The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-18
MEXICO
BY j. E. BRIGHAM.

maining in mounds for centuries, still are fresh and brilliant, they understood furthermore the weaving of extremely delicate tissues of cotton, mixed with silky feathers and rabbits fur.
 The coast of Yucatan was discovered by Cordova March 1, 1517 Cortez came in 1510, massacred and plundered the Aztees and caused the natives to uprise against his cruelties
 Cortez laid siege to Tenachtillan, the present City of Mexico for six months, and on August 13. 15A, the Spaniards made a triumphal entry Into the land of the Montezumas. The province was called New Spain and remained a de- pendeney of that country for exactly three centuries.
 spains customary colonial policy brought about a revolution. Independence was proclaimed February 24, 1921. and on September r of that year. Yturbide, at the head of the revolutionary forces, made triumphal entry into the City of Mexico.
 It seemed that the republican aspirations of the Mexican people were to be real ized, but Yturbide had other ambitions. The congress which assembled under Duress, chose him as emperor. and he assumed the title of Augustine I. He ascended the throne May 19 1922.
 The life of the first Mexican empire was one of the briefest in history. On December G. the first year of his reign, Augustine was overthrown and the re- public proclaimed, with General Lopez de Santa Anna as the first president.
 Texas, which had won it's independence from Mexico, was annexed to the United States in 1S45 and in the following year began the war between the United States and Mexico. On September IA, 1s47, the American troops entered the City of Mexico.
 As a result of the war with the United States, Mexico lost the vast territory within which are now included califor- mia, Nevada, Utah. Arizona and parts of Wyoming, Colorado and New Mex ico.
 n July r, 1861. the Mexican gov ernment suspended payment on foreign debts, and treaty made in London, De- tober 31, 1861, provided for the Joint oc- cupancy of the coast fortresses by Eng land France and Spain, pending the settling of the financial problems of the country.
 By the treaty of La Soledad, signed February 19 1862. satisfaction was given to claimants by the Mexican governments and Spanish troops were allowed to ad- vance to Orizaha and the French to Telu- can.
 Both England and Spain withdrew their representatives and Spain removed her troops as soon as satisfactory agree ment was made, but the French remained and in January, 1868, an army, lead by Marshal Forey with 40,0O0 men, captured the City of Mexico.
 They called the assembly of notables declared Mexico an hereditary monarchy under a Catholic prince, and the crown was tenedered to Maximilian, Archduke of Austria, who accepted under two con dtions: First, election by popular vote and second, the aid of Napoleon.
 In November, 1865, Secretary Seward for warded dispatches to Paris remonstrat- ing against the presence of the French army in North America, and Napoleon evacuated November 1867.
 Maxmllian was tried by court martial sentenced to death, and shot by file of Mexican soldiers.
 One of the most remarkable institutions in Mexico Is the Monte de Pieded or na- tional pawn shop. It was built immed- lately after the conquest in 1921 and was the private residence of Cortez. It was converted Into the present institution in 1744. The rules and regulations permit the lending of money on the most reason able terms; the borrower gets about one third of the value of goods deposited, while .the rate of interest never goes higher than 121a per cent nor lower than per cent per annum.
 Mexican school children are given special lessons in urbanity and are taught to utter all manner of pretty speeches. A well bred child in addressing an older person will say, "I kiss your hands," while a gallant will say to a lady, T kiss your feet"
 The Yaquis are a savage tribe of h. dians dwelling in the mountain fastnesses of Mexico. These Indians have resisted all civilizing influences and are as ignor- nant today as they were when Monte- zuma's reign came to its tragic end four hundred years ago. In defense of their sun worship they have a proverb to this effect: If Christians pray to the saints that are made by carpenters, why should not Huicholos pray to the sun, which i6 so much better made?'
 Diego Duran, an eminent Spanish mis- sionary and religious fanatic, wrote a book on Mexico about sixty years after the conquest of Cortez, and in speaking of the Aztecs said: There never was a nation in the world where harmony or der and politeness reigned so supreme. They have their presidents and lesser authorities to look after the old. or the married or the young about to be mar ried, with such system and order that not even the newly born escape their no- tice. So thorough was their superintend- ence of the public works that the man who labored one week was not allowed to present himself for toll the next, every