The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-11-21
In THE FIELD OF LITERATURE.

"MoNlco and the United States" by Meuas
lcmcro. q. r. Pntnants Sons, publishers,
New York.
Matlas Romero, the author OF this excel
lent work, was minister tn the United States
from Mexico during tho troublous years prs
| ceding tho civil war; the years of the civil war
aud for some three years after it. Enjoying
the Intimate friendship of Secretary Seward
aud General Grant. and knowing all the prom
inent men OF this country we'll, MIR. Romero
had peculiar advantages for observation and
knowledge, He embodied mis- information con
celning Mexico. the United states and the
rel5tions of those countries to each other in
series of papers which are now issued IN
volumnous book fern under tho head Mexico
and the United States.
ll this volume. besides Mr.. Rumerols Tor
MGR essays and papers systematized intormn-
tot is given on every possible subject In con-
| nectlon with Mexico. It's geography, topog-
raphy, mines, climate, religion, population,
| Immigration, trade, foreign and domestic, MS
| tory, Internationally and philosophcaliy con
sieered. Resides these general subjects there
| are statistics of every conceivable Kind on
! every conceivable subject. 1t Is the most cN-
| hatstiyo work imaginable.
! Accounts of the Mexican free zone are MS
| interesting as any other portions of the book
TO the lay reader who, finding it Impossible
| Ia learn all there is about MoNico--having but
one life-aeleci8 these portions OF the MAS
that are not shared so much IN common with
other masses.
The free zone IS u mspomer Mr.. Romero
| announces, 70 start with, "beeauSe goo Y I'M
ment, been lrea of duties. Goods entering
this zone or belt on the frontier pay now lS'2
per cent of the regular schedule OF Mexican
import duties. SO Mexico maintains along
her northern boundary two custom tines.
Goods passing The iitst me nre SsseSs,a iS
pass the second 90 kilomctcIs to tho south
they pny tho remaining Sh per cent
The zone is therefore OF small account to the
Mexican government revenue prOdnCCf,
but has been n constant source OF trouble IN
asmuch as IL presents ortunitles for ahlug-
gins, ana IL mas peon srsaty NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
here"
Alter giving the history of tho troubles re-
hitting to the free zone Mr., Romero rests in
tho hope that the Observation-Disclosures may van
ism IN the United States, and that thorough
knowledge of the subject may lead to an easy
ad ;uatment Of the matter, when the agitation
has disappeared. with tho best motives JUST
such us the above-it may be seen how digni-
fled Mr. Romero's book becomes. II ~ so full
rs to preclude anyone but u specialists rcaG-
ink It all; so statistical In spots as 10 bo
merely q work OF reference. In other parts II
is highly romantic. and tho transition from
the dhah OF Mexican adventure TO Views on
tho silver standard gives the volume great
scop, and variety.
mammoth work hre 'The Genesis Of Mexican
Independence and "PhRosophy of the MeM-
run Revoiutiuns." iu the latter the follow
INK II significant,
"rhe fate OF MAMMALIAN WAS Indeed very
sed one, but when 10 Is considered that on oc-
tuhcr 80, 1861, fnw months only before his
execution he had issued decree ordering
all Mcxicans fishting for the Independence OF
their country to he shot without any triut OF
other formaliiy, aud that bad hq liyed lie
would lave been n permanent cantor VI com
sflracies OF the, inonsr.heM nhrty g over,
empire II win be Geon that his Genth might
be considered political necessity
"Renaissance Masters" by George II. Rose
@, =, Putnamis sons, Now York.
Tho design of these ESSAYS on art and it's