total