Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1919-01-21
The Go,erner and Edneaiion

Ia his message last "Wednesday GOV
rrnnr larraz"l" recommended laws
that would make THE teaching of Spa"
iii compulsory iu cur schools. saying
We IT this country should h. able Ia
e,atrh the oimmere of III" Latin
Amr-ia n republics Ia the south Of az.
hat We have mot done IL ~ far That
tr.,l, ha> ls.cii controlled almost eN-
clu>i,rlv hv few commercial nations
10. Europ,. aud that i due solely aud
exclusively tn the fact that those ma
fiou> cultivated and learned the Span
iSh language a. a commercial asset
The fact should convince uS III the ne
,t'>>iiy uf teaching the Spanish Ian
,,iia.r IN the >rh,-ol>. Ia the end that
we may maintain closer International
snci,l aud commercial relations with
those nations and believing that this
l. "a mltir- II national interest. | rec
ommcnd that the teaching of the Span
iSh Language lc made compulsory In the
four grades ~ the high schools of the
state. and IN the four grades Of tho
higher state educational institutions.
sui la that end the Law should provide
that the Spanish teachers in such in
,timtion> must be- thoroughly verSed IN
and acquainted with both the English
-ud Sp niSh languages.
We heartily concur In this opinion
hff ~ nat believe that the legislature
Will pass such q law. IL j. loo much
L. hope European nations have held
the trade Of Latin America because.
hef"r, going after IL. they studied the
Language aud customs nj the people.
tnd assumed n" air ~ superiority In
dealing with Them. Our own national
hisutry and Arrogance Ia dealing with
Spanish speaking races has hurt rs
more than our ignorance of their Ian
gilngr. aud has caused more trouble
than any other characteristic. No
where iu the United States Is that ar
rogancr and higotry. that utterly I'M
warranted inSistcnee ON our superior
ity. more apparent. more harmful than
here In New Mexico. particularly In the
border counties. An individual who
has been "mooching his meals from
cooks and Mattresses In various RS
taurantS 81 Deming for months. who re-
fuses To- work al any task, has the an.
dacitv Ia state that he did not vote
for the governor at the last election
because both candidates were SpigS
The vcriest hlackguard IN Deming. II
lie j. not negro and has no Mexican
hood in him. j. white man. while
larraznlo. Baca. Luc,ro. Hernandez
Garcia. and other gentlemen ef their
type are only Mex
Until we realize and admit that all
americans are not necessarily Supe-
rior Ia all "MeNicans'' II will h. nj.
terly useless Ia make study Of Span
ish compulsory in our schools. In
learning Spanish the residents Of New
Alexicp have natural advantages over
all nf the other states In the Union.
huI We completely destroy those adj.
,antageS by permitting ignorant pref
udicr &" flourish uncurhel.
American Industrial commercial. II.
irincial and agricultural interests are
certain Ia develop hugely IN Latin
america from now on. The demand for
Americans Ia carry out these under
takingS l. constantly increasing But
American firms operating In Mexico.
Central and South America will not
keep In their employ men who have
'coad,.scended;' To- learn Spanish AMI
rgrrtfullv left humc to work among
inferior" people. They require men
with knowledge. ability and utterly
iihnut racial prejudice