Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-20
In Old Mexico

ICAIJU s ssss
ficial. During the post nine years un-
der the old system the value Of the
Mexican dollar, estimated on the gold
basis, varied from $1.95 to $3.50, rem
dering 1t impossible almost to carry
on many lines Of business with profit.
A merchant could do business for an
entire year, selling every article at a
profit over what 1t cost, yet because
of the difference In the value Of the
currency Under free silver coinage, at
the time he bought the goods and at
the time he paid for them, he might
find himself at the end OF the year in
debt. This condition became intolera-
BILE and was finally remedied by the
law above referred to. The vast major
ity Of the people In the United States
will never realize the losses, miseries
and troubles which they avoided when,
In 1896, they voted down and forever
disposed OF the free silver fallacy as
living issue in American politics. But
! did not start out to write free silver
editorial, or any rate, will apply the
Mexican declaration Of ''fnAnana" to
further observations on this interest.
ing subject and today q have not yet
learned the Spanish word for that I
will proceed to tell of other things.
-
Modern Mexico is a wonder and In
the next decade the development OF
this country will. astonish the world,
but to the visitor making his first trip
here it Is not the modern In which he
is most Interested, at least during the
first few weeks Of his sojourn His.
torical Mexico is in many respects the
most interesting country on the Amer.
lean continent. When Columbus dis.
covered America the territory which
now comprises the United States and
Canada was sparsely inhabited by row
ing bands Of savage Indians, scarcely
any of them possessing the first ele.
nlents of real civilization. At that
same time Mexico was the home of d
teeming population, Of people far adj
vanced In many Of the arts of civili-
zation and government. The North
American Indian disappeared, or was
driven back by a civilization OF which
he never became a part. except that
today, after almost 400 years. the in.
significant remnants Of great tribes OF
savage peoples, are being absorbed
gradually into the high state Of civili
zation which surrounds them on all
sides.
In the United States and Canada
the indian, the native American, IL 81,
indnitesimal, and to the vast majority
OF the population, IA unknown guam
tity. He Ia Ia no sense fRotta, or an
appreciable part OF the CIV .ization
which has In truth overwhelmed him
IN Mexico the condition IL lust the
opposite The Indian ~ everywhere
in evidence. The Indian IL III fact the
Mexican people. Great and distin
guished men IRE proud that Indiar
Dlood courses through their veins
There IL no faint In the red blood d
the indian here. Benito Juarez. thai
grand old hero who fought the battle
OF political and religious liberty sJi
the Mexican people, who IL known
loved aud honored as the washington
Of Mexico was full blooded Indian
and so was the grandmother Of the
present great executive Of this nation
President Porfirio Diaz. On the Pasee
de la Reforma, the magnificent drive
way leading from the City Of Mexico
to the Palace Of Chapultepec. the Mex
leans have erected colossal bronze
statue Of Cuatemoctzin, the last of the
Aztec emperors, who was conquered
by Cortez. Indeed the fact forces It
self home as stated by modern writ
er that almost all that Corte1 estab
lished has been swept away''to The las,
remnant Of the despotic civilization
imposed upon the long suffering race
whose enlightened sons are once more
in possession of their country" About
the only remnant Of the Spanish rule
in this country that is visible to tht
eye, is the colossal statue of Charles
w Of Spain, which that monarch gave
to the Mexican people. This statue is
said to be the largest single castine
Of bronze in the world and is mag
nificent work of art. For this reason
and practically for this reason only
1t has been preserved. There was a
time when 1t was In danger OF destruc
ton by the enraged Mexican populace
but 1t was wisely preserved by the au
thorities and is now one Of the beau
tiful decorations Of this wonderful old
city. The entire population of Mexico
in 1900 was 13,6O5,S19. OF this tota
population, 10 per cent were OF pure
or nearly pure white race; AZ per cen,
Of mixed race, and 38 per cent Of In
dian race. OF the mixed and Indian
races, only comparatively small pro
portion can be regarded as civilized
but under the present public schoo
system and the wise laws now being
enforced by an enlightened govern
rnent the progress Of these uncivilized
peoples is said to be something phe
noTnenal