The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-03-31
The Country Is Full
of Wealth But
Backward.


to you till I had been d little longer
among the people l.ere, 50 that might
be more accurate in what shall say
regarding this country and its poor
benighted natives. have associated
with the manly but naked Zulu; the
indolent and repulsive IIottentot; the
filthy and nistlustful Malay; the
thieving and deceitful Indian Coolie;
the disgusting and suspicious China
man; the happy hut innocent Hawaii
an; the thrifty but silperstitious Portu-
guese; and the lazy and vicious Jap;
but I have never seen such a degraded
and demoralized 1cce as are these ma
tive Mexicans. It is hard to recognize
them as human, yet they are brothers.
Their condition is undoubtedly due to
| the dense ignorance that prevails
everywhere here. There are churches
galore. and many of them have schools.
but they do not enlighten the common
folks.
But this ignorance will not continue,
for the public schools, backed by the
influence Of the good President Diaz, will
d:ssipate ignorance in a very few gen.
"a ations. There are over 10000 schools.
English is a compulsory study. The
government is doing all it can to help
the natives and all kinds Of people, but
it is a young government, for it is only
since President Diaz took the helm
that the country has had peace. We
can hope for better class of natives
in the future, for it is education that
makes a nation progressive and sue
Cessful. and old Mexico Is being awak-
ened and is advancing with rapid
strides towards prosperity.
The natives are not of Spanish origin.
but of Indian descent. Their wants are
few They want no home; they have
no needs but food and shelter. They
are satisfied with an old sack to sleep
On in their hut, and if they have no
hrt, they Will sleep contentedly any
where, rolled up in blanket by the
side OF house, a pile of lumber, and
ii frequently on the railroad track with
their head on the rail, regardless of
the possible approach of a train. Many
have lost their heads in this way, but
It does not seem to trouble the poor
native. At railroad depots they can
he seen in great numbers, lying about
IN a heterogeneous mass, men. women
and children, with their dogs. or rather
ours. with nothing but blanket. Their
clothing is so scanty that the body is
plainly visible. Poor things.
MEXICO GREAT COUNTRY.
1 believe there is no more important
country today than Mexico for the man
with capital; land is cheap and very
productive; labor is cheap and plen-
tiful; too much so. Mines are numer-
OTIS and very valuable, even those that
have been worked for hundreds OF
years. Americans are taking hold of
this country, and the rich silver and
gold properties of Mexico ere turning
out money to be used again in the
country for a better civilization. Large |
businesses are being enlarged, electric |
plants are being erected everywhere |
and new industries are springing up |
ike mushrooms. There is already mill !
ions of dollars planned for develop |
ment purposes for the next two years. |
American men and money are rapidly |
annexing this country to Uncle Sam,
though 1t may not float the Stars and i
Stripes as its national banner Every
where arc indications OF progress, ex-
cert among the poor ignorant natives. I
It was an awfully dusty and dreary |
trip across the desert of Arizona but |
soon after crossing the line of the Re-
publics We had better country with
more shrubbery and grass, although Il
there were no signs of special industry
for many miles. We then struck a
good grazing country and saw many
fine fat cattle; then some cotton fields
and quite a number of shelters. All
Of the first day was spent in travelling
through the State of chihuahua, the 4
largest State in the Republic; it's capt.
tai has a population of over 10000 but
the buildings are mostly low adobe
,asitas Of the Mexican The next state. II
Durango, is a very important one with
many valuable mines; also oil mills, II
cotton mills and soap factories in which
IS utilized the soap palm that grows
all around here.
Then into the State of Zacatecas.
The approach to the town of that name
Is over a four per cent grade. The
town has an elevation of 1857 feet and
has $4,000 inhabitants Mining has been
carried on here since 1876 and still the
pay ore is being found. Here is a very
line cathedral and outside the town is
another old one with a famous shrine
% which piigrimages are made for the
healing Of the sick. a mule car with