The Tomahawk., 1916-08-17

THEHTEk
THERE have been many rumors
of late that Lower California
would secede from Mexico and
II become republic.
Vague notions prevail of what con-
stitutes Lower California. Physically,
it is peninsula 700 miles long and
hundred miles or so across from the
Pacific to the gulf. The peninsula Is
jagged one with mountain range
paralleling the Pacific. The sterile
heights are not inviting, nor Is the
cactus-covered lakeland. Few passes
bisect the mountain range. There is
little timber and less water, but the
peninsula is not all barren waste.
There are regions in which the wealth
Of tropical vegetation is riotous, ana
there are great stretches OF land
which, by means Of irrigation, can be
made the sources Of productive agri-
culture, writes Charles NJ. Pepper, IN
the Washington Star.
It is the coast, however, that is Of
chief international Importance. This
was charted by Admiral Dewey when
he was Captain Dewey. 1t has also
been charted by other officers Of the
United States navy, and it's character
istics are not unknown to the Japanese
navy. There are few good harbors
either on the Pacific side or on that of
the gulf, and that Is another reason
which makes those that do exist of
such international Importance.
A wealth Of romantic tradition clus-
tiers around the peninsula. 1t has been
called "the mother Of California;" Cor
tez sent exploring parties there after
pearls and gold. The Jesuit fathers es-
tablished themselves, and all the ro-
nance of the mission days Is due to
them.
Porfirio Diaz gave Lower California
the best government it ever had, which
was that of a benevolent, but iron
handed, military dictatorship. The
peninsula was constituted into ter
ritory, which it still Is, and was d.
vided into two districts for administra-
tive purposes. The headquarters Of the
northern district are at Ensenada, not
very far from San Diego, with which
steamship communications are main
tanned. The headquarters Of the lower
district are at La Paz on the gulf.
Resources of the Territory.
The bulk of the population is in the
southern part Of the peninsula. The
total number of inhabitants is said to
be between thirty and thirty-five thou
sand, Of whom possibly three-fOurths
are in the south.
Under the Diaz policy of encouraging
foreign capital to develop the material
resources Of Mexico, marked progress
was observed in Lower California. The
gold mines proved to be largely legen-
Diary, but there are several productive
silver mines operated by American
capital.
Lower California Is one Of the
worlds principal sources Of copper
production. The great mine known as
Santa ROsaliG is situated near the gulf
coast. 1t is controlled by the French
branch Of the Rothschild family, and
the majority of the foreigners there
are Frenchmen. Santa ROsalia has
been described as French municipal
ity in Spanish and Indian environ.
ment.
The pearl fisheries of the gulf ut one
time were quite valuable, although the
reports of the revenues which the
Spanish crown derived from them
were, as usual, wildly exaggerated.
The center of the pearl fishing indus
try is ut La Paz. It has dwindled a
good deal in recent years, but Is still
source Of revenue to the government
The agricultural resources Of the
peninsula never have been systematic
ally exploited. This is partly because
it only could be done on q scale requir-
ing a large amount of capital and part.
~ because of the political uncertain
ties. The country itself is not such rs
to invite many cOlOnists from the
United States, though there have been
few adventurous spirits who took
their chances. What is needed in or
der to insure colonization Is irrigation.
MagdaIena Bay and La Paz.
proper interest of the United States
in Lower California through the Mag
dalena bay incident. That was case
IN which Washington could not afford
to view the international situation with
uncOncern.
Naval officers know the harbor as
one of the finest in the world, just as
the old-time New Bedford whalers
knew it. They know that the United
States, In due regard for its own
rights, never could acquiesce in any
arrangement by which any Asiatic
power, or, for that matter, European
power, would be allowed to convert
Magdalena bay into a naval station.
For that reason they, perhaps, were
e,cr;c:ar-c of tho nature of the DTO-