The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1921-08-19

ciety. Washington. d. c.
East or west an American must trav
el far to reach a foreign country. ! Blu
let him take only a few steps to the
south and he will And himself more
efectually abroad than If he Travelled
to many parts Of. Europe. A and de
void Of Yankee hustle" except where
Yankees themselves display it; a land
with its p~easantry reminiscent Of q
feudaiism which the remainder OF
North America escaped; a land where
the aborigines were not dispOssessed
but with their European c%OnQuerors
formed a new race-such Is Mexico
1t Is q country Of striking contrasts
Though 1t Is exceedingly rich in natur-
al resources, a large part Of its pOpu-
latiOn lives In dire poverty. 1t had
a university before John Harvard Was
born. yet the great mass Of its peo-
pie are i%lliterate. Modern equipages
and machines are to be seen side by
side with the most primitive vehicles
and devices. And desert sands and
tropical jungies a be found almost
within q stones throw Of eternal snow.
The Mexico Of today has an area Of
about 10000 square miles-apprOxi-
mately a quarter that Of the United
States. Roughly half Of the long shore
line Of the Gulf Of Mexico Is Mexican /;
and its Pacific coast Is nearly a thou
sand miles longer than that Of the
United States exclusive Of Alaska.
Big In Some Ways, Small in Othera
OF the nineteen independent Latin
American countries, Mexico is exceed
ed In size by only two. Brazil and Ar
g%entina; and In population by only
Brazil. With Its population Of 1d.0O0,-
600. Mexico has twice the total popu-
lattcn Of Argentina and three times
that country's density of population:
but measured by the value Of Its COM
merce, Its revenue or the strength Of
Its navy. Mexico Is OF less Importance
among the countries OF the world. 1t
is subordinate In these respects too,
to Brazil and Chile. the latter q coun-
try less than half the size Of Mexico
and with q population Of about a quar-
ter. Even In the matter Of railroad
mileage per 1000 square miles OF ter
ritOry, Mexico, before its revolutions
well ahead OF all other large Latin.
American countries. is now practically
eQuailed by Argentina and Chile.
But Mexico has wonderful potential
wealth, and with a stable and con-
structive government and laws that
make the investment Of capital safe.
would have many advantages Over
Its Latin-American competitors In the
for development and rank among |
the countries Of the world.
Though Mexico has an area o: great |
Is much smaller. Throughout
the history of the country, both be-
fore the coming Of the Spanish con-
Querors and since, its culture and its
center Of population have been on the
great central plateau which rises be-
tween the two oceans. and particu-
arly In the south central part Of that
'egiOn. A section there occupying not
more than One-sixth OF the country
nearly two-thirds Of the to-
al population. This portion, of which
he valley of Mexico and the city Of
Mexico are neal the center, has a
delightful climate. Blankets are used
It night the year round, but seldom at
my time Of the year Is an O~vercOat
leeded at midday.
The northern portion of Mexico is
argely occupied by deseres. The
outhern section is tropical coun-
ry OF steamy moisture and jungles.
'oth coasts are hot and unpleasant
a large part of their ex-
ent. 1t Is natural enough, therefore,
hat the central plateau has played an
important part In the country's his.
Dry.
But One Really Large City.
Mexico is essentially a rural coun-
~. Mexico City. the capital. with
Is million Inhabitants. is the only
lty OF large size within the coun-
ty's borders. Between the metropo-
. and the next largest city, Guadala-
ira, u q great gulf. Tor the latter
9TH its population Of 10000 Is only
he sixe Of Nashville, Tenn, or Salt
AXE City. Monterey. the greatest
II q northern Mexico, and thiid IN