The herald., 1898-05-27
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
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MEXICO THROUGH
FRIENDLY EYES
"a saEAAaEEERRHaaaaaaaaaaERa re

EA EAEAAAAAGRAN NANlaaaAAAGA&MA u u y
Mr.. Lummis is always enthusiastic; he
loves or he loves not. And just now his love
is Mexico, and in 1.-THE Awakening of a
Nation" he gives us some striking and
suggestive sketches He sees much to ad-
mire in Mexico, and great part of what
he admires is due to Spanish influence.
This is unwelcome just now, when 1t is the
fad to hate and despise Spain and the Span
lard. But after all, hatred and contempt
alter no facts, and it is true that the Span
lard has been wonderful explorer, not
unkind governor, and marvelously good
governor, more than once.
His 'marca' is upon the faces, the laws,
the very landscape. How significant this
Is we may better judge when we remem-
ber that the Saxon, masterful though he
is has never anywhere achieved these re-
suits. He has filled new lands with his
speech and his faith (or his lack of it), but
only by filling them with his own blood.
never by changing the native. The United
States, for instance, is of his speech; but
what Indian tribe speaks English. In the
vastly greater area of Spanish America
done so for centuries. The Saxon has never
impressed his language or his religion upon
the people he has overrun."
1t was that same Spaniard in America
who developed in Mexico a golden age of
letters in the sixteenth century, long be-
fore Plymouth Rock felt pilgrim footsteps.
Mr.. Lummis does well to hint at this. 1.-The
Bay Psalm Book was not the first book
printed in America, nor were 1.-The Jesuit
Relations" the "very first beginnings OF
American literature" How naive and
amusing such claims would be, were they
not humliating evidence of narrow ignor-
ance! The first American books were in
Spanish, of course, and they represent a
great variety in subject, treatment and
character. Some features of that early lit
erature are most curious. Thus, as Sr.
Lummis says:
another striking point in the literary
history of Mexico-and one wholly with
out parallel in ours-is this: In the first
generation after the conquest there was al
ready in Mexico a band of Indian authors
like Tobar, Zapata, Tezozomoc, Chimal-
pain, Camargo, Pomar, the Ixtilxochitls
and others, whom no student of Americana
can ignore"
How can we fit this with our narrow
prejudice? "It is curious to remember that
up to 1880 no book was ever so handsomely
published in the United States as the Lor-
enzana edition of the Letters of Cortez,
in Mexico in 177O." We have called the six
teenth century golden age of letters in
Mexico. 1t was such. At that time there
was there poetry of high order; there
were history, chronicle, belles-lettres.
there were philosophy and theology
there was science-and very creditable sci
ence, too. The University of Mexico was
fourishing and turning out brilliant scho!-
ars long before Harvard was dreamed of.
Model industrial schools, with hundreds of
Indian pupils, where not only theory but
trades were taught, grew up under devoted
friars. Even schools for the careful study
of the native Indian tongues existed, and
a college of twenty diligent students study
ing the Otomi language had been estab-
lished in the Indian town of Huiskelucan.
But Mr.. Lummis does not unduly linger
over the past. He deals with Mexico of to-
day-an awakened nation. One of his first
assertions will come with a shock to our
prejudice and ignorance. "Today Mexico is
and I say it deliberately--the safest coun-
try in America. Life, property, human
rights are more sacred than even with u.s."
This is the Mexico of today, not the Mexico
of twenty years ago. Few realize the vast
changes of a single year in our sister re-
public. Yet Mr.. Lummis' statement might
have been made, in fact it was made, years
ago. In London, in 1882, heard a prom
inent man lecture on Mexico. He said:
MANY consider Mexico dangerous; believe
that life and property are not secure. I
know we'll all parts of the United States
and do not hesitate to say that life and
property are more secure in every part Of
Mexico than in any part of the United
States" I felt that this was the rabd ut
terance of a prejudiced Englishman-but
did not then know Mexico.
Mr.. Lummis treats of the natural re-
sources of the country, describes the fer
ment now leading to their development and
shows how a financial condition which
would paralyze us has been to Mexico, with
her different conditions, a helpful stimulus.
He gives glimpses of the great enterprises
now undertaken. The old mining industry
once the great wealth of the country, Is still
important, but 1t will soon be insignificant
when compared with the agricultural, man.
| ufacturing and carrying industries. He
emphasizes, and with the highest justice
the fact that this mighty progress is chiefly
due to one person-not only a great Mexi-
can, but a great man-Porfirio Daz, the
president of the republic. He sketches the
romantic career of this man, in whose hands
the national destiny has so long rested. We
do not grudge one word of praise to Diaz
| he deserves it. But we might wish that our
author had little more emphasized the
work of that inscrutable Indian, Juarez, to
whom personally and politically Diaz owes
so much.
We will quote but one more passage from
our author: it is simply captious.
"It is notorious to those who know both
countries thoroughly, that educated Amer
leans are far more ignorant of Mexico than
educated Mexicans are ignorant of the
United States. One reason is, doubtless
that we are the more shining mark; but
another is that the Latin-American nations
have rather different ideas of a diplomatic
service They do not send to any country
an ambassador who will be lost there with
out an interpreter Even down to consuls
this ridiculous superstition is operative
Men are selected who are at least gentle
men in appearance; who can command the
respectful attention Of business men; who
know how to ask for the information they
desire. The result Is that Mexico Is stead
| lily informed of the moods and needs of this
country"
A pity t is t is true.-Frederick Starr in
the Dial.