The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-04-04
mlexico: Some peculiar Laws
and Strange People.

3e People.
.~~~
These little incidents simply show that
they have gratitude. If it had not been
for the loyalty of these fellows, would
have Jared very badly indeed.
The climate of Mexico, instead of be-
ing hot. is very mild, equal to that of
Southern California. South of the City
of Mexico you will find almost any kind
of weather. 1 have seen it one hun
dred and five in the shade at ten a. M,
and perhaps at five p. ~. it would be
twenty above zero. In this climate is
where most of the sickness is; north of
the city there is little or none. LII the
city the mean temperature is about
seventy degrees, making it delightful
place in which to live, for there is al
ways cool breeze blowing.
The only people who think Mexico is
unhealthy, are criminals. Some years
ago if one committed crime in Texas,
or in fact any of the states, and could
get into Mexico, he was safe. But in
the last few years this has all changed,
as treaties have been formed between
the two governments covering almost
every crime. Mexico has very few pc
nal institutions. The criminal, if found
guilty, is enlisted in the army and sent
down on the isthmus to fight Indians
and yellow fever. The Mexican people
believe that once criminal, always
criminal; and the best way to get rid of
them is to make of them living exam
pie for the rest of their class. l have
known of men being sent down there
for overcharging when the law permit
ted only fixed price.
| Mexico City has population of four
hundred and fifty thousand people.
Over two hundred thousand of these
are beggars, who are very religious.
The priests teach that one cannot 60 to
heaven unless he or she gives half of
the amount realized in begging to the
church. 1t surprises one to see how
honest these beggars are in regard
to the churches portion. There is one
of these churches some ten miles from
F the city that has silver railing around
the altar that has over twenty-five tons
, of pure silver in it, and they are still
, building on it. This railing represents
the churches portion of the money
begged by this single congregation.
, once stood in front of the leading hOte
on San Francisco Ave. and counted tht
a number who asked me for money, o.
help of some kind. There were twenty
\ You can't blame these people for beg
y ging, for it's their only means of gain
: ing living.
\ Mexico is not far advanced; it's onl
q in the past few years that foreign cap
+ ital has invested heavily in Mexico
:. The people are anxious to work, but
! is not there for them. Hence this beg
o ging. What little iawlessness there
i Ibelieve they have an excuse for, more S
= than the American, for in this countr
q there is work for all.
l. 1t only costs one dollar year to Cal
n ry pistol in Mexico, almost every on
10 you meet has a gun of some descriI
D. tion. Give the American this libert
er and see how much work there woul
be for the undertaken in a weeks tim
r do not mean to say that the Amer
<. can is any worse than the Mexican; br
* the American, as rule, never stops
n think. He generally acts and thinf
n afterward. The Mexican. is alwa!
Of cool; he realizes that if he is in tt
q wrong, he will pay with his life for
NJ hasty action. Therefore, he will thin
as the matter over long time. Then,
ID he knows he is in the right, it's two
n one he will use his gun or knife; and
ID will take his punishment without
Ve word.
as The following may seem the harde
er and most unjust law of all, but
a lieve if the laws of the United Stat
til governing railroad accidents were t.
an same as those of Mexico, the railroa
ed would be more careful of human lii
ad as would also the employees in the
rs, respective duties. Some five years q
ks there was law in Mexico that ma
ou it a capital offense for the entire Gre
ed of train if u person was killed. VIII
g." the extreme penalty was never carri