The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1921-08-19
A Public Scribe In Mexico.

the country, is approximately the siz'
OF Harrisburg, Ell PasO, or San Diego
San Louis Potosi is the size Of South
Bend, Ind. while Vera Cruz. the great
est port of the republic and fifth city
is smaller than Tampa, Florida, OF
Charleston, S. c. Salina Cruz and
the other Pacific ports are little more
than villages with extensive docks. As
a rule the cities OF Mexico are not
manufacturing centers but derive what
Importance they possess from being
the markets for the surrounding agri.
cultural country or mining regions.
While Mexico Is largely agricpltur-
al, and therefore rural, It's country life
Is s%trikingly different from that with
which farm-bred residents Of the Uni
ted States are familiar. Seldom is an
Isolated farmhouse to be found many
Of the tillers of the soil live IN little
villages and go back and forth to their
work, usually on the land of others.
These innumerable villages give one
the Impression OF being standardized
and are difficult to tell apart. They
are made up Of low, rectangular fiat
topped huts Of mud bricks or adobe,
and are huddled closely together. Be-
tween the %forbidding walls Of these
tOmb-like dwellings. the tropic sun
beats down on a narrow, dusty street.
Great Ranches and Plantations.
In addition to these more or less In.
dependent villages Of the common peo-
pie there are to be found In parts of
the country the haciendas or great
ranches Of the landed proprietOrs, on
which are other groups Of the newt
able f~at-rOofed huts, the dwellings Of
the ranch's poems. In the hot country
OF the south are extensive plantations
OF bananas rubber trees. cacao and
other special tropical products. These
plantations are often operated by for
eigners, and on them small armies of
day laborers are employed. From the
forest Of southern and southeastern
Mexico comes most Of the chicle from
which the worlds chewing gum IL
made; ard from the plantations Of
Yucatan 0me practically all the fiber
used In making the miles and miles
OF bundle Irvine with which the huge
wheat crops Of the United States are
tied into bundles.
Aboriginal traits cling to the mass
OF the Mexicans who are such q short
distance In time removed from the
strange mixture Of ~barbarism and CIV
ilization that marked the empire of
the Aztecs found by Cortez when he
landed or the gulf coast in 151S-a
with its human sacrifices
In a city carefully policed, and scrup-
llously kept clean by a corps of trained
"white-wings; ;" with its refined can
nibalism beside an astronomical abil.
lty superior to that of the scholars
who arranged the Julian calendar;
with Its institution of slavery tia only |
one known in the world which DO
1ided that every child should be born !
l freeman. They are an artistic peo-
Die, the M~exicans, apt musicians. mod
.lers, basket-makers, featherwOrkers,
yeavers and metal-workers.
Burial Vaults Are Rented.
Poverty brings its tragedy into the
ieaths as well as into the lives of
he masses Of the Mexicans. Few are
bile to buy burial plots, and the Gus
ON OF merely renting vaults for q
term of years has become n
raj. The lease is often not renewed
nd the bones are cast on q heap of
billions of others to make room for
time for some other unfortunate.
Mexico abOunds in holidays. Be-
ldes Sunday there is an equal num-
er OF saints days and additional holy
nd feast days to bring the total to
81 of the 1856.
Mexico's large unassimilated Indian
opulation and Its even larger popu-
ltion In which Indian traits FREEDOM
late makes a certain degree Of tur-
ulence a natural condition In the re-
ublic south Of the Rio Grande. The
States had not 80 long ago on
8 frontiers its Indian u~prisings, its
and train robberiea. and
8 bad men" with q penchant for
shooting up " towns. Mexico 10 stfl
this stage Of development. and be.
ause Of the heavy Indian element
J ito population, probably WIN u
'sre for many yearA