The Washington herald., 1910-02-21
AT THE HOTELS.

this country where Tor consideration
heroes are made" said c. F. z. Cara
cristi. a civil engineer Of Chihuahua, Mex
leo, at the Shoreham last night. 'The
hero ranch business started in North
Dakota many years ago, and the people
who ran II then are now located In
Wyoming, and are still engaged in the
same business. The first graduate Of
the hero ranch. said Mr.. CaTacristi, who
is a weIl-known civil engineer and an
expert on Central and South American
natural resources. lis a gentleman whom
everybody In this country and other
countries knows by name.
1T is funny to see a hero student go
through his exercise He Is first taught
to ride bronco that Is especially trained
buck hard, just as he is told. The tender
foot is put through all the experiences on
horseback that leads his mind up to the
point where he really believes himself
bronco buster. BY a next process of
mental suggestion and actual expert
ences, he is made to have confidence IN
himself, IL he lacks that quality before
he starts In. The moment this Is done
he is given a real bronco. and his con-
eeit generally makes him conquer the
beast
Then comes the next step IN the process
sion of events He is taught TO rope a
steer. That Is usually hard work, and
dangerous. too. for a tenderfoot, but he
is we'll guarded against serious injury.
No tendertoot on hero ranch Is so
happy as when he ropes his first steer.
His letters to the folks at home and
his friends, particularly the ladies' and
the boys at the club. are pathetically he
roic. They are models Of serio-comic pre-
tensions. yet he begins TO be hero In the
eyes OF his friends.
Next in ORDER" continued Mr. Cara
cristi. he Is taught to shoot. and a few
months constant practice makes him
good shot. This adds 10 his self-confi-
denee. In the meantime he Is learning
the crisp language OF the plains. His
letters change IN tone and expression, and
his college English is forgotten fem
porarily for that OF the cowman. The
word cowboy Is as obsolete as the COW
boy himself.
I'm due course comes the first hunt,
when he Is made to distinguish himself as
d mountain lion or bear hunter. True,
the bear or lion may be Of the cold stor-
age variety, warmed over for the occa-
sion, but he excels. That is part Of the
game. If the owners Of the hero ranch
happen also to own a small settlement.
he is allowed to shoot-up the town after
a nights celebration over his success as
hunter. But that is a postgraduate
course. rarely INDUCED in these days. but
twenty years ago It was a part OF the
regular course
The government OF Mexico. according to
James d. Bell, Of Vera Cruz, Mexico, who
is at the Raleigh, is taking the bull by
the horns at this time Of high prices OF
foodstuffs. Mr.. Bell is a civil engineer, and
is engaged in the construction OF the
forty-four-mile branch line from Rives.
on the main line Of the Vera Cruz al
Istmo Railway. TO san Andres Tuxtls-
1T is really almost pathetic to see how
the people Of the United States are alb
.solutely without any redress IN the mat
ter OF high living expenses. The govern
ment seems TO be poWerlesg. and il al
most looks as Il the various trusts and
combines were daring Congress 10 do its
worst. And all the time the price of meat
is going up higher and higher. The United
States is supposed 10 lead in the matter
of protecting the people from the attacks
Of organized wealth. I think Mexico is
away ahead Of the United States In that
respect. President Diaz. always bearing
the interest Of the Mexican people az
heart, has suspended the imposition Of
duties on the importation OF corn. which
is TO be admitted free Of duty until
March 81. This action was prompted by
the shortage Of the corn crop and the
hardships that the increase of prices on
that cereal have caused the poor people
of Mexico.
ITO prevent a further increase OF
prices. bill passed the Mexican Congress
some time ago, and was approved by
President Diaz, TO exempt beans from
payment of duty for the same period, and
also authorizing the President to pur-
chase and import corn and beans and
offer them for sale to the people at not
above the cost price, and, If he considers
It necessary. even at prices below cost.
If President Taft had taken a leaf from
President Diazs book and suspended the
tariff on the importation Of all food
stuffs. the beef barons and others who
control necessities OF life in the United
States would soon have been brought TO
terms.
Mexico is busy and building up won
derfully. That country has most efficient
and patriotic public officials, whose sole
object is to make their country prosper
Gus and happy and proud OF her inde-
pendence and freedom. For instance, this
new railroad Of the Vera Cruz al Istmo
line crosses the San Juan River at Cuato-
tolapam. From Rives 10 the river the
road passes through a fine cattle-raising
country, thence through a rich agTi-
cultural region celebrated for its excel
lent tobacco. San Andres Tuxtla is at
the foothills of the San Martin Mountains.
There are number OF mineral springs
in this vicinity, for which the natives
claim great medicinal properties. Another
sixteen-mile branch line is under construo-
ton from the main line at Brisbin. about
five miles south of Los Naranjos, to Cerro
Colorado. on the Papaloapam River. This
branch is TO be extended 10 another place.
twenty-eight miles from the main line