El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-19
v "Mexico
In It's
Centennial
Year. +"

j., with the me- nagement of the roads The
work of administration has been left
J to the executive officers, who are eX-
| perienced railroad men. The National
| Railways OF Mexico are as separate and
distinct from the government, in their
scheme of physical operation, as the
management of the Pennsylvania lines
are free from the domination of the
government at Washington 1t is logi-
cal to presume that in time the NatiOh-
al railways will be completely Mexi-
canized. so far as the working force
is concerned. AS a matter of fact, all
but percent Of the employees, of all
ranks, are row Mexicans- The policy
IS 10 promote Meyicans to positions as
engineers and conductors solely upon
the basis of fitness. and only when va
cancies occur in the natural order OF
things.
No Americans are being summarily
displaced on captious pretexts. merely
to make room for Mexicans. If there
is an opening, caused by the resigna-
ton, death or removal of an American
for good and sufficient cause. it is Civ
en- to a Mexican, if one presents himself
who can pass successfully the rigorous
examination required. The disposition
is to treat all American employees with
fairness and to grant them every pos
sible consideration. This was demon
strated only a few weeks ago when diff
ferences arose between the management
of the merger lines and their American
conductors and engineers The execu-
tives went to extremes to placate the
Americans and induce them to remain
in the service. The result was a sat-
isfactory adjustment of the mems
grievances, and their retention in the
service. Had the government been
Sa0l<inOr a hp2n asserts cd
to MeKicaniZe the lines, it is probable
that they would have adopted far less
cOnciliatory attitude, and once and for
all read the Americans out of the serv
ice. although, il must be admitted, 1t
would have engendered a considerable
degree of embarra ssment and loss TO
the company.
The World Watches.
Mexico and railroad men of the United
States are watching with interest the
aggressive progress OF the new Kansas
City, Mexico & Orient railway, which
will be the first trunk line to cross the
Rio Grande from the United States into
Mexico. In its course from Kansas City,
Mo-, TO the gulf of TOpolobampo, on the
Pacific coast, in the state of Sinaloa.
TIE road follows almost the exact route
of Coronado. the Spanish explorer, on
his return from his expedition into the
tai of $40 miles have been laid north
of the Rio Grande, and about 400 miles
in Mexico This is one OF the seven
lines of prime Importance which carry
government subventions. Arthur Z.
Stilwell, the protector of the road. is
keeping resolutely free from Wall
street affiliations. He has marketed
his securities principally in Holland and
Belgium, although some cs pitalists
from the western states have invested.
The road is being built in sections. The
section from Wichita, Kan. to San An
gelo. Texas, a distance Of SO miles, IS
in operation. while so miles have been
graded from San Angelo on the main
line to Chihuahua, Mexico. The con-
tract has been let for the 40 mile Del
Rio extension. from San Angelo to a
connection with the National Lines of
Mexico, below Eagle Pass. Texas.
East of Chihuahua nearly 100 miles
of the road is in service. West of Chi
huahua the road will use the tracks Of
the Chihuahua & Pacific road for I25
miles. From the western end Of the
& Pacific IS miles of new
line have been put down over the con-
tinental divide, and are now In service. 3
Construction is proceeding inland from
toward the completed sec
ton from the east.
Next article-The Yaduis