Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-05-07

City of Mexico 264 Miles by Rail West
Of Vera Cruz and Is 7,400 Feet Above
Sea LeveI-Reached by Two Different
Railway Lines.
Washington. following infOrma-
ton concerning Mexico was given out
by the National Geographic society III
Washington the other day:
1t is interesting TO note that the area
OF Mexico is practically AS great ms
that of the United States between the
Mississippi river and the Atlantic
coast, the great lakes and the gulf Of
Mexico, varying in altitude from sea
level 10 $4,000 feet. It's climate is af
fcctCd by these elevations and by n
range Of eighteen degrees of latitude
Twelve hundred miles Is the distance
ttaycrsed IN passing south from Jua.
roZ, on the northern boundary. to the
capital, and 800 miles more to the
southeastern boundary. The gulf Of
Mexico and Caribbean sea coast line
extends for LOO miles, while the Ia.
citic ocean and gulf Of California touch
4 600 miles Of Mexican coast.
Prior To 1896 Mexico. rs II Spanish
colony, and the United States covered
approx imntcly equal areas. but the
Texas secession and the result Of the
Mexican war added nearly l,OOO,OOO
SQUIRE miles to our territory. and the
extent of Mexico now IS less than one
fourth that of continental United
States. Mexico has still territorial OK
pnnsc equal to the aggregate of Aus
trla Hungary Germany. France. Great
Britain and ireland The total area of
the republic 7G7 900 square miles. is
less than that of Texas. California.
Montana, New Mexico ana Arizona
combincd
The average density Of population Of
Mexico approXimateS twenty per
square mile. the most thicllly populated
portions outside of the federal districts
being the states of TaNcala ana MrXi
90, the former being less than Della
ware in size and OF about the same
density of population, and the latter
being nearly Hs large as New lIamp
shire. but with more than twice the
number of inhabitants The federal
district, modelled after the District of
Columbia, but of eight times greater
area, Is surrounded by the state Of
Mexico, the lnrgc population of the
capital. 100000, materially aiding in
bringing the average to more than 200
per square mile.
During nearly 300 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 indcprn
dcnc" was abortiVc, one cotcric after
another coming into temporary power
and II number of those acclaimed rul
crs, after brief regimes, meeting iguu
miniouS death ut the hands of the PEG
pie they sought to govern.
The form of government adopted h.
Mexico follows in general that of the
United States, having executive. Judi
ctal and legislative divisions Each 81
the twenty seven states Is represent
ed in two houses of congress. compos
ed of senators and deputies. Congress
holds tW" sessions each year for limit
ed periods, Each state has it,
governor and legislature aud Is sub
divided into districts or counties. over
each of which "irfc politicu" IS
placed. the districts having subsidiary
municipalities, With magistrates, pre-
siding officials and councils The SO
called nutocrNtir feature OF the GOV
ernment may be largely due to the
fact that governors hold Office with M
prevail of the president, that icfc Pc
liticos have similar relations with the
governor and that the officers of the
municipalities are generally controlled
by the icfe politicos.
The church and state are indrpcnd
cnt, and congress cannot pass laws
prohibiting or establishing amy rcli
giou OF the l6,mO,0OO inhabitants
two titths claim descent from ancient
tribes or families which are accepted
Ms the basis OF Mexican history. two
titths are of native and foreign blood
the remainder being claSScd under the
common appcllatiou of foreign"
The City OF Mexico. @GI miles 10y rail
west OF Vera Cruz and 400 feet att
udc, is reached by two rail routes
climbing through the hot lands through
difficult mountain passes, one Of which
closely follows the trail taken 10y Con.
tcs in 1910, 10y General Winfield Scott
With American troops in 1871 and over
which, fifteen years later. the iuvad
ng French troops passed, 1t is the
most populouS city.