The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-12-26
Mexico Is In Hands of the
Bands of Robbers
PEOPLE WOULD LABOR
They Are Ready To Settle Down
If Such Thing Were Made
Possible
-RALPR Il. TURNER.

Laredo, Tex tBy Mail This
town, whose location on the M
Grande long since gave it interna
tional Importance in American rela-
,ations with Mexico, today finds that
its strategic position has afforded it
new notwithstanding possi-
bilities. For this is one point where
Dry America may hustle across a
bridge and be received into the wait
ing arms of Wet Mexico. ~.
"S.op! First Chance!" is the i'm
polling command posted over the Lee
pcz saloon to greet the eyes of the
traveller after he has paid the toll
charges on the Mexican side of the
International bridge But it is not the
last chance by any means. Nueva
Laredo, the Mexican end of this
Texas city, aims to provide full ac-
commodation for parched ,throats
from the north.
An unofficial census gives Nueva
laredo population of $4,000. An
other census, probably more accurate,
credits it with thirty saloons.
Appeal to Sentiment.
= The appeal to sentiment is made
just as urgent on the return to the
American side of the border Letters
Just as bold as those seen on the ar
rival proclaim that it is the Last
Chance" again requesting a cessa-
ton of r:otion. The Mexican eye
alsoNs seized LA Ultima Oportun-
idad' is the warning which it re-
ceives.
The American citizen in Laredo. so
far as his own personal liberty" is
concerned, assumes an attitude of in
difference toward the situation across
the linz. He wanders over now and
then. he explains. but this nearby
wetness has become an old story to
him and it doesn't excite him. Be-
sides, Texas has been dry for more
than a year.
In the. smoking compartments of
Pullman cars from the north-that is
where the praises of Laredo. and its
Mexican cousin across the river, are
sung to the full. Travelling statesmen,
old hands in the border territory,
hold their less travelling friends en-
thralled with the unqualified declara-
ton that there's not even a decimal
noint after Won pass the center of the
Laredo bridge-that it's straight five
per cent. And then-they pass to the
mysteries of tequila, the Mexican ma
tional drink And on, and on. BY
The tine the traveller has reached
Laredo, his interest has been = well
developed.
Tourist Season Beginning
IL. IT, ses
lust beginning. lien in San Antonio,
whose business it is to know, declare
that more persons are coming to
Southern Texas for the winter, from
The East and North, than ever be-
fore. 1t also is expected that great
volume of traffic, bound for Califor-
mia, will stop il Gan Antonio. The
railroad administration has been ad-
vertising Spanish missions and
balmy climate Americans are said to
be amply supplied with money which
they wish to spend. And-no one
denies it--a nights ride from San
Antonio banishe5 prohibition.
Laredo, as resdlt, foresees ho-
tel, register black with names. Across
the border, they're ready. Besides
drink, Nueva Laredo offers pair of
gambling houses and bull fight-a
genuine Spanish bull fight with all
the tfimmin,s-nearly every Sunday.
But of course the ointment contains
the inevitably fly. The business CT
crossing the border is easy;g short
time passports are issued with little
formality. but the bridge closes at
seven o'clock, the result Of a, quar-
-antine order. This cramps the style
of late parties, for traffic across the
bridge after that hour is forbidden
and Nueva Laredo is shy of hotel ac-
comnodations Saloon proprietors
say this is the only point on the bor-ii
der where such a ruling, exists.
"Hrisn't right" complained one,
an American who left New Orleans
for Mexico the morning of July first
last. "But Pm doing my best I'm
fixin' up furnished rooms on the two
floors over my place. Let 'em stay
oil uioht I saw