The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-09

i, them now All the old records of their life
 and wanderings destrcycd by the priests
 who converted them to Christianity soon after
 Cortez began converting the rest of Mexico.
 But. according to the story as 1t is told among the n Of rss sss nc hsy @ came. finally reached the valley of Mexico mountain 's sor%s a lIsd @ %ith lahos. s'' and Wih a wonderfully fertile soiE they decided to set of the lands Most of them wanted to be near some of the lakes, and they pre-empted for themselves the land along their shores. But there were not enough lakes to go around and this tribe, small in numbers and not as war like as the others. was forced to take what the valley and finally finding this retired nook
 miles from the settlements of the others, took for irrigation from the mountain streams, and
 the soil was as fertile as they could desire
 So they decided that fate had picked out the
 The volcanic stone with which the valley
 abounded was easily quarried, and they set
 ou. to build houses. Each person took as
 much land as he wanted, for there was no
 reason why they should stint themselves
 Even before their homes werc built and their
 land inclosed they began raising crops. The
 fertility of the soil and the number of the
 mountain streams which afforded abundant water for irrigation making the task an easy | one:
 ,, They had brought no herds with them but gradually they acquired a few goats and after ward some cattle. These they pasturcd fin the recesses of the valley nearest the mountain,
 where there was no danger of their starving In few months they had made for themselves | all they needed to satisfy their desires. Then l they settled down into the lazy, indolent life With no strong liking for the other tribes I with which they had made the long 1ourney
 tsem as aDa 0 %ts nothing to ssn l with them might be for their own injury
 these Aztecs kept to themselves and did noth. | they were in the valley Miles of lands scp. | arated them. and they felt that 1t was a good | thing.
 For many years the other tribes paid no attention 10 this lost one They were too busy making homes on the borders of the lakes | ttney had chosen lighting back the frequent l inundations which destroyed their bu:l iings
 and with warning on each other to bother to l LOOK up the peaceful community. which had made its home in the other end of th- valley This went on until one of the tribes victori-
 ruler decided, that he could not allow an | Independent tribe to exist In the same valley with him. So he sent some of his forces against the peaceful settlers. They made no l opposition to the soldiers. and when their lead CTS were taken before the Aztec Emperor they | ed In return for the freedom he promised This payment of tribute continued until the Spaniards came. These trihesmen took no part | In the defense of their country against the | forces of cortez. and 1t is likely that it was | on that account that they were left alone by him. All that he demanded of them was that | they pay him. as they had paid their old em-
 peror, the annual tribute, This they did Year after year. to whichever Government happened to be in power sometimes to each side Of the warning revolutionary parties these villagers have paid tribute It is not a flat
 tering record for them that they have sub
 mftted without resistance to the dominion of any force which happened to come along But
 1t certainly brought them peace, and in their
 minds peace and freedom from war was worth
 much more than the tribute they were com
 pelled to pay. And. besides that their sub
 Jection was merely nominal In reality they
 enjoyed more freedom than did the citizens
 Of the governing nation. for they made their
 own laws and did as they pleased Now they
 still do it. They pay their taxes to the Re
 public ot Mexico as they pail 1t to the F;m-
 plre of the Montezumas and afterward to the
 kingdom of Spain. And they perfectly
 happy and the Government is satisfied
 And that gives another question for the stu
 dents of political economy and practical life to answer-that is. whether peace at a mod .. crate price is not more conducive to happiUess than absolute independence at the cost of long and bloody wars.