The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-05-19

the United States troops here. They
cant quite figure out the answer.
Not a man jack of them but was
certain that with the occupation OF
this seaport by hostile troops would
come the pillage and looting that
generally marks the capture or TAX
ing of a city or town by Mexican
soldiers They have become used to
this procedure during the four or
five years of revolutions and upris-
ings. They were vastly amazed,
therefore, when the American troops
not only did not follow up their occu-
patton with disorders, but actually
made Vera Cruz safer and more
pleasant to live in than at any time
in the city's history.
These Mexicans down here simply
could not understand it when the
American troops cared for the
wounded Mexicans as tenderly as
they cared for their own wounded.
They could not understand when,
after a really wonderful exhibition
of two-handed fighting proves, the
youthful marines and jackies, as
soon as some semblance of order was
established, went calmly about the
work OF feeding the women and
children of the men at whom they
had so recently been shooting.
The Mexicans laughed scoffingly
when they were told that the ma
rines and sailors would not immedi-
ately attack General Mas, the fede-
raj general, and march on Mexico
City When the Americans didn't,
again they couldn't quite get it.
''Oh, but wait until the regular
troops arrive under your General
your General Funston comes, it
will be different Americans merely
have been waiting to go into action
until the regular soldiers come"
Everyone was firmly convinced this
would be the program, and the ulti-
mate limit was reached after the
regulars had been here a week with
out the expected advance toward the
capital
It is only now that Vera Crusians
are beginning to realize that Ameri-
can soldiers are giving them the
best city government they ever have
had Some of them, still with hat
red ranking in their hearts against
the "Gringoes, may not admit this
aloud, but nevertheless, Mexicans
from the capital and other interior
cities have focked to Vera Cruz for
safety.
All this, of course, has bred great
respect for and no little welcome to-
ward American fighting men, and
American fighting methods. But
there still is another feature these
Mexicans like about the situation.
The American marines, jack-tars
and regulars, not to mention the
great influx of refugees, form an
army of buyers who have caused in
tense delight to the merchants. The
best of it is that the money the TO-
900 or more American troops spend
in local shops is good United States
money, and not the deprecated
Mexican coin. All the shops are
open again today and the native
dealers, caterers, restauranteurs and
the like are enjoying such prosperity
as they never enjoyed before. The
great demand for food stuffs, to say
nothing of clothing. has sent the
prices sky high.
/ Poems are being given regular
work on the docks and other points
on the waterfront and on the streets
They are being paid at the rate OF
60 cents gold per day, an unheard-oi
laborers' wage in Vera Cruz.
All of the native enterprises, char
acteristic of Mexico are fourishing
The burro peddlers, corresponding
to the push cart vendors Of New
York's lower East Side, are out en-
masse On all the streets donkeys
loaded down with chickens may be
seen. Tn fowls mainly Of the
dominecker variety-alive, are swung
head down from all sides of the sad
del and across the neck of the burro
The vendor sits in the saddle ane
thus rides thru the residence dis
tricts, where the housewives come
out into the street and bargain To-
:. the fowls.
Milk, ice, mineral water, fresl
fruits and beef and mutton are ped
stringing his wares all over his beast