Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-12-17

than Durango. The rugged and desert
character of the Mexican border states
support sparse populations, except
where mining exploitation and cities
resulting therefrom have concentrated
settlement.
! The melting SHOWS from the San
Juan and Sangre de Christie ranges of
the Rocky Mountains in southern Col
orado form the genesis of the Rio
Grande, which. after flowing south
through New Mexico, bends southeast
at the western extremity of Texas,
courses between 1t and Mexico for a
distance equal to that of st. Louis
from New York. and descends in 100
miles from an elevation Of $500 feet to
sea level at the Gulf of Mexico.
Except when In flood, the Rio
Grande Is apparently an unimportant
stream and readily crossed, for tho
normal flow is well utilized for irri-
CATION in both countries, but 1t has
carved in part of its course canyons
difficult Of exploration. The changes
wrought by freshets,, which shift the
channel, demanded the attention of an
international commission, which has
adjusted the boundary along the Rio
Grande to meet the varying conditions.
The uncertainty OF this is illustrated by
of the important city. of Ell Paso. Tex,
was Mexican soil. The remaining 700
miles of the international boundary to
the west separating our neighbor re-
public from New Mexico, Arizona and
California, is through an arid desert
section, much of which Is mountainous.
This is not a direct line. but has five
changes in alignment, which have been
accurately surveyed and established by
ant MT "a al q
tinguishable.
Mexico has an area approximately
one-fourth of that of the United States,
u fourth of whose area once belonged
to Mexico. 1t has coast-line some
5000 miles long, although its greatest
length Is less than 1000 miles and its
greatest breadth only $50 miles. AL
though its area is only one-fourth that
of Brazil, its population is approx
mately equal to that of the largest re-
public of the southern continent.
Some 15.000,000 souls live within Its
borders, of whom more than two thirds
can neither read nor write.
"Of the total population. only 10 per
cent are white. 43 per cent are Of mixed
parentage, while 3S per cent still MAIN
tain their Indian blood uncorrupteG.
The foreign population in 1912 num-
bered 100000 souls, of whom 10000
were Americans. 10000 Spanish, and
5000 British.
Mexico probably has greater
range of remarkable vegetation than
any other country In the world.
mo other country in the New World,
south of the Rio Grande, was SO well
supplied with railroads as was Mexico
prior to the Madero revolution. Then
1t had 10000 miles of up to- date Amer
lean railroad. At six different points
lines crossed the frontier from the
United States. and Laredo, Eagle Pass
and FL Paso gateways handled much
traffic to and from Mexico. The Mex
lean railroads carried 100000 pas
sengers annually at that time and ham
died about 100000 tons of freight.
Their total revenues amounted to about
$40,000,000.
Humboldt once pronounced Mexico
the treasure-house OF the world Be-
fore the world war 1t produced one
third OF the worlds silver. consid-
cradle percentage Of its gold. one
ninth of its lead and one-twentieth of
its copper. The countrys mineral pro-
duction, exclusive of iron, coal and pc
troleum. amounted to 315S 100000 In
1910. With the exception OF Campeche,
Tabasco and Yucatan, every state In
the Mexican republic possesses mines,
Of which there are 21,000, covering
$4,000 acres Of mineral lands and Civ
ing employment to half million men.
Yet probably less than one-fourth of
the mineral possibilities of the repub-
lie have been exploited. Prior to the
outbreak of the Madero revolution up
ward of 5000 mining claims were reg
istered each year"
Poland, formerly represented by a
single stamp, has since the armistice
produced 400 separate ana distinct
postage stamps. Ukrania ranks Sec
onds with 176 varieties. Jugo- Slavta
and Cxecho- Slavta contribute about 100
specimens each and Fiume 70.
Considerable potato starch - man
ufactured In Europe. There has been
some development along this line N
our country. Maine y the lead1ng
state and eleven IN the remainder q