New-York tribune., 1901-06-23
MEXICAN SOCIETY.
FOREIGNERS RARELY ENTER THE
HOUSES OF THE HIGHEST CLASS


City Of Mexico correspondence OF The Boston
Herald.
In decorous and academic fashion the press
has been discussing why foreigners rarely en-
ter The highest NJ eXcan society. II is admitted
that they do not. and that where there is
exception the foreigner has some special claims
TO hospitality.
In ali countries where the Latin traditions and
customs prevail the home life is seldom shown
10 strangers. and ] am speaking of the init
rnate lfe of tha upper class There j. of
course the barrier Of language: il il very nfre-
quent that foreigner in Mexico takes the
trouble 10 acquire Spanish well enough to mng!e
in cultivated society.
A vocabulary and suff eient phrases for bust
ness are common among foreigners of several
Years residence and women acquire enough OF
the language TO talk on domestic matters with
their servants. They do not further ana
seek study Spanish literature and 50 get into
touch and sympathy with edu -ated people IL
j. astonishing how many fairly intelligent for
egners in Mexico live on for years knowing
nothing Of the true home life OF the best people
Most foreigners acquire in their first year a
large stock OF prejudices; if Protestants, they
believe al the gossip against the clergy
and the Church. and the Church * very dear 10
tha Mexican women Of the better class. lheA
resent the common misrep presentation Of their
faith and its ministers and so come to regard
all .'eXtranjeroS.' foreigners, as troublesome
hegetics VINO have come bere To make the money
THAT they fail d 10 obtain in their own couh-
tries Ia a word. the foreigner is usually re
;-arded as d adVentGrer- no matter II ne Is a
Of large affairs and brings ncoh capi'Al
Is a rule. people from other lands. the lands
0f .h- North, DO not appreciate lnt Natue h'4S
higher class people here place on manner aiig i1
etiquette They lack what in Spanish is called
--ecucacion." for here education means nTeeIl,''
and a well bred man iS 'E.l h"ihpre bleh euu-
codo" He may De highly educated IN our s-Ilse,
and in that case ne - wen liS'' "e'eu'
''iien instruico
AN EXCLUSIVE HIDALGo,
-rbue The cultivated Mexican. priding himself
on MS .-educacion,' looks for its nanlies 1atlon
IN the person who claims MS ifleIuSip anu
jntinlacy He insists on good i'reeoihs aliY.is az,
4Isl-
.lst,id- an the more is he likely 10 insist thai
The foreigner who would visit him be ma a.
- polish and with the amlltS 10 say anu -
N1e-ican OF excellent family WAS saying to
me the other day that gong 10 an @ lhlelion 80
H.. lad s0journed Il an hacehua Nh'it III II m
,,,ara assembled on engineering and other mat
fers were not Of mis- kind. and so dld h"t -
al The same table" for they We're hot 'a''di
- T" or Gentlemen i demand brains ana
good breeding in my associates. or ! llFe ;iioll' On
1ri,;e man speaks English perfectly ana f-aos
o,1r lest auth hors and he : equally wen GROUND
"a in other foreign languages. lie mas none
~ rhat snobbish pride that onends' MouIu
ro- hurt another's feelings and does iol n ~
-. IN ,5icetv Of dress but does demand a. his
associates that fine breeding and perfect 'act ,s
that characterize people who nave ihieflteu 'iie
county traditions OF old SPAN -,
n struck me that ne vent too far. tilat me
technically trained men ne met III 'He .1uii's ,
were quite good enough 20 ASSOCIATE ~ WIN pul
"a ali of,ieCt ions he would reply. lhey were
Ntexican woman of the old nobility of the
c,,,trT wealthy and of long residence abroad
witty OF linguistic accomplishments anu t,'N'
social experience in Europe as al nome siilc-
II do not invite foreigners 10 III! tame lio'
e,-en ditlomats for they are too critical OF tfie
a---;,e and here YOU know that il is Impossible
TO have such well trained servants as ia 7 ,: il
- Fsngland / have been hurt ia my feelings
al my own table. at the quiet aInuseheit ia
auests when something went wrong some dun
Ge, in service And foreigners wlll MAKE no
,Ilaxvances for our domestic shoitconlhSs'
close my doors them In Paris sh"uia en-
,erfain foreigners for there i could be sure OF
- r,-an,c But we heXicans do not want TO
he laughed at and that perhaps, 10y people "i'o
are moi at home. in their own countries Oh our
class one does not know who they are or
MAI is their origin. The lower their extraction
The greater their presumption mere
AFRAID OF CRITICISM.
Other Mexican women OF the very hrst RANK
i'm society wealthy and handsomely eo"hso
,-,,o Paris say the same thing They are
.s,aid os the -mercil.-ss criticism OF foreigners
Sometimes they will entertain a Visiting party
from the United States or Ei's'aho' pu' o'ii'