The Colorado statesman., 1919-09-27
BOTH new AND OLD
Mexico a Mixture OF the Ancient
and Modem.
Prehistoric Remains Show That the
Builders Had a High State Of CIV
iIization-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 Oh
that country to examine the rich MS
tory, the ancient civilization, the pre-
historic remains to be found among
our southern neighbors, says the Ma
tlonal 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-fifths are OF mixed native ana
foreign blood, the remainder being
classed under the common appellauon
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 ad-
herring to customs, methods and speech
of their ancestors. Thus in OaXaca
are the Zapotecas and Mixtecas, the
estimate for the two races being hair
million, and IA government publication
mentions a dozen other families in the
same state.
"In Hldalgo and adjacent states, the
Otomis; in Puebla and Oaxaca, the
Mexicanos; the predominatlng MayaS
in Yucatan In Michoacan and Jalisco
the Tarascans, and the Tlaxcalans, in
their native state. and other groups
elsewhere, still maintain the tribal in
dividualities.
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
rhe vernacular.
prescott refers to the Aztecs, Tlax-
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 Obsidian or copper.
evidence that this deftness In
handiwork has been retained appears
in the feather-work, wood-carving,
The beautiful pottery and unique
weaves 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 archaeolog-
ical relics, remnants of an ancient CIV
liizaIion OF which no well-defined trace
Exists. Volumes have been written to
demonstrate that the builders Of what
ale now ruins were Of MOngolian.
Semitic, or Phoeniclan origin. but the
riddle cannot be admitted as solved.
All authorities, however, unite In
praise Of the magnitude and the per
fection of workmanship shown at va
rIous ruins found throughout the Mex
lean territory. The region adjacent
to sor1c of these raises question as
to the source of sustenance for null
titudes which must have then existed,
aad causes speculation upon changes
which may have occurred In the in
terval.
"Prominent among these ruins are
Uxmal and Chichen-Itza, 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 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 have had but little or no inves-
tigation, and rock sculptures, images,
idols and ancient pottery, found in
numerous localities, are the only rec
ords of peoples whose history is un-
known and whose names even are
lost"