The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-10

or European. and every day brings fresh
evidence OF the madness OF treating
Mexicans as though they were Ameri-
cans. They may become so some day,
but that day is far distant. and until It
comes much closer anything vaguely
resembling government by the people In
as futile, lf the opinion Of the foreigner
and high class Mexican alike IL worthy
OF note. as attempts TO bay the moon
below the horizon.
The train has passed San Luis Potosi
ana our car has received more passen-
gers. chiefly a young lieutenant colonel.
the prisoner of n half dozen guards.
As nearly ~ can be learned he IL
charged with aiding ~Iiuerta. but II IL
more likely lie simply owned a little
land which the present authorities
thought they needed more than he. lie
Is being taken 20 the capital for trial
and is well ware that that means an
adobe wall behind him and "a friug
squad IN front. II his captors think
his nerve Is to be broken easily they
ar" mistaken. He sits there as impas-
stve az an idol. now and then looking
OUT the window sometimes writing IA
letter to his family. which probably
never will be delivered
Even I~aSntOrics lscd.
My companion is less disturbed over
the impending fate Of the officer tina
over the fat that the guards nave desiy-
mated the mems lavatory as the tempo
rary prison and barred from 1t all the
passengers As the women's relief room
is serving as an extra bedroom the ou.-
look IL not altogether pleasing. Even
Pullman travelling In Mexico has its
drawbacks.
The country to the south seems TO
have escaped some Of the raids. or else
to he so fertile that il responds quickly
TO anything like kline treatment.
At San Juan del Rio. the first station
to be spared which We have seen In a
long time. n 1t IL so dirty that it's
sparing Is not entirely commendable,
there appeared evidence Of the wicker
and rope industries. Feeders brought
the usual wild assortment OF prickly
pear. understood oranges. buns. cakes.
cigarettes and candles. and also wicker
chairs and tables and we'll made lariats.
Exactly why any one occupying one
half the desired amount Of space I'm his
seat and holding his baggage In his lap
should feel impellcd to buy a huge
porrh chair and drag it through the
window the American mind cannot
grasp. but chairs were bought In plenty,
passengers buying some TOO large 10
49, 80 sAAs NAAhiA .
and added to the extraordinary collec-
ton OF baggage already in the cars
sacks and baskets and cages containing
parrots or canaries and pictures ~ the
Holy Trinity.
The Mexican peon who has Just risen
from a ten course dinner can still eat.
and II the food is dirty 1t is quite as
good--a fortunate circumstance. az II
generally is dirty. II is hard to see
\ hnw amy LlNinDa haul Yutll -t..g Ia.
Mexico AS long as dulces are made. and
that will he long.
In the station We waited for three
hours while the special train of Pablo
Gonzales, Carranza's general in charge
In the south. decided which way II
wanted TO go. II was the usual type OF
train. with ~soldaderas. or camp followers.
numbering exactly the same as the
soldiers.
In other words. III a time when freight
cars are worth nearly their weight in
gold to Mexican industry twice AS many
as are necessary are used In the trans
portation Of troops. OF the small sur
plus many are permanently out Of com
mission because some officer prefers Ia
use a car rather than pay rent or a
house.
Carries thicf's Auto.
One OF the fiat cars is given over I,
carrying cen. G~onzales's automobiles
Another ear Is the armored car of tn.
rain, which would be valuable II tn.
gunners knew how to sight the canno,
1t carries. The usual humber Of filth,
men aud women and children ride on tn,
rods beneath the freight ears and dc
not particularly mind the coal dus'
they are exposed to. as they have al
ready accumulated about all the dir
they can carry.
The country looks singularly pretty
az there has just been one Of the rar,
rains of this season. The train is agaiI
under way, Gonzales having at Length
decided that hc wished to go In the othel
direction anyway We rise steadil,
through inspiring scenery toward tn,
plateau a mile and IA half above set
level. In the loveliest part OF which, per
haps. is the ancient Vale Of Anahuac
where the Aztccs built their great CAPT
tai, Mexico city.
There are good fields Of corn, ant
prosperous towns. and cotton mills, tn,
latter not prosperous. as their machiner
has been destroyed. There IL no none,
to buy new equipment and no ~railroa,
service to bring it in IL it were bought
and no inclination on the part OF tn,
outraged owners to make a fresh In
vestment even IL all else were suspicious
There Is a good deal Of irrigation worl
and "A frequent sight of some old ha
cienda. walled and lowered, built oh
viously for defence.
The more prosperous part Of Mexico
II any part is prosperous to-day--ls IL
sight.
lCopyright, 1915. by THE SUN and N,
Chicago TribuNc.1