The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-01-26
toric monuments which suli remain
Progress in tho Crafts

intact.
Progress in the Crafts.
In art. metal-werk and all kinds OF
handicraft the nation had made great
progress. Cotton was extensively
cultivated. The flbers Of the slsai
plants and the palm were utiilzeo.
Beautiful cloths were woven. Car
ments were manufactured. ornaments
OF gold, silver and the semipreclous
stones were produced in profusion
Iron was not known. but copper ana
tin were mined and bronze was MADE
very similar to that produced IN the
Old World. Gold and silver were
used as money for trading purposes,
copper and cocoa beans for small
change. In fine, the Indians Of south
ern Mexico had reached compare
lively high point of civilization along
all lines of human endeavOr.
When Cortez reached Mexico he
found city covering some eleven
square miles of ground, with vast pal
aces, temples geological and botanical
gardens containing most complete
collections Of the flora and fauna Of
the country. The principles Of en-
gineering were we'll understood. The
drains aQueducts and the Highways of
the city, as well as the military de-
lenses, had been skillfully laid out
and constructed. The population
generally was vigorous, Of good ply
steal stature and not at all lacking
| in courage. But, notwithstanding
! this, they proved an easy prey to the
Spanish adventures, clad III steel
| and fighting with swords and fire
| arms. But the Conquest was accom-
plished by subterfuge and treachery
as we'll as by force Is it not posi-
| BILE that the racial recollection Of the
| terrible days Of the Conquest in part
| accounts for the unreaSOning hOStll-
| If no
| Spaniards and all tina. is Spanish?
! The Aztec Empire extended as far
north as Zacatecas. In general way
it may be said that the country to
| the south Of a line extending from
| Tampico on the Gulf to Mazatlan on
! the Pacific was occupied by settled
city building Indians, Of whose civili-
| zation / have given hurried sketch.
| To the north Of this line, speaking
| generally, the Indians were of the I'M
| settled, rowing character, similar in
| most respects to the prairie and west
ern tribes Of our country.
The settled Indians were subJugated
and reduced to condition Of the most
abject servitude by the SpaniardS iD
| the course of few generations. The
| northern country was not occupied by
| the Spaniards at the time of the Con-
| quest Commencing about century
later, the Mexican viceroys sent ex-
strategic positions from time to time
as far north as New Mexico. The
Indians were largely exterminated
or driven further north into the ter
ritory now part Of the United States
Settlements were made principally by
Mexican mixed bloods from tho
South and by adventures and fugl-
tives from justice and from political
. persecution In fact. northern
Mexico was settled by killing and
{ driving out the Indians who originally
roved over the country. much in the
) same manner as our West was set
tied. This is an important fact to
: be borne in mind in any study OF
the Mexican people.
His Recent Trip.
When I reached Mexico on my re-
: cent trip, I found that the section Of
/, country which l have referred to as
northern Mexico was virtually all in
3 a state Of revolt against the authority
i which Huerta assumed to exercise in
the South Upon investigation l be-
came thoroughly convinced that the
f SO-called revolution was only in 8
\ slight degree political in its chara cter
4 That individual disappOintments anC
e ambitions played a part is not to be
Y gainSaid; but the impelling force thai
), actuated the mass of the people who
e participated in the CONSTITUTE Onalis
). | movement was economic and socia
t rather than political in the partisan
d sense The same unrest that result
i ed in the general armed movement il
e the North was operative in the South
s but in a much more subdued form
e The Zapata movement in the South
). | west was the most tangible manifas
r tation in the South.
b II was urged by the European
d generally, and by a large element il
IS this country, that the recognition O
V Huerta by our government so that h,
n might borrow money to enable hin
IS to carry his war of Subduing tn,
j. North more effectively was the onl,
IS solution Nearly all the American
in southern Mexico were Of that opin
It ion. I met and interviewed most o
) them. They were very hostile il
It their comments upon the President 70
c not pursuing that course.
Is AS they called to me, / usual,
"a asked them Whet her in their i1Id lie,