Washington telegraph., 1915-08-13
CORRESPONDENT
VISITS MEXICO
CONDITIONS ACROSS THE
BORDER
ARE FOUND DEPLORABLE
Correspondent Visits Mission
Church At JuaraZ Built
In 1549.

p IulUOI IeleSTdDn:-
f Many of us who were born il
/ Arkansas, and have never enjoy
f ed the privilege of visiting the
3 Western states, have no idea Of
. the change a few hundred miles
J would make in the character OF
J the people. No doubt the topOg
raphy of the country has some
thing to do with moulding and
making the characteristics OF
these people, so totally different
from those in other states where
the American stock predomi-
mates. Yet we must consider
that along the banks of that far
famed Rio Grande river, possibly
more than three centuries ago, at
least three distinct and entirely
different nationalities of people
met here and have become ANAL
gamated, thereby giving us some
of the most peculiar people to be
found on this continent.
Possibly seventy-five per cent
of the people who are new com
erS in West Texas. New Mexico
and Arizona have come for their
health. The Protestant health
seekers, with their faith in God
and lovefor His word, are in many
places doing much to elevate. re-
fine nd uplift these people, 20
hahtes' een allowed to I've in igpo-
- sGa''i'... ,,---..''''ss sr4+. =,
base and heathenish customs
while the beautiful truths of our
Christianity are almost totally
unknown to them.
For 300 miles into Texas from
the Rio Grande river is hill and
mountains. Almast all this sec
ton is devoted almost entirely to
~attle, although few ranchmen
still raise horses and sheep. 1t
is certainly a pleasing sight to
see, as the Bible says, The cattle
upon a thousand hills. J." Differ
ent from most countries, the
grass that grows on these hills
and mountain sides is considered
the choisest of all. There is some
thing in this splendid atmosphere
that cures" this grass, so that
in mid winter, when to the new
conner" it would appear va1ueless
as food. it then has the same pro
portionote value as when perfect
ly green.
These ranchmen do not pretend
to raise feed at all. Their cattle
are taken right off the range in
the winter and shipped to market
| in the very best condition for
beef.
The ranches are composed Oh
from s to 20 sections of land.
Most of this land was bought
from the state of Texas about nine
years ago. At that time it solo
at from 81 to so per acre and the
state gave them 43 years to pay
Tor it, at percent interest.
The past three years the rains
have been abundant and h
ranchmen have made a great dea
of money. This country was nev
er more prosperous than now.
| In all these west Texas towns
| we have from 300 to 1000 Mex
cans. All the Mexican school
are taught by some of our beS
| English teachers and the Englisl
| language alone is taught.to then
| now. Most of the men are lazy
shiftless and ignonant and onl
| work enough to obtain the pool
| est and scantiest food and cloth
ing. The women make very poo
house servants, but they do wasf
ing and ironing very well indeed
| While l am personally bitterl
opposed to war, | do believe I'd
time has now come that IL tn
United States fails, by moral SUI
sion. to get the leaders in tn
war in Mexico to lay down the
arms, and begin to do somethln