Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1910-05-20
mold
!. ... !. ]. MEXICO
~ EW NW A III E3 III fE3
TRUE CONDITIONS in OLD NfExi.
co As SEEN BY p.5v. BRENNAN NJ
WHO HAS JUST. RETURNED u
. : : FROM. HIS TWO MONTHS, 4
" s*:,s y TRIP. +; ! !, I'll %S5 IS

~ WStNlStJ n
L, y. :. 3sss:s: ,:t. j. 4 : TRIP. ID II Il Il
: The writer recently completed d trip
through the northern and north cen
tral portions Of Mexico ana, thinking
that the country, its customs, people,
institutions and industries, would be
of interest to the readers Of the IN
ter-0cean, has put some Of his ssobser-
vations in writing. No man can go
to a foreign country unversed im: its
language, unfamiliar with its customs
and perhaps out Of sympathy with its
people,, and In the space OF two months
form a necessarily correct opinion OF
Of the country. However, there are
some things which the traveller may
pick up, and no matter how inferior he
may consider those among whom he
travels, in their life he is certain TO
learn many things not only of interest
but of great value. Concerning the
commercial advantages Of the country
he visits he should be able to form$a
very accurate opinion; and If he will
try to learn its Language and the real
life of it's people he is sure to gather
much truth concerning actual condi-
ztions. rEs g. = >t7Fs ss>E,Y.,,. ~ #FSS zS
The writer was fortunate enough to
have a short course or Spanish in col
lege and this coupled with. what he
was able to pick up in two months time
a good part of which was spent where
he was compelled to talk Spanish to
get the necessaries of life, made his
"trip intensely interesting. After get
ting fairly into touch with the Mex
ican life one finds the Mexicans an
agreeable and naturally kind people.
The great mai ajority Of the people are
the result sof the 5ming Cling Of the spass
|ish conqnerors with the native Indian
population, d new race resulting, a1tho
both pure Spanish and Indian types may
be seen in many places. The result
of this mingling lis a. race of people,
by nature quick, impulsive,Y courteous,
and fond Of amusement. The perpet-
ual warm weather and easy mode of
Living have made the Mexican some
what less energetic than his northern
neighbors. He works that he may en-,
JOY life as he goes along, while his
more strenuous northern brother
works that he may have money, power
or prominence Indeed, the northern
saying DO It Now has for its coun-
terpart In Mexico the word \ X Manana" "
(Tomorrow), and what can be- done
tomorrow is never done today. The
spirit Of the country, while progress
sive in the extreme lis anything but
strenuous and our. irrepressible 7. R. Is
seventh wonder to the Mexican. T
THE difference in real things is also
seen in many triding customs of the
people. IN fact when one crosses the
line into Old Mexico It would seem
that he must take a right-about face
and do everything from another angle.
@i{,. -
When meeting a man on the street,
instead of saying Hello you say
Goodbye" tAdeios) When you wish
man to come to you, you must mo-
tion to him as if you desired him to go
away. To lock q door. as q rule you
turn the key away from the door cas-:
ing. When passing q man on: the road
you turn to the left instead Of to the
fright, and if BY chance he should not
give you your share Of the road you
lido not swear at him but wish him luck. E &
b Thus the American o. e "Gringo finds
things somewhat tops y-turvy compared
with the customs Of his own land. Al. u
SO he finds that while he looks down: q
upon those among whom ne travels, at
least consider them ignorant and not