The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-09-25
BOTH Ne w AND old
Mexico a Mixture of the Ancient
and Modern.
Prehistoric Remains Show That the
Builders Had High State of CIV
ilization-NatiVe Tribes and
Races Still Exist.

What manner OF folk are the Mexi
cans?
Whatever ones views on the wisest
political course toward Mexico, II VIII
help in a thorough understanding oil
that country to examine the rich ms
tory the ancient civilization, the pre-
historic remains to be found among
our southern neighbours says the Ma
tlona Geographic society.
"Of the 100000 inhabitants, two
fifths claim direct descent from an
cient tribes or families which are ac-
cepted as the basis Of Mexican ms
tory, two-ffths are of mixed native ana
foreign blood, the remainder being
clasSed under the common appellatlon
of foreign
"Throughout much of the country,
and often within short distances OF
railroads, are remnants of some or
the ancient native tribes or races, adj
herring to customs, methods and speech
of their ancestors. Thus in OaXaca
are the Zapotecas and MiXtecas, the
estimate for the two races being halr
million, and a government publication
mentions dozen other families In the
same state.
in Hldalgo and adjacent states, the
Otoms; in Puebla and Oaxaca, the
MexicanOs the predominating Mayas
I'm Yucatan; in MchOacan and JaliSco,
the Tarascans. and the Tlaxcalans, in
their native state, and other groups
elsewhere, still maintain the tribal in
dividualtes.
Although Spanish is the language
of the country and much English is
spoken in the regions most visited,
large number of the natives use only
the vernacular.
Prescott refers to the Aztecs, Tax
calans and others as producers Of deli
cate fabrics, colored by vegetable dyes;
intricate designs in the precious met
ais, and beautiful decorations made Of
feathers; numerous ruins also indi-
cate marvellous skill of ancient peo-
pies IN StOne-work, especially as the
tools used were obsldlan or copper
Evidence that this dizziness In
handwork has been retained appears
IN the feather-work. Woodworking
stone-cuttlng, etc, Of the present day
The beautiful pottery and unique
weayes Of serapes, made with the
crudest appliances and excellent fab
rication In cast or wrought iron. fill
gree silver etc, also bear testimony
TO the skill of the Mexican Indian.
Mexico has a wealth Of archaeology
icol relics, remnants Of an ancient civ
liiza;:ol of which no well-defincd trace
exists Volumes have been written 10
demonstrate that the builders of what
ale now ruins were Of MongOlian,
Semitic or Phoenlcisn origin, but the
riddle cannot be admitted as solved.
All authorities, however, unite in
praise OF the magnitude and the per-
fectlon Of workmanship shown az va
riaus RUNS found throughout the Mex
lean territory. The region adjacent
TO sornc OF these raises question ms
a. the : 1rce Of sustenance for null
tiludps which must have then existed,
had cnuses speculation upon changes
which may fave occurred In the in
tcrvaI.
'prOmlnent among these ruins are
Uxmal and Chichen-Itza, in the state
OF Yucatan: Palcnque, In the state Of
Chlpus; Militia, in the stnte of Oaxaca,
and Xochcalco, in the state Of
MOrelOs.
"The pyramid OF Cholula, in Puebla,
and those of the Sun and Moon. in
the state Of Mexico, have also been
literally described but distributed
over wide areas are many other ruins
which nave had but little or no lnyes-
tigniion. ana rock sculptures, images,
idols and ancient pottery, found In
numerous localities. are the only rec
ords of peoples whose history Is UNI
known and whose names even are
lost"