The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-04
AMERICANS in MEXICO
VISITORS ARE WELCOMED BY Ma
TIvEs AND OTHER RESIDENTS.
SociaI Dissensions Divide the Amer
lean OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Diax
Loved by His People.

Correspondence OF the Indianapolis Journal
ORIZABA. Mexico. Jan. depending the
night in a manufacturing town. with Moth
ing 20 see but marvelously busy market
house and an ancient cathedral. is the fate
of him who. going to Vera Cruz. would see
Cordoba. IL illustrates the need OF more
hotels OF the class that will stand compare
son with the wants of the American tour
list. Here there is an excellent hotel, with
every room full; at Cordoba there Is no
hotel-at least none that the average tour
list is willing to remain in for more than a
day. even to see the sights OF a most In
teresting city.
The American hotel man who will go to
the City of Mexico with sufficient capital
to start a hostelry on the American plan.
it would seem. has but to bound his for
tune by the widest dreams OF avarice.
There is something in the bracing air OF q
January day in the capital OF Diaz that
makes one ravenously hungry. and at the
same time makes one. at the end OF day,
anxious TO find a room and couch with the
comforts OF home. Other things have been
Americanized to a surprising extent there.
but not the hotel or cafe. The American
Hotel is as un-American as any OF them.
Although we lived in what was once the
palace Of an Emperor. during our stay In
the city, yet we waited for hours for .
hotel clerk to register US, to hand US our
keys or to attend to the many wants OF
the guest who pays. And when his Males
ty, the clerk. appeared our wants were
granted with a condescension that not even
Emperor Iturbide himself could have ex-
ceeded in the days when he was master or
the mansion. At the cafes the experience
was similar. The tourist who can reconcile
himself to waiting thirty minutes may not
complaint but only at the American Club.
an organization maintained by the most
progressive men of the American colony OF
$780, could we find that which the inner
man craved. There silverware and service
were reminders OF home. Elsewhere the
knives were of iron, the spoons OF pewter.
| The landlord explained that more valuable
appurtenances had several times been IN
troduced. only to disappear with amazing
rapidity-due to the dishonesty of servants.
Cheap labor is always associated with
Mexico, but labor. especially OF the do
| nestle class and for positions OF even mod
| crate trust. those who have lived there
longest are the most positive II Is Inn
| possible to obtain. The American woman
has complaints to make OF the servant.
who wants every afternoon and evening
| out. but she does not have to personally
| lock I'D the sugar and sleep with the table
ware under her head to insure herself
against possible deficiencies at the break
| fast liable. There is another obstacle which
the American colony finds to perfect seren-
| ity of mind Said one woman: There are
| but a few modistes in the city who can
| be depended on TO return work on time III
| Is no uncommon thing for dressmaker
| to retain a garment she is making for
wear Those who are prompt are over
| crowded with work. The others take their
| time and complete their task only when
| they need the money. Then 1t is hurried
| together In understandable fashion ana
brought back to the customer"
INHARMONIOUS AMERICANS.
The American colony is. without excep-
ton. cordial to the stranger. but internal
dissensions have turned 1t into facuons.
There are said to be thirty distinct clioues
| in the society Of the colony. Only In inc
| charity ball, the event Of the year Tor the
resident Americans. do these unite or
rather recognize each others existence
| and then the walls Of the ballroom are
| lined with little groups as exclusive as IL
a barrier Of brick separated them from
| each other.
The stranger Is warmly welcomed Two
American men locked their desks and put
| on their outing clothes the day we left the
| city to come with US TO the Isthmus OF
| Tehuantepec. Others had secured passes
| to visit the palace OF President Diaz at
| Chapultepec, paid for our carriage drives
| and refused to be reimbursed, introduced
| us to their clubs, acted as guides, philos-
| ophers and friends; interpreted, bargained,
| 6isregarded their own affairs in their de-
| light at being able to unfold the advan-
| ages of a residence in Mexico to apprecia-
| tive visitors. Almost before the wicks OF
the candles we extinguished at the hotel
| had cooled our rooms were assigned 20
other American tourists and the friends
who had been so gracious TO US resumed
their task of self-imposed duty with other
| subjects, never seeming to lose their en-
| thusiasm.
THE PRESIDENTS HOME.
The residence OF Diaz is far more mod
| ernized than that OF other rulers / have
seen. At this season OF the year the Pres
| ident is living in the heart OF the city,
| having all his private furniture there. and
leaving the royal rooms at Chapultepec al
most bare. Still there is enough left 10 de-
| note the splendor Of his home when ne is
| in residence The man who for sixteen
hours each day is actively engaged in the
government OF a nation whose busiest peo-
! pie close their doors for a two-hour siests
at MONDAY cannot be grudged the luxuries
that are on every hand. But in the garden
| is grim reminder IL Is the elevator de-
scending to the secret tunnel which. in
case the history OF Mexico should ever re-
peat itself. would afford egress for a be-
sieged ruler and his family. There Is little
| danger of the tunnel being used during the
| lifetime Of the little dark-skinned man
with the muscles OF iron and the hand or
a lady. the earnestness OF democracy and
the speech OF a diplomat. Only in Mexico
can one appreciate the veneration In which
he is held by high and low. An audience
with him is brief. for in ''purgatory." the
| ante-room OF the Hall OF the Ambassa-
| dores, through which the visitors are
shown. sit Governors. bare-footed poems.
strutting mine owners. weeping senoritas,
each with tale for the Presidents ear on
his audience day. Sometimes these sit
half day for their turn. their names be-