The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-06-09
A Peep AT MEXICO
The Country's Area Now and
What 1t Was Originally.
HAS LOST A VAST TERRITORY.
Nearly Million Square Miles Of lts
Land Have Been Added to the United
States-Still a Big Country, Though,

States--Still a Big Country, Though,
and Has an Enormous Coast Line.
1t Is interesting to note that the area
Of Mexico is practically as great as that
of the United 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 range of
eighteen degrees of latitude. Twelve
hundred miles is the distance traversed
in passing south from Juarez, on the
northern boundary, to the capital, and
900 miles more to the southeastern
boundary. The gulf of Mexico and
Caribbean sea coast line extends for
1,700 miles, while the Pacific ocean and
gulf Of California touch 1000 miles of
Mexican coast.
Prior to 1885 Mexico as a 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, 7eTOO0 square miles. is
less than that Of Texas, California.
Montana, New Mexico and Arizona
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 Tlaxcala and Mex
leo, the former being less than Della.
ware In size and of about the same
density of population and the latter be-
ing nearly as large as New Hampshire
but 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, the
large population of the capital, 100000,
materially aiding in bringing the aver
age to more than 1,200 per square mile.
During nearly 800 years subsequent
to the conquest by Cortes, Spain domi-
mated Mexico. A century ago bold
effort for freedom was started, which
eventually resulted in the republic of
Mexico Of today. More than half Of
the first century of Mexican independ-
ence was abortive. one coterie after
another coming into temporary power
and number of those acclaimed rul-
ers after brief regimes meeting ignO.
minious death at the hands of the peO-
pie they sought to govern.
The form of government adopted by
Mexico follows in general that of the
United States, having executive, judi
cial 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. Zach state has its governor and
legislature and is subdlvided into dis
| tricts or counties, over each of which n
jefe pOlitico Is placed, the districts
having subsidiary municipalities with
magistrates, presiding officials and
councils. The 80 called autocratic fea-
ture Of the government may be largely
due to the fact thut governors hold Of
1ce with approval Of the president,
that jefe politlcos have similar rela-
tions with the governors and that the
officers Of the municipalities are gener-
ally controlled by the jefe politicos.
The church and state are independ-
ent, and congress cannot pass laws
prohibiting or establishing any rell.
! gion. OF the lG,000000 inhabitants
two-6fths claim direct descent from
ancient tribes or families which are
! accepted AZ the basis of Mexican his
tory, two-tifths are of mixed native
and foreign blood, the remainder being
classed under the common appellation
of "foreign"
The City Of Mexico. 26t miles by raj
west Of Vera cruz and 7.40O feet ati
tude. is reached by two rail routes
climbing from the hot lands through
difficult mountain passes, one of which
closely follows the trail taken by Cor
tes In 1919, by General Winfield Scott
with American troops in 1S47 and over
which fifteen years later the invading
French troops passed. 1t is the most
populous city. One-half of the railroad
mileage of the country Is between sea
level and 5000 feet and about an equa
amount between 5000 and 10000 feet
From National Geographic Society IL
Washington.