The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-01-26
MEXICAN PEOPLE HOMELESS
HENCE MANY REVOLUTIONS
Essentially Agricultural They Have Been Deprived of
Their Land and Never Will Be Satisfied Until They
Get 1t Back

| three States, Of which Mexico was the
principal. In it's internal affairs each
| State was independent. but in war.
| or other public interests that affect
| ed all, they acted jointly. The spoiis
| of conquest were divided in the ratio
| Of two-ffths to each Of the larger
| States and one-fifth to the smaller.
| The kings were elected within the
royal families. They lived in palaces
which, at least in size. approximated
the palaces in Europe at that date.
| Below the king was a numerous
and powerful class Of mobiles, who
| led the kings forces in war and
acted as his counselors and assistant
| administrators in time G" peace
| There was also a rich and powerful
| merchant class. Great estates were
owned by the crown Much Of the
land had been granted to mobiles and
military chieftains and, by way Of en-
doWnment, to maintain the temples
| and the priesthood. A large portion
| Of the land, however, especially in
the parts more distant from the ar
| ger cities, was owned and occupied
by village communities known as
pueblos under the Spanish rule. many
| Of which still survive
In these villages each freeman oc-
cupied and titled his portion in
| severality during life But the title
| reverted to the community at his
death unless there were members Of
his family to continue the occupancy.
The members of these communities
were freemen. Slavery existed. but
| in a rather mild form. The children
| OF slaves were born free
High Aztec Development.
The Judiciary system which obtain
ed In the Aztec state demonstrates
more than anything else the high de-
gree of development which the ma.
ton had attained There was a SUI
preme court for the cognizance of law
appeals located in the palace in the
City Of Mexico. There were inferior
tribunals in the principal cities, over
each of which supreme judge pre-
sided. These judges held office for
life and could not be removed even
by the king Their decisions in
criminal cases were final. Lands
were set apart for the maintenance OF
these judicial officers They appoint
ed and supervised the actions of the
subordinate magistrates and revised
their judgments. In fact, nothing
: gives higher idea of the elaborate
civilization of Mexico than this judi.
cial SYSTEM which eliminated in {
!. general court presided over by thu
! king.
The laws and records Of the cour
: were set down and kept in the picture
= these records are still preserved il
Il the National Museum. judicial OATH
8 were administered with a solemnit,
surprising anything prevailing in ou
: courts. The affiant or witness solemn
: ly placed his hand on the ground ant
! then put his forefnger to his lip, af
y firming by Mother Earth. TIL
y criminal code was very severe. Fraud
e the removal Of landmarks, and adul
e terry. were punished By having tn
g offenders head crushed between
l. stones or by cutting out the heart.
War, NObility'S Occupation.
. war was was the great occupation o
e in Europe to this day. The childre
u Of mobiles were trained in the scene
q and theory of war and in militar
n exploits from their earliest infancy
q The religious instincts Of the peopl
'e had been developed in a high degre,
n There was a thoroughly worked-o
% dogma, and rituals of great detail an
, completely covered the principe
p events of life. The temples wer
n called Gods Houses" The rite
D were Of the same character as ar
lie found elseWhere-prayer, sacrifice
lie professions dances fasting and othe
austerities. But the feature whic
at made the whole system repulsive an
IS which probably has left an impress
IN on the Mexican people to this da
n was the horrible practice of huma
In sacrifice. The extent to which tn
IL prevailed. as reported by the chron
H. clers and the Aztec records, surpasst
IL belief
ne The priests had developed the a.
ne or plcture-writing to very high d.
TO gree and had almost reached the pOil
Mt Of alphabetic writing. Systemat
lie, records of historical events. religio,
C. festivals and other incidents of no
se had been kept for centuries, not on
In the Mexican state, but during tt
on earlier civilization which existed
r. Iucatan. Agriculture had been d
* veloped in a considerable degree.
gin fact, the Mexican people live tods
on on the same staple foods which ft
vi their ancestors centuries before IL
n advent Of the Europeans. Corn az
he beans were the staples. A variety
ed vegetables were known and cultivate
as Chocolate was a favOrite drink. tt
IL