The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-01-09

Continued from Page -
THE PEOPLE OF MEXIC D
these, castles as clearly defined as
those among the Brahmans of India
There are the restless rovers I have
already mentioned, who will keep
Mexico in turmoil and strife until
strong man shall arise among the
people who shall by force of character,
craftsmanship and patriotism domi-
nate the situation. Since De la Barra
left the country no one seems to ap-
pear who possesses the qualities nee
essary for the controlling of these diff
ferent factions.
We would mention next the mer-
chants who deal in small quantities
of goods, whose children grow up be-
hind the counter and carry on the
business after their parents are gone.
The stock never seems to change, nor
the business to enlarge. Men may
come and men may go, but that little
store remains there forever, with the
same toys in the window and the same
calicoes on the shelf. Then we have
the peddlers of sweets, of cheap jel-
lies, of toys, cakes and cotton laces;
we have flower girls-who in Mexico
are always old women-sellers Of crys-
talware and kitchenware. Carpenters
there are who walk about the streets
with collins for sale. We find in this
class the peddlers of lottery tickets,
vendors of Protestant Bibles and
tracts, the hawkers of opals and pinch
beck jewelry, the laborers and opera
tives from the factories. These are
all of about the same social grade, and
it is among these that the Protestant
missionaries find the most of their
converts Careless as to their
church obligations, disliking the
priests for one reason or another, usu-
ally living in free and easy form of
matrimonial obligation, they are ready
to adopt any faith that will free them
from religious obligations and that
will advance their material interests.
Making Things"
There are not many large factories
in Mexico, at least not those control
ed by Mexicans. We were informed
by prominent banker in the City
of Mexico that large business enter
prises conducted entirely by Mexicans
were not among the possibilities; that
the peculiar jealous spirit of the peo-
pie would not brook for any length
of time the control of board of di-
rectors. Such boards when organized
exist for very short time and then
fall to pieces.
But if there be no factories, we find
in nearly every tenement house people
who make things" one family will
have a speciality of rag babies, another
of images created out of paper mache;
man will be seen with only a ladle
as his apparatus, and with this and
few Goals of fire in a brazier in
the middle of the family sleeping room
he will melt his pound of lead and
manufacture toy sewing machines or
diminutive chairs, beds, tables, etc.,
casting the moulds in sand at his feet
Match boxes and cigar boxes, shoes
and CATERS, hats and caps, blankets
and ponchos, walking sticks and UNI.
brellas are thus made in scantily fur
nished rooms where you find no tools
whatever, at least nothing that an
American could dignity by that name
Do you see that timer at work over
yonder, in front of that low-browed
adobe house? He has made a tin
water gutter for the railroad company
perhaps; in order to shape his work
properly-a piece at least ten feet
long-he is doubling it over on the
rail of the track that conveniently
runs in front of his house. He always
beats his metal either on that rail OIL
on piece of railroad iron that he lays
on the ground before him. The ham
mer that he uses is a round piece Of
wood.
These rude artificers form what We
would call the middle class of Mexico
but there are others of a still inferior
/ Srau6 VINO are, III sense, the ASSIST
ants of these artisans" We refer Il
the street porters who carry your
furniture on hand barrows, the water
carriers who fetch you the life-givins
fluid in the oldest of Jars suspended
from their heads, the house servants
cooks, chambermaids, coachmen, etc
Pure "Mexicans."
In the Federal District, in which the
capital city of Mexico is situated, We
have fifth class that deserves {
volume for itself. These are the mes
tizos, or pure 'Mexicans" who have
had as ancestors the Spanish father
and Indian mother, but who for fvt
or six generations have maintained /;
certain solidarity by refusing mar
riage with foreigners. These peopl,
were formerly Spanish and Indians
but now they are neither They ar,
usually known as 'leperos," are no
looked upon with great favor by tn,
classes above them, and, as rale, ar,
not favorably spoken of by those VIII,
most intimately know them They fiji
the ranks of rioters and reyolutionists