Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-08-30

OaXaca Is the most interesting OF all
the states of Mexico to the ethnologlst
and antiquarian, The country, noun
famous and rough in the north, des-
cends by gigantic terraces to the 18th
mus Of Tehuantepec. Even the great
continental cordillera here loses It's
unity and breaks into numerous irreg-
ular crOss-chalns, dividing OaXaca into
scores OF isolated valleys, each with
its own tribe, It's own language, Its own
traditions. The termlna4lons tee, pee,
and tan show that the lndlan pIedOmi-
mates over the Spaniard. In tnis COM
paratiyely small region there are Is
tribes, and no less tnan IL dialects are
In habitua use. The very isolation of
the native communities has made them
difficult to conquer. The people love
liberty as they do the mountains, and
OaNaCa has well been called bOtn the
switzerland of Mexico and the
Mother OF Presidents" Hence came
Benlto Juarez and Porhrio Diaz. the
population u.s. In round numbers SUO
J0U, about % per cent being full. bloodeI
Indians, ~ per cent ladInOs, and the
remainder of unmXed Spanish origin.
If We except the employees Of the rail-
road across The isthmus, ana those
whose business is directly connected
with The terminal ports Of Salina Cruz
and Coat2acoalcos, the state has no for
eign population.
RUINS OF OAXACA.
Within the boundaries of Oaxaca are
several famous ruins, the most noted
being the temples and palaces Of Militia.
OF Militia the indians have no tradition.
They say that IL was built by a race
that inhabited the country many yea $
before their ancestors came Their lie
gends go back possibly 400 years before
the conquest. end there are The remains
OF nine cities that they claim are of
Zapotec origin These Were built of
unhewn stone and cement and show
none Of the carvings and reliefs that
adorn Militia.
Passing from the state Of Puebla to
that Of OaXaca, one is impressed with
the arilness of the country. Maguay.
that has been the prevailing hedge
plant from Leon southwark disappears,
and cactus takes It's place. Hacendas
are small. They are located in the river
bottoms. Water, sufficient TO irrigate
hundreds Of thousands Of acres, can
be easily obtained but the hot climate
seems 10 have Slapped the ambition
from rich and poor alike. Sugar and
rum are the staple products, the only
ones that bring cash return. Occa-
sionally a dueno is found VITO rises
above the mediocrty. one took pride
IN a nursery whore he was expeS-
menting with fruit trees and the vege-
tables Of the north. Another, when
pointed out the defects in his sugar
mill, wished 10 give us a carte blanche
order for an entirely new euipment.
When We excused ourselves. he insisted
on our writing in English to New York
and San Francisco houses for cata-
logues Of machinery. Truly, here is q
great field for the wideawake Yankee
drummer. If American houses could
only accommodate themselves TO MexI-
can methods Of business. The Mexi-
can proprietor viii invariably pay. h~s
he must have time. He considers the
80 60, and 80 day proposition a renec-
tion upon his honor. German houses
cultivate the weakness, give six
months or years time, get the cream
Of the trade, and palm or the poorest
and cheapest machinery at the most
eNorbi,ant figures.
One reason why the haciendas are
small Is because the OaXaca Indians
90 not take kindly to peonage They
viii not drink themselves into the rich
mans debt nor viii they allow their
taste for jewelry and gorgeous attire
to get away with their business in
'tinct. Almost every Indian has a
little farm Of his own. He raises lust
1nough corn TO Keep his family. lust
enough cane TO supply him with sugar,
lgua ardiente and money for clothes
lust enough tobacco TO keep him happy. |
In addition, he shares his hut with a
lew pigs his sole domestic animal |
These pigs seem TO be the degenerate !
descendants Of the razorbacks OF Ten |
essee, but no matter how lean, they |
ire always marketable. Three or four !
antilles usually own cane-mill and |
'moonshine" still in common The |
nil equipment consists Of two vertical |
wooden rollers a tub into which the sap |
trips. and a copper boiler. The sugar
'rystallzes In small, home made, clay |
iots. resembling red flower-pots. Each |
lolds about two pounds OF sugar. Men |
lttend to the grinding, women 10 the |
,oiling. The "sugaring-off' is made
he pretext for a neighborhood picnic, |
md the great delicacles OF the feast
ire roast pork and squash boiled in
sugar-making takes consld-
rable time, as, on account OF the crude
oils. the cane has TO go through five
rushings before all OF the Juice is
expressed The Indians work hard all
lay When night comes they build
rousing campfire and dance for hours,
IL though they know no such word as
tired"
LARGELY EMPLOYED.
owing to the fact that Indian help
8 hard TO obtain, negroes are being
worked more and more on the large
..l...a.. frhn h.,nnn 90 ~. Alnt .,.h.Ar,