Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-04-19

the Mexican Central railroad and has
a considerable population. 1t is proud
Of its great stone cathedral, which
cost almost a million dollars. For
merly it was simply a sleepy old ca
thedral town, but in recent years, the
city of Chihuahua has taken on new
life through the investment of Amer
lean capital in the vicinity in mining
enterprises. The nearness Of the city
to the American border also has made
it the headquarters for the revolution
lists.
Sonora is the northwestern state of
Mexico, bordering Chihuahua on the
west. 1t covers 1900 square miles
and large part of it's area is prac-
tically unknown. The Sierra Madre
range breaks up the eastern part OF
the state, making an almost inaccess-
ible home and stronghold for Indians
bandits and revolutionists. The high
valley and plateaus to the west of the
range have a rich soil fertile only I'M
der irrigation. The northwestern part
of the state Is a desert similar to that
in Arizona. Sonora, like Chihuahua,
is rich in mineral wealth, and some
of it's mines of gold and silver have
long been world famous. Mining is
the only important industry, although
there are large herds Of cattle on the
ranges in the north. The population
is about 100000, composed largely of
Indians who retain their old customs
and languages and are practically in
dependent of the Mexican government.
The condition Of master and man in
Mexico today is about the same as 1t
was in the United States before the
Civil war, except that slaves were
property in the United States, and
therefore treated as such. and bought
and sold as any other commodity. In
Mexico the condition of the peon is
different. A peon is the offspring OF
an intermarriage of either full
blooded Indian and Aztec or vice YER
sa. The Yaqui Indians, the holders of
the gold treasure of Mexico, the most
warlike and heroic natives living in
Mexico today claiming to be descend
ants of the unhappy Emperor Mon
tezuIna, are well educated and have
been captained by John Smith, of Cal
ifornia, for years, but they would be
designated by Castilians, the aristoc-
racy of Mexico, as poems. What coolie
implies in China, the word peon means
in Mexico-that is, laborer. II yon
should go to Mexico today and pur-
chase a tract of land either for mining
or agricultural purposes you purchase
not alone the land, but likewise the hui
man beings dwelling thereon. The
poems living on the land before your
purchase cannot be elected from the
land by the new purchaser. If you
require their labor you must pay them
their price for all labor rendered to
YOU. The alcalde of your village or
hacienda will see to it that they per
form so much labor for so much
money. Each family of poems living
ON the property have their own little
match of ground that they cultivate,
and they generally have broncho or
pony. chickens, game cocks and
milch COW and don't care two cents
If they are working or not. But if
they work for you, they are absolute
" faithful Should you develop your
prouerty and need more help than you
have already on our estate, you can
get all the help that you need for very
little money. You must remember al
so that what little your help needs for
breadstuffs is. growing on your land,
with very little market for it, unless
il be coffee, rubber or the sap of the
MESQUITE. which is called pulque or
aguardiente, a horrible drink. The
American by nature is hard master,
and generally he drives himself at
such a terrific speed that the poems
either run awav claiming that their
master is the son of the Devil. or they
try to emulate him as best they may.