New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-22

spanish-Imerican capitals where they have been
/ inaugurated much fanfare of OratOry Fe-
garding CIVILIZATION
The array of national schoOls-Of jurispr1I-
dence Of engineering. of fine arts of music and
the Ike-in the capital is imposing. and Mexico
is inordinatey proud of her learned societies.
libraries. art galleries and museums. Yet less
than IL per cent of her population at the pres
ent day can read and write. II is all OF picc@
perhaps with the Instinct for display. the desire
to make a handsome impression. which is 50
characteristic Of the Latin Americans generally
No people cuItivates the ornaments of language
so zestfuIIy as the Mexican:
He is intensely eloquent. His speakings AMI
writings prOfse In their of the fuuess OF
phrases to express abstract ideas. RE indulseg
in SMILES as rich and varied as the yesetaJ'on ~
ogies are called up to prove the simplest fact.
only in the realm Of poetry or description bur
7 in scientific business matters at times, and
whether he is writing upon some deep social prob
lem or reporting upon the CONDITION or tAe parish
pump he Will preface his account with an essay,
Even In the most everyday conversation the
same tendency is in evidence. Glory is always
| Immortal glory" knowledge profound knonI-
edge" and every official. If a friend Of the
speaker. is enlightened and patriotic"
| The typical Mexican gentleman is a very fine
gentleman indeed. He comes probably Of mixed
| Spanish and native ancestry. for the purely
white population of the country barely exceeds
10 per cent of the total; but that does not NEAR
/ that he belongs to a middle class. Mexico Ia
no middle class. at best only the beginning
of one. Her people are divided into those wh
do manual work and those who do not II H.
/ the Spanish tradition again. Any occupation
| that cannot properly be conducted in tai hat
and frock coat. his favorte dress. is beneath '
the Mexican of quality. He spends portion Of
| each year in residence his tdcieHdG, where
cotton. sugar cane, hemp or coffee yields him an
4 II. but as SrOr he ayVay
| from the cares of mana cement he is off to the
capital, or. happiest of all TO Paris. for the
winter. He is pre-eminently a social being.
| The slded youth of the capital and members %
| polite society generally 10 not like to leave the
convenIenceS of good pavementS. restaurants,
fashionable bars and clubs and TO venture into the
| hot cold winds of the country regions. The
Iote or the country iOr It's own sake or Tor sport
exercise or exploration, as understood b Anglo
| SlxoHS. IS unknown
| Religion the Mexican considers women's busi-
| ness. Both for political reasons and because OF
| the popularity of scientific doctrines the last
| quarter century has seen a widespread dsaf-
| lection for the Church and it's hold to-day
says Mr. Enock. is largely confined to women
| and the ignorant peon class. But for politics.
| especially the Shower phases of it. your Mevi-
can gentleman has a great liking, and rarely is
he without some official distinction or otae-.
| Until recent years governmental positions were
| occupied almost exclusively by members Of tie
military profession, but the militarist regime is
clearly passing and the names Of lawyers doe
| tors. scholars and great land owners are found
among those high in ofice-anOther influence
| for stability. Between the two chief social
| classes great gulf seems to be fixed. The Deoa
| as you find him throughout Mexico. whether at
| tached, serfiike, to some great plantation. OF
employed in the mines or on construction work
in the cities. is utterly ilHterate. STEPPED in ST.
perstition. lazy. childish o6sequiOus dirty and
? picturesque-always the latter IN his tall.
| broad brimmed hat and red S6rdpc His wants
are few and easily supplied. He can sleep any
where and anyhow. His diet is the inevitable
1orftAd or pancake. of maize. friiOIes or fried
beans. chile, and potatoes; and his drink is
putqHe. of which. when he has the opportunity.
he consumes limitless quantities Indeed, saws
the author, "the habit OF drinking TO excess.
whether it be the mild puIQUe or the fiery cane
rum. or the potent m6=cdI is the runaton Of the
peoH class" Wherever he may be. there is al
ways bottle protruding from his pocket. and
the od0r of spirits in the air
No account OF Mexico would be ADEQUATE that
failed to dwell upon the mineral resources o. the
country and the romantic, often terrible story
Of her mines. 1t was the fabulous wealth ~ her
treasure houses that sounded the deathkueu OF
the old Aztec regime. and for welnish three
/ centuries the mines Mexico p0urad forth a