The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1919-11-19
BOTH NEWAND OLD
NClcO a Mixture Of the Ancient
and Modern.
Prehlsts,A ReEsaIRs Show That the
Builders Has : High state 81 Civ.
IlIxatIen-NatIve Tribes and
Raess sim ExlsL


I What manner Of folk are the MeA
/ cansi
Whatever ones views on the wisest
political course toward Mexico, II win
help In a thorough understanding OF
that country to examine the rich his
tory, the ancient civilization. the pre-
historic remains to be found among
our southern nelghbors. says the Ma
tional Geographic society.
"Of the ie.000. 900 Inhabitants, two
6fths claim direct descent from an
Client tribes or families which are ac-
copied az the basis OF MexIcan his
tory. two-iifths are Of mixed native and
foreign blood. the remainder being
classed under the common appeliatlon
Of foreign
''Throughout much OF the country.
and often within thort distances OF
railroads. are remnants Of some OF
the ancient native tribes or races. adj
herring to customs, methods and speech
Of their ancestors. Thus in Oaxaca
are the Znpotecas and Mlxtecas. the
estimate for the two races being half
million. and government publication
mentions dozen other families in the
same state.
TN Hidalgo and adjacent states, the
otomls: ia Puebla and Oaxaca, the
Mexic0nos; the predominating Mayas
iRtYucatan 10 Miehoacan and jalIsco.
the Tarascans. and the Tlaxcalans. IN
their native state. and other groups
elsewhere. stIll maintain the tribal In.
dlyidunlities.
,AsAlihough Spanish Is the language
Of the country and much English IL
spoken In the regions most visited, .
large number OF the natives use only
the yernacular.
Prescott refers to the Aztecs, Tax
calans and others as producers Of deli
cate fabrics, colored by vegetable dyes;
Intricate designs 10 the precious met.
ais, and beautiful decorations made Of
feathers; nulperous ruins also indI.
cate marvellous skin OF ancient peo-
pies IN stone-work. especially us the
tools used were obsIdIan or copper
"Eyidence that this deftness in
handlwork has been retained appears
IN the feather-w0rk, wood carving,
stone-cuttlng, etc. Of the present day
The beautiful pottery and unique
wsaves OF serppes made with the
crudest appliances, and excellent Fab
rlcation in cast or wrought iron, tili-
gree silver, etc. also bear testimony
ia The skill OF the Mexican lndtlu.
V, 1Alekico has h,lweplth Of archaeolog
lcni relics. REMNANTS Of an ancient civ
lllzaiion OF which no well-defined trace
exists. Volumes have been written to
demonstrate that the builders Of what
ale now ruins were Of MonR0llan.
Semitic, Or ThoenIcian origin, but the
riddle cannot be admitted as soited.
All authorities, however. unite In
btnIae OF the magnitude and the per.
fhctiOn Qf Workmanship shown at "a.
klous riIinsi found throughout the Mex.
lean territory. The region adjacent
70 soric OF these raises question ne
IL the Source OF sustehance for null
titudes which must have then existed
aad causes SPECULATION upon changes
which may have occurred In the in.
tervhl.
prominent among these ruins are
Uxmal and Chichen-ltza, in the state
OF Yucatan; Palenque, In the state OF
Chipas; Militia. in the state of oaXaca.
and Xochicalco. In the state Of
MOrelos.
THE pyramid of Cholula. in Puehla.
and those of the Sun and Moon, In
the state of Mexico, have also been
literally described. but distributed I
over wide areas are many other ruins
which have had but little or no inves
tlgation. and rock sculptures, images,
idols and ancient pottery, found In
numerous localities, are the only rec
ords Of peoples whose history is I'M
known and whose names even are
lost"