El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-08-31
AME RICAHs CROW
RICH IN MEXICO
Continued from previous page).

est practitioner of reciprocity in the new
world, he usually winds up by being Just
as mean toward the mean American as
the mean American Is toward him.
But when they do find an American
who comes IN the proper spirit, who is
as cOnsideTate of the Mexican and his
ways as the Mexican is polite to him. he
Is hailed as a brother and no one could
ask Tor better treatment than such an
American gets. He finds no servants
more polite, no people more ready to of
fer to him the best they have. But his
kind are too few to Overbalance the evil
impressions made by the other type.
While those Americans who stay in
Mexico a long time get over the atti-
tude of the impatient pilgrim, and frank
" find much of Interest and value in
= ways and customs, they can never
overcome the feeling thar the 'He's-nOth-
ing but-a blankety- blank-greaser" atti-
tUde OF the transient American engen-
ders IN the heart OF the Mexican.
Americans Prosper in Mexico
There Is another reason why Americans
are not liked so well in Mexico as the
pTOnunciamentos of the government
would have us believe. Americans have
gone down there and have, with little
capital, a considerable amount of schem-
ing, and a whole lot of energy. made
fortunes, while the Mexican has stood
idly by and marveled at his wizard-like
ability. They have made great deal of
money. Before the outbreak of the Ma
derO revolution it was estimated by the
American consul general to Mexico, Ar
mold Shanklin. that the holdings of citi-
Zens of the United States in that coun-
try represented Il value OF more than a
billion dollars. Of course, this is by no
means to be taken as a measure of the
original capital invested. Perhaps a
qaurter of that sum would represent the
actual American cash invested in Next
can enterprises. The rest represents the
profits that have grown out Of pioneer
ing investments.
There are many who declare that when
the American pioneer goes into 4 country
like Mexico he attempts to hog every
thing and makes a most unreasonable
profit out of his operations. When one
thinks only of the size of the profits
and understands nothing Of the condi-
tons under which they are made such a
would seem warranted. But
this pioneer has his side of the story,
too. He SAYS that going into a country
where unsettled conditions Obtain-and
that applies to the majority of Latin
American cOuntries-is like taking a four
to one shot on horse race. The chances
Of losing are against you and you must
demand the odds He usually has to go
into a voluntary exile in some isolated
place, missing all the pleasures of dwell
ing with his own people and putting up
with all the hardships that are found in
semi-civilized surroundings.
With all these facts in mind it is not
a mystery why the average Mexican
does not look upon the United States
and its citizens with any too great favor.
This feeling is shared equally by the so
percent of illiterates as well as by the
more intelligent. It grows as they hear
the American express contempt for their
military proves. Travelling through
that country one frequently hears a
boastful American remark, and usually
in the presence of MeXicans. that we
could take an army of 5000 and lick
all Mexico. Some are a little more con-
and assert that with 5000
men the poorest general in the American
army could march to Mexico City and
duplicate all that Gen. Taylor did when
he defeated Santa Ana, routed the enc
nv at Churubusco, and scaled the
heights of Chapultepec. It may easily
be imagined that the Mexican cannot
agree in this opinion and that the con-
tempt it expresses for him, his people
and his country arOuses feeling of re-
sentiment.
Mexicans have patriotic feelings. Their
patriotism. it Is true, has never reached
those heights where love of country is
higher than self-interest, or rather,
where the good of their country can be
distinguished from their own good It is
l kind of patriotism Characteristic of all
Spanish American peoples, which is in
ense, but often misguided. They will
launch a revolution if it
serves their own interests and they think
hey can succeed. without the slightest
of the effect it has upon
he good name of their country. But |
With all that they are among the worlds
most resentfuI people against foreign in
-asion. and against the assertion so often !
leard in this country that they are not !
it for self government. Intervention in |
Mexico would inevitably result in the !
using together of all Mexico into an /
.rmv of resistance against the interven- /