The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-22
Mexican Voters in Texas.

The conditions governing elections on
the banks of the Rio Grande are peculiar.
Politics as regards principle, Is NOT IN
it," Half the voting power consists OF
ilnterate Mexicans. Up till recently
these were largely augmented by impor-
tations from the Land Of God and Lib
erty, by many devious ways. week or
two before an election-some on the very
eve of it-corralled like 50 many cattle.
and voted in patches. The last state leg
islature enacted a six months residence
law. i'll addition 10 naturalization. and 80
stopped the Importation business, but did
not interfere with the old practice OF
penning the pilado. An attempt 10 COM
pass a mutual agreement by which the
corral should be discarded by both par
ties failed
These eorrals are an old institution on
this borderland. and for their purpose
they are very effective. In this respect
nothing in Carolinan or Georgian election
methods OF handling dliteraey can COM
pare with them. There are two OF them
one for the sherin incumbent. the other
for his opponent. the sheri1-that-hopes-
to-be Each Is headquarters. A descrip-
ton OF one and its uses viii suffice for
both-the construction and modus oper-
andi of both being almost Identical Al
empty building-store or other-facing a
public street is usually selected and rent
ed by the candidate a month or more be-
fore the election.
A sine quo non-of the premises IS that
behind there should be ample space avail
able or that can be made so. Carpenters
and laborers are set TO work disembow-
cling the permanent building more or less
and clearing the ground in the rear or
| all obstructions. The result is structure
comprising spacious room in 'front.'. With
smaller ones behind. the whole opening
upon rectangular yard of ample size
for the accommodation OF q large num-
Der of men. The ordinary fence Of such
an enclosure Will not do; 1t is carried
by lumber and wire TO a height Of about
ten feet. The eyes of the curious may
not see what IS going or within unless
admitted. Admission, however, is easy ex-
cept TO the enemy Prior 10 the eve Of the
election the Mexicans and their friends
foregather here nightly, and six nights
out Of seven are reasonably quiet This
state Of things continues until near the
eighth, when each party mavshals It's
forces for a final demonstration.
The procession over, let Us return 10 the
corral Here the sheriff in Office is seen
seated on a platform AT the end OF the
pen wearing a red rosette. his party
color. His ticket IS that OF the Repub-
lican party. from Governor downward He
addresses quite a company OF his sup
porters. among whom are few visitors.
helping off with the beer. which is freely
passed round. He speaks in Spanish in a
subdued voice, commends himself to the
voters as having always been their
friend. and at the same time holds HIM
self responsible for his colleagues on
the ticket who are candidates for county
offices The talk takes well. Not a word
about politics, Republican or Democrat
&c. They would not understand Il If
spoken. 1t is the man they know; he
bounds their horizon just as completely
as that ten-foot fence bounds their bod
lily freedom; but he knows that. voting
for him. they viii vote the Republican
state and congressional ticket. HIS in
telhgent co-workers know the same thing,
and act accordingly.
The corral is rightly christened. al
every Southern stockman would know.
A Texas steer would stand as good
show" of getting out of a strong. high
fenced corral as would one OF those MeXi-
can votes escape from that all-night en-
closure. Dante's Oft-quoted inscription
would apply. There is only one way out.
and that is guarded Under no preteXt
is any Of those impressed ones allowed
to pass the portal outward from the night
before the election till taken out I'm the
morning and hauled with others Ike him
in bus or buggy or wagon TO vote. or
rather to be voted. There is no system Of
registration-the sapient legislators Of
Texas having limited compulsory rcgtstra-
ton to cities of ten thousand people or
upward. No tax receipts are produced
Nothing IS required but idetidcatiou.-C0r-
respondence Boston Transcript.