The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-09-03
TOWARD THE GOLDEN GATE.
Ell Paso, the Northern Gate of MexicoA Visit to Mexican
Garrson-MeSicans Soldiers-Poririo Diaz "Benecen
Despot'-American Soldiers in Contrast

Editorial correspondence.
had great curiosity to see the Mexican
soldiers. Part of the 18th Battalion of
the Federal army is stationed at Juarez.
1t is under the command of Lieut.-Col.
Uria, a fine old veteran, who was at
QueretarO when Macmillan was captured.
He looks like an almost pure Spaniard,
is abou. medium hight, sparely built, with
gray mpstach and imperial of the old
hidalgo type.
The men seen about on the streets did
not impress one favorably. They wore
fatigue suit of coarse cotton of military
cut, though the coat was worn open, and
had a vest underneath. The suits were
sadly in need of washing-still more sadly
in need of repairs. They were ont at the
knees, and at still more embarrassing
places. Instead of the sOmbrero. the men
wore un their heads a cap of the fashion
seen in pictures of the early part of the
last century. and still worn by some of
our fancy militia companies. surmounted
by the Old-fashiOned ''pOm-pOn." The men
slouched along in Mexican style, without
any Of the smart "Set-upness' of modern
soldiers.
walls surrounding a square. with the
court inside paved with bOulderS. The
barrack rooms are of the sternest plain
ness, differing mainly from the ordinary
hut of the poems in being whitewashed,
and having plank floors. On these the
men sleep on their blankets, with bundle
of anything convenient for pillow. On
the wall. just above where each man lies.
is his kit-a dress uniform of coarse dark
blue cloth, trimmed with red. his KNAPP
sack-a strong, heavy affair-cartridse
box and belts, half a shelter tent with
sticks, and probably his shoes. since most
of the men are running around barefoot
or wearing sandals. The shoes are inter
esting-roomy lOw-hee,ed, very coarse and
very strong, just the things for endless
tramps over the sharp stones and pebbles
of the mountains.
The Mexican Government is making a
strong effort to improve the material of its
regular army, and the men seem superior
to not merely the poems but the laboring
class.
MEXICAN PEONs.
A man who had had extensive expert
ence in employing men in Mexico said TO
me:
"Of all the men God Almighty ever
made the Mexican peOn is the infernalist,
dumbest log. He has absolutely no pas
sions, desires or ambitions. except to gam
bic and fight chickens. He will go wher-
where you stop the impulse. One place
is just the same as another to him. and
he will remain just where he is stopped. If
it is OH top of that mountain yonder, all
right If it is down in the shade of the
trees there, all right. He'll have no idea
of going from the uncomfortable place to
the comfortable one If he gets hungry
he won't complain. nor make any effort
to get food until his hunger becomes pain
full. He is contentetl anywhere and every
where. just because4he hasn't any desires
or appetites, and mo wish to better him
self No matter how much money. you
pay him, he is never any better off. H
doesn't care particularly for anything that
it will buy. He takes it home, and it is
used up by his family, his uncles and
brothers, his sisters and his cousins and
his aunts, who will come and live with
him. if he has more than they have. The
men you see working on the section gangs
are few of the best of the poems. who
have begun to 1hsveysome IDEAS. In turn
the soldiers are tiei best of the laboring
classes. You'll see they are all lighter in
color and have some Spanish bloOd.'
The soldiers did appear to be lighter in
color, and less wooden in feature than the
labOrers of any kind. They moved more
alertly, but with FAR less snap than whites
In spite of the rugged baroness there
was none of the filth and squalOr about
the barracks one sees about similar rude
buildings in mOster climates. They were
as bare as n Northern hay shed-far more
so than most barns and cow houses, but
there was no dirt and no smell. and prob
ably had unusual comforts for the class of
men who enlist Among them there We're
wash-basins of astonishing simplicity and
chea pness-mere hollOws in slab of
concrete laid in the ground. Each had
hole in it stopped with plug, by which
fhn fnr nH int oh ha-l
low.
A GOOD DRILL.
Lieut. Col. Uria favored me with drill,
and / was astonished to see how excel
lent one these unpromising fellows put
up. They put on their shoes and dress
suits in which to drill, fell in in two
ranks promptly, and made a fair line. |
They moved well by tours across the |
rough cobble-stOnes In the court of the
barracks, and their manual of arms was |
equal to that of the average militia COM
pany. They even gave silent drill, and
went through the movements by cadence, |
with remarkable uniformity. Every volley |
fired sounded like one gun, and could not |
have been surpassed by any company.
Their Captain. a short, stocky, feshy man |
about 40, with jet-black hair, and COM
plexion indicating about an equal admir-
ture of Spanish and Indian blood, gave |
his commands IN quick, sharp, SOldlerly |
manner but those for aiming and firing |
were something unique. In long, mus
ical drawl he would call out
"P-u-e-n-t-aw
when all guns would come down at an
aim, to be followed by the sharp
"FierrOw
when all hammers would click simulta
neously. There was something wierd in
his melancholy drawl Of
"P-u-e-n-t-aw
and could not help thinking what ones
would be in the darkness and |
of the night, when approach
ing line of Mexicans in position to hear
the still ness broken by that draw1
"P-u-e-n-t-a!
said to an American who was familiar
with the Mexicans. Undoubtedly those
fellows are strong, enduring soldiers, who
would make wonderful marches upon
scanty rations. They look as if they were
little liable TO diseases, too but the value |
of soldiers in wars Of the present day is
tested in what can he done with a long,
thin line, which is sdeployed and pushed |
through a swamp or a thicket, until it |
comes within striking distance of the
enemy. What do'you suppose the value
of these men wouldibe in sHch q crisis?"
II would not gfveS5O American boys for
500 Of them" he answered decisively.
On the cars I asked some men in the
srotor xxbo bo Va hnap l;y;uu In Nax;oo