Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-02-08

Looping figures when some driver undertakes
to break out of his place. Here the beauty
and the fashion of the capital city pass In
formal and stately review before one an
other, while the bands are discoursing
music, and they seem to like it without
thought of the monotony which after two
or three Sundays comes to impress Ylsl-
tor from the north. Sometimes there are
gay Mexican handles on horseback with
their brilliant trappings, who add little
variety to the scene.
A part of the general scheme has been
to relieve the congested districts by open
ing plazuelas or small parks, affording
both breathing places and pleasure grounds.
Mayor Landa, who has had much to dc
with the undermining of the city, always
keeps this in mind. 1t is one of the things
which illustrates that Mexico in its gov
eminent of today is seeking to better the
masses of it's population and that in spite
Of themselves they are being benefited.
There are also extensions of hospitals.
aSylumS and other similar institutions This
is done in a comprehensive and coherent
way. The federal government acts in con-
junction with the municipality and direct
grants of money are made for these i'm
provements. Peace has infinite possibili-
ties for Mexico 1t makes possible mira
cles of development and Improvement.
OF course, Mexico is far from coming up
to the American idea of enterprise and
progress. While there is plenty of activity
there is little of the hustle to which we are
accustomed in the north. 1t is one of the
characteristics of the commercial classes in
all these Latin cities that they manage to
do a great deal of business without making
much fuss about it, and that is especially
true here. The trade and industry of the
town flow through its streets and marts
and markets like a steady river with a
strong current. but rarely with the rush
and the noise which marks the overflow.
The Burden Bearers.
The men and women of the Indian race
and the burros, donkeys. are still the
burden bearers. l did not know how much
was carried their shoulders by the
cargadores' or porters and other labor
ers until one day l watched a gang Of them
moving the furniture from a house oppo-
site. When they loaded bureaus wardrubes
and other heavy articles on their backs or
on barrowS like StretcherS and started off
with them at fox trot, | got some notion
of the part which this human dray-horsing
plays in the commerce of the city. More
enlightenment was given me one day when
half dozen of the cargadores came trotting
through the streets and up the marble
stairways of the hotel carrying a piano
which was strapped and belted to them, or
they have been strapped to it. How they
handled it | do not know but the epera-
ton seemed much easier than with us
The cargadores in handling the city's
traffic are supplemented by the burros, or
donkeys, with heavy loads, from a stack Of
hay to slabs of building stone, thrown
across their backs, moving through the
streets sometimes in droves and enforcing
their own rights of way. Out in the coun-
try the bBrros yet compete with the. rail-
roads as freight carriers, and in town they
serve the purpose of trucks and drays.
Another custom also is deeply rooted
fellow-delegate of mine remarked one
day as We were driving through the streets
In the early afternoon and noticed all the
great retail stores with their doors closed
and in some cases with the shutters up
that Mexico City would never become a real
oif Nla
shutting up their business and taking din
ner at midday. Practically all business is
suspended for two hours. However an
American banker who has been long in the
city controrerted my fellow-delegate's po-
sftlon. 1T Is one of the things" he said
which experience has taught us not 10 try
to reform. We do as much business here
proportionately as in Chicago or New York
and our hours are as long or longer hut
We have found that we can do our work
better by this midday rest. 1t is really a
help instead of hindrance to business and
1t saves the tremendous rush which is
necessary In the north In order to crowd the
days work into a few hours. So you see
there is just that much human energy
saved and you don't hear of men going to
pieces through nervous prostitution
The Mental Atmsxphere.
I have been writing of the city in lis
physical aspects and the change going on,
but there is something in the mental at
mosphere which gives even better idea of
this transformation, not only as 1T relates
to the capital, but to the whole country
OF Mexico. 1t seems to me as though /
were in the new west In the days of the
early development, when it's great possibili-
ties were just beginning to be appreciated
The talk one hears everywhere is OF rail-
road building. mining, development. lands.
new manufacturing enterprises and the
like. 1t Is not simply boom talk. but is a
reflection OF what Is happening throughout
the country. The newspapers are filed
with it. In one section It is tropical plan
tations. whose possibilities are just being
realized. In another part II IL the mines
which are being exploited. and now there
is eiso the exploitation OF oil fields. The
mental atmosphere Of the Oh field Is not
necessarily a symptom Of industrial deyel-
-opment. II may be excluded and still one
would. breathe this spirit Of enterprise and
of hope Everywhcne It 10 chief OF all the