The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-03-02

~ YER since Cortez came, and
wrote such graphic letters
= home to King Philip, the Mex
lean west coast has lured the
restless pioneer. First it was the ad-
venturer, scattering his bones over the
trackless hills; then the gold hunter
and miner-and finally the farmer and
cowman, building up homes and for
tunes. 1t is one of the worlds garden
spots, this rich west coast; country
of singular charm, of striking contrasts
and varied opportunity. Nowhere on
earth is life more easy. AS one idler
cleverly phrased it, "You can kick your
breakfast off a tree, any morning In
the year."
Here, with the advent of peace, far
reaching progress must inevitably
dawn. Linked with California by rail
and sail, and with two hundred Ameri-
can millions already invested, the fu-
ture of the west coast is peculiarly
tied up with that of the United States
"a question of big trade and mutual
human betterment, says contributor
to the Los Angeles Times.
1t is Kaleidoscope, colorful trip
the train ride from the border south,
into West Mexico. Scenic, startling
and full of bright, buoyant life it is,
after you have passed Guaymas and
plunged into the primitive Yaqui cOun-
try.
Flocks of screeching, squawking par
rots flap noisily overhead. Skulking
coyotes twist eddy away into the palo
verde thickets. In smoky scattered
camps along the railway, Yaqui troops
--patrolling the line against their wild
brothers of the hills-are on duty.
You see them making sandals from
green cowhide, or cutting up beef
into shreds and hanging the meat on
stunted mesquite trees to dry. From
their outposts comes the dull rattle of
Mexican officer told me, always gives
the enemy an earache."
At the crowded adobe stations
where your train halts leisurely to load
beans, hides and Grated chickens, q
horde of tattered, but bewitchine
bright-smiling ninas come shyly up
peddling tamales, oranges and odd ma
tive dulces.
American Influence drows.
Not so long ago the Spanish impress
lay strong on the west coast-a sur
vival of that romantic age when treas
ure-laden galleons sailed between
Acapulco and Manila. But now The
boats that drop anchor and unload a
Acapulco, Mazatlan and Guaymai
come from San Francisco-or Seattle
And the trains that crawl down thu
long coastline from the Arizona borde
are loaded with American machinery
and American miners, cattlemen ant
farmers. Only of late has this beer
true-the rail-head reaching Topic les
than ten years ago. But already Yam
kee customs, habits, influence and i'm
plements are making themselves felt
slowly, but hopefully.
Even certain reform waves, popula
in the United States Of America, hay
swept over the border and engulfed tn
Mexicans. Licensed gambling on tn
west coast is practically abolished
Bull fights are giving way to baseball
One day in Hermosillo saw soldier
carrying demijohns of tequila-th
once universal alcoholic drink-carry
ing them into the street, and smashin
them in the gutter. Pungent smell
floated in the air. "What is it 70
do?" I asked a native sergeant. 81
Estado es seco" (he state is dry) h
said, punching his bayonet into AZ
other demijohn. Prohibition had bee
decreed. Today you can't legally bu
drink from Nogales to Mazatlan enc
Illegally, either, without risk of pri
on.) 1t is so in some other parts of til
republic. Order is better, drunke
brawls thing of the past. Tequil
the old curse of the land, Is effectiv
ly suppressed.
Life and Sports.
Daily life among foreign merchan
and planters on this west coast is NJ
unlike that Of the colonials in Indi
China or the Philippines. Servan
are numerous and cheap. Fruits ar
vegetables grow in abundance. N
body hurries. Nervous breakdown
and IVORY" headaches are unhear
OF.