The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-02-25

WashingtOn-Dispatche from Next
&C have been sprinkled with names Of
the United States Of Mexico: JaliscO,
Durango, TabascO and others.
Mexico has % states. Does the av-
erage American know whether CHA
pas is on the Pacific or Atlantic coast;
whether Nayarit is in the north, cen
trail or south in Mexico; If Aguasca-
lientes is a large state or a small one;
or If Campeche Is In the east or west
IN MexicO2
"'Name the two territories Of Mexi-
co. is a question on which many
Americans, who can name the 48
American state capitals and the Ca
madam provinces, would fall" says a
bulletin of the National Geographic
society from its headquarters In Wash
ingtOn, D. @.
Lower California, dry, arid, noun
famous and sparsely populated, is one
Mexican territory not yet granted sta
tus Of q state. Fifteen hundred miles
away from Lower California lies Mexi-
cos other territory, Quintana Roo,
farthest south and farthest east
As Wide as Il Is Long.
ut is common to think Of Mexico as
a great horn sprouting south from
southwest United States. The posi-
ton Of the two Mexican territories
punctures this geographic myth. Mex
leo is not a thin nation. It is just a.
wide as it is long. While its western
most city is Tiajuana, over the inter
national line from San Diego, Calf,
the OutermOst point Of the Yucatan
peninsula lies as far east rs Indian
apOlis.
THE United States has one smaller
state than MexicO's smallest. Rhode
Island is 300 square miles smaller
than Tlaxcala, which lies so miles east
Of Mexico City. COlima, a state on the
Pacific coast Of Mexico directly west
Of the capital, measures less than
Delaware. But the largest state Of
Mexico, Chihuahua, across the border
from New Mexico, is much smaller
than the American giant, Texas. It
apprOximates Oregon or Illinois and
Indiana taken together.
THE states Of Mexico were Origi-
nally laid out to coincide roughly with
the areas occupied by the Indian
tribes which the Spaniards conquered
Then the ~conQuerOrs appOrtiOned the
districts among themselves. Thus
fernando COrtes was Marques de
Vale Of Oaxaca. AS Marques h
laid waste the ZapOtec Indians chic
town, built a new city on the samt
site and named it AnteQuera, after
town Of Spain near Malaga. WheI
Mexico won it's independence from
Spain, the city resumed it's old Ia
pOtec name, Huaxiacac Cmodifed Il
Spanish to Oaxaca) and the state tool
the same title. This Is a story re
peated with variations many times 1
Mexico. Practically all the state
have resumed their Indian name;
There are exceptions, such as tn
states Of Vera Cruz, San Luis POtOs
Guanajuato and NuevO Leon.
Although the ancient Aztecs, ZapC
tees, and Mayas are responsible 70
the boundaries Of modern states &
Mexico, the borders often outline def
mite geographic units. There is
classification handy for Mexican state
which our republic cannot use to al
vantage. In Mexico there are 10
states, high states and higher state
The low states are the eastern SCI
board units from north to south, II
maulipas, NuevO Leon, Vera Cruz an
TabascO. The Yucatan peninsul
group Of Campeche, Yucatan and Quiz
tana Roo also hugs sea level. p
cihc coastal states are, for the mo-
part, low states, too; but not 80 10
as east-cOast states Sonora, SinalO
Nayarit, COlima, Michoacan, Guerrer
Oaxaca and Chiapas. Then come Il
high states, that Is, those which al
5000 feet above sea level, Chihuahu
COahuila and Durango. all Of which
In the Rio Grande basin between Il
wide open arms Of the mOunta
ranges that border the famous vale
Of Mexico.
Most Populous and Richest.
"South Of Durungo ere the high
states, and Il may be added, Il
smaller, and the most ~rOpulous al
the richest states ~ ssexicO. ~
average elevation of - states and q
federal district Is e. han a nj
above sea level -. ":itaI peak, 1
miles southeast oi ;jex.r. City, is Z
key pin of a glgan' nyir Of divide
opened to a GO CO 70 angle. Ba'
arm Of the diviC = :! mOunta
range, the left asm citing wi
the Rocky No the rig
losing itself ~ "
Between e. DIS the Il
tile mile-high on Of bl
lakes and f. elevat
enough to haN. e china
Just as the m,. s CONVEX
n, Ors7oho oufps n