The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-04-19
aIic.loacan: A State You May not
Have Met

printer didn't make mistake
There's another one. But it hap
pens TO be state in Mexico in
stead of in the United States; and
it is hotter both climatically and
temperamentally that the VOL
VERNE State.
In a bulletin issued from it's
Washington, D. c., headquarters
the National Geographic Society
tells about Mexico's Michigan"
where revolutionary disturbances
have broken out recently.
Kept His Boots On
'Michoacan is not very we'll
known to the outside world" says
the bulletin, "chief1y because under
the present railroad development
the state is not on the road to any
place. II you go into Michoacan
you go because that is your destina-
ton. Many modern forces which
have nodded other parts Of MeXi-
co, have not, therefore. made them
selves felt very strongly in Micf1oa
can. A number of it's quiet little
towns of eight to ten thousand
souls, descendants of early Span
ish settlers, are the centers Of con-
seryatism. But paradoxicaily, the
state as a whole has always been a
veritable revolutionary cauldron,
for it's large Indian population
seems to inherit it's combativeness
Of ancestors who were never con-
uuered by the Aztecs. Like a few
European mobiles who may wear
their hats in the presence Of their
king, the old chief Of the Michoa-
can natives alone has the right to
stalk into the presence Of Montezu-
ma with his boots on.
''Hidalgo, who in 1910 started
the revolution against Spain which
resulted finally in the formation
of the Mexican Republic, first rails
ed his standard in Michoacan, and
after his execution Morelos, native
of the same state, continued to
keep the fight alive. During this
early period Michoacan was the
Valley Forge of the Mexican rev.
olution. Morella, the capital Of
Michoacan, is named after this 10
cal as we'll as national hero-one of
the few towns of prominence nam
ed after a man born within it. The
original name was discarded a few
years after Morelo's death.
Coast Line Without a Port.
Michoacan has a coast-line Of
100 miles on the Pacific but not a
single port The situation in Cen
tral America is directly reversed
here. In Central America the Pa
cific coast is the region Of devel-
opment, heavy population and cul-
ture; Michoacan's Pacific coast is
largely waste land very sparsely
settled. A relatively few miles in
land the Sierra Madre mountains
form great rampant from the Pa
cific, and among these mountains
and on the plateau inland is CEN
tired the life of the state.
1.-The mountainous portion of Mi
choacan is the Switzerland Of Mex
leo, a region abounding in scenic
beauty unsurpassed elsewhere in
the republic. There are high
mountains, deep valleys. and the
most beautiful lakes in Mexico.
Forming part of the western boun-
dary of the state is Lake Chapala.
the largest body of fresh water
sc tn of Lake Michigan and north
of Lake Nicaragua. 1t is to this
hili-encircled. forest-rimmed lake
that many OF the wild ducks and
geese are winging their way when
their southwark fight apprises
the people of the Michigan of the
north that winter is approaching.
Tens of thousands of these fowls
are killed on Lake Chapala every
winter, but apparently without
materially reducing their numbers.
City Known for Its Candies.
Because OF the great variety OF
it's products Michoacan might al
most stand alone: 1t is the great
est cereal growing state Of the re-
public, and in addition is a heavy
producer Of coffee to drink with
the cereals, sugar to sweeten the
coffee. fruits for a side dish, va
nilla with which to flavor the family
desserts, wines to top Oft with. ana
tobacco with which to make the at
ter-dinner cigar. Even the cabl-
net WOODS with which to make
handsome dinner-tables are nroduc-
ed in abundance And Sweet-meats
for the drawing room are not lack
ing. Morelia is known all over
Mexico. even by those whose
knowledge of its rich historical as
sociations is somewhat lazy. be-
cause of an especially toothsome
concoction of candied ounces.