Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-12-12
WON 4 on ON HIS BLUFF, a PEEP AT MEXICO
The country's Area Now and
,s5.5s Whatsla Was Originally.
2 -lE'1ss' s. s-.Ef %
HAS koST2A VASTJERRlT0Rf'

HAS EoSTsA VAST JERRlloRf.
+ ki5S ri tTysut &c u 1-jll-Sa"Jr5i
3er IL &c zrG5 10 G5.Q5.a % as2
Nearly ssMiiIion Square Miles of TIA
Land Hzvs-sren Added TO the United.
I sta.es-stiIf:a Big Country, Thousii,I
and Has al Ensfmdus Coast Line.
Eis interesting to note chat the area
of Mexlcof is practically as great rs that
OF the Emitted States between the Mis-
slssippi river and the Atlantic coast,
the great lakes and the gulf Of Mexico,
varying in altitude from sea level to
$4,000 feet Its climate is affected by
these elevations and by q range Of
eighteen degrees Of latitude. Twelve
hundred miles is the distance traYersed
IN passing south from Juarez, on the
northern boundary. to the capital, anG
800 miles more to the southeastern
boundary. The gulf Of Mexico and
Caribbean sea. coast line extends for
100 miles, while the Pacific ocean and
gulf Of California touch 1000 miles OF
Mexican coast.
- Prior to 1886 Mexico, as q Spanish
colony, and the United States covered
approximately equal areas, but the
Texas secession and the result Of the
Mexican war added nearly million
square miles TO our territory, and the
extent Of Mexico now is less than one
fourth that Of continental United
States. Mexico has still territorial ex'
panse equal to the aggregate Of Aus
tria- Hungary, Germany, France, Great
Britain and Ireland. The total area OF
the republic. 767,0 coo square miles. is
less than that of Texas. California
Montana, New Mexico and Arizon=
combined.
The average density Of population
Of Mexico approximates twenty per
square mile. the most thickly populated
parts, outside of the federal district
being the states Of Tlaxcaln and Mex
leo, the former being less than Della
ware tn size and Of about the SAINT
density Of population and the latter be
Ing nearly as large rs New Hampshire
bnt with more than twice the number
of inhabitants. The federal district
nodded after the District OF Columbia
but Of eight times greater area. Is sur
rounded by the state Of Mexico. th'
lsrge population Of the capital. 100000
materially aiding in bringing the aver
age to more than 1900 per square mile
During nearly 800 years subsequent
to the conquest by Cortes, Spain domi,
mated Mexico. A century ago a bold
effort for freedom was started, which
eventually resulted in the republic Of
Mexico of today. More than half o.
the first century Of Mexican independ
cnce was ahortive, one coterie after
another coming into temporary power
and number or those acclaimed rul'
ers after brief regimes meeting igno'
m1nious death at the hands OF the peo'
pie they sought to govern.
Tie form Of government adopted by
Mexico follows III general that OF the
United States, having executive, judi
ctal and legislative divisions. Each OF
the twenty seven states is represented
In two houses Of congress, composed OF
senators and deputies. Congress holds
two sessions each year for limited pc
RODS. Each state has its governor and
legislature and is subdlvided into dis:
tricts or counties. over each Of which q:
jefe politico is placed, the districts.
having subsidiary municipalities With
magistrates, presiding officials and
councils. The go called autocratic fea-
ture Of the government may be largely:
due to the fact that governors hold Of;
flee with approval of the' president,
that Jefe politicos have similar rela'
lions with the governors and that the
officers Of the municipalities ere gener
ely controlled by the jefe poliicos.
The church and state are independ
ent, and congress cannot pass laws
prohibiting or establishing any reli-
zion. or the 100000 inhabitants
two-ffths claim direct descent from
ancient tribes or families which ar6
accepted rs the basis OF Mexican his!
tory, two. ffths are Of mixed native
and foreign blood, the remainder being
classed under the common appellatlon
Of "forelgn." ~
The City OF Mexico, o64 miles by rail
west Of Vera Cruz and 1,4O0 feet alH
tude, IS reached b. two rail routes
climbing from the hot lands through
difficult mountain passes, one of which
closely follows the trail taken BY Cor
ties IN 1910, by General Winfield Scott
with American troops In 1S47 and over
which fifteen years later the invading
French troops passed. 1t is the most
popnlous city. One-haf OF the railroad
mileage Of the country is between sea
level and 1000 feet and about an equal
amount between 5000 and 10000 feet:
From National Geographic Society in
w. tx