Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-23
CITY OF MEXICO.
Changes Being Wrought in Capital of
the Sister Republic.
From Modern Mexico.

The capital of this republic has under
gone and is undergoing tremendous
transformation. We refer not SO much to
the new buildings as to the handsome and
modern residential sections occupying SUBJ
urban treats where only-a few years ago
not an edifee was to be seen. All this, it
is true, is remarkable enough, and happy
are the few who had the shrewdness ac-
curately to foresee the growth of the city
and its direction. These lucky investors
In real estate are now selling at Is or 20
pesos the square meter, the land which
decade back they bought at less than a
peso the square meter.
But the most striking fact in the meta
morphosis OF this ancient capital is its
changing complexion. This depends on a
variety of factors. Some of them, of course,
consist in the march of invention and i'm
proVement. For example, the electric cars
and automobiles. 1t is only truism to
say that these are comparatively new sights
on the streets. And, of themselves, they
suf1ice to give 1t vastly altered aspect
and render it hardly recognizable to those
who remember its deep restfulness and
old-world charm of twenty years ago
But even these features are not the main
constituent of the citys Transformation
That constituent is the result of the modi-
ticatfon of the peoples habits, which is per-
ceptible enough to old-time foreign resi-
dents.
Who could have predicted a decade ago
that this capital, where the habits of the
individual were regarded as secure against
all interference, would witness, as at pres
ent, systematic campaign conducted by
the authorities in the interest of temper
ance, decency and morality?
What is most encouraging in this respect
Is that what has been done already is
merely prelude to what is to be done in
the future. The liquor traffic, it is to be
hoped, will be still further restricted.
There are still too many bar rooms and
dram shops In the city. An ll-day clos
ing act for Sunday, instead of the half
day, is looked for at no distant date
Gov. Landa intends next to attack some
minor bad habits of the people of the
capital.
vent loafers from blocking the sidewalks
and interrupting traffic. He holds that
the streets are not clubs and are not in
tended as places Of reunion for persons
who have nothing better to do than to
spend whole hours discussing banalities
with other idlers or address offensive
compliments to passing ladies. The police
have orders to see to it that peopIe in the
streets move on"
If this regulation is strictly enforced. as
seems probable and as is to be hoped it
viii be a new departure. Mexico has
hitherto been essentially a southern can't
tai, easy going. rather indolent and Civ
Ing full scope to all the idiosyncrasies of
the Latin temperament. Hitherto one has
seldom here been In such a hurry that
meeting friend in the street, he has not
had time to spend twenty minutes or half
an hour in the discussion of some literary
or philosophical question. This has al
ways been city OF leisure. and there is
something in the mild air and bright sun
shine which makes these outdoor debates
here as natural as they were at Athens
Again, the throwing of flowers as the
habit of addressing compliments to ladies
in public is called became so inveterate
that 1t seemed that all attempts to eradi-
cate it would prove fruitless
But If, as is being done at present, the
police compel all to move on not only
will friends and acquaintance be COM
PEELED to keep their disquisitions and ex-
change of views for more suitable places
of reunion, but the bad practice of an
noying ladies with inopportune and in
sipid compliments will be cured in a radi-
cal and drastic manner.
Gov Landa is also credited with the in
teption of preventing, or, at least, re-
stricting the habit of smoking in the
street cars. Among minor reforms this is
one of those which are most urgently
needed Smokers in the street cars give
infinite annoyance and Inconvenience to
ladies and even to male smokers If
regulations to abate this nuisance are
adopted they will have in general the
support of public opinion, which is Illus
trative OF the great change that has taken
place in the popular point of view in re-
cent years It is now beginning to be re-
allied here that in all these matters the
liberty of the individual ends where the
rights of others begins.
1t is regrettable that, while so many
changes for the better can be chronicled,
popular diversions are not in general be-
ing elevated. 1t is true that there is a
much greater interest in athletics and
physical sports among the young and
this is a good sign. The opening of a
Mexican branch of the Young Mems
Christian Association has greatly stimu-
lated this movement But in addition, and
in other centers of physical culture, ten
AgaY
now in healthy corporal exercises where
one was five years ago.