Year: 1877

zens were killed outright by one single
band of Indians and Mexicans. This
systematic robbery damages the people
OF Western Texas in another way. There
Is strip of country of about 200 miles
in length by 100 in breadth on both sides
OF the Pecos River, constituting por-
ton of the table lands of Western Texas,
which is beyond doubt the best coun-
try in the world for raising sheep. There
is not only perpetual herbage fit for
grazing purposes, but the whole country
IS covered with a shrub called the
Wecache, on which the sheep thrive
There is, moreover, sufficient water, and
the sheep are remarkably free from
disease. This section of country is ca
pable of growing millions of pounds of
the finest grade of wool. There are now
in San Antonio more than half dozen
men from Australia, California and else
where, men of wealth, who wish to start
large sheep ranches in that section of
the State, but who are unwilling to take
the risks, since they and their shepherds
would be liable to be murdered and
scalped every time the moon was full.
Owing to the great drought in Califor-
mia this entire Pecos country would be
settled by sheep-raisers from California,
but they have the same objection to be-
ing scalped every full moon that the ma
tive Texan has. But, in all seriousness,
the progress and growth of Western
Texas, affecting indirectly the prosperi-
ty and development of the whole State,
to say nothing of the direct loss of life
and property, is retarded in order that
the Mexicans may enrich themselves.


THE POSITION OF THE MEXICAN CEN


TRIAL AUTHORITIES.


OF their own free will and accord, the
local Mexican authorities, although able
to do so, will never put a stop to the
stealing, it being perpetual source of
revenue to some of the most influential
men in the country. The Central Gov
ernment can, if it will, compel the local
authorities on the Rio Rrande to prevent
the raiding parties from going into Tex
as but, if President Diaz or any other
Mexican President were to attempt to
punish the raiders, or were to yield to
the demand of the United States to ex-
tradite the Indian thieves and murder
ers, he would be accused of flunkeying
to the hated gringos. Herein lies the
gravity of the situation. The Indians
and Mexicans on the Rio Grande have
been stealing from Texas for such
length of time that nothing but Mexi,
can army on the Rio Grande can stop it,
and the Mexican President who would
give such an order would be hurled from
power as friend of the Americans.
Lerdo's conciliatory policy on the Rio
Grande had much to do with his being
driven from the country. No Mexican
President is able to hold his own unless
he protects the thieves and defies the
foreigners. On the other hand, Presi-
dent Hayes can not recede from his pol
icy to protect Texas from this chronic
invasion and, of course, the only prac-
ticable way to do so is to follow the
thieves into Mexico and punish them.
This mode of procedure can not fail to
bring about collisions between the Mexi-
can regulars and the United States
troops. Ed


GEN. ORD'S FORCE INADEQUATE.


Along the line of the Rio Grande,
nearly thousand miles in length, Gen.
Ord has at present available for active
service in the field only 1,700 men,
two-thirds of whom are cavalry Should
it happen that scout were to pursue
thieves across the boundary-an it
may happen at any day-there is every
prospect that every available man would
be required to extricate the scout. The
consequence would be that some Of the
frontier forts (Which are not forts at all,
however,) would be left at the mercy of
any body of Mexicans who chose to
cross over. | have it from Gem Ord
himself that two regiments of infantry
are Indispensable to garrison the posts
during the probable temporary alb
sence of the cavalry in Mexico. 1t
should be remembered in this connec-
ton that the present numerical strength
of regiment of infantry is only about
250 men for active service. There are
at present two cavalry regiments on the
Rio Grande, but, owing to discharges
and other causes, they have dwindled
down very much. Now the law requires
two full regiments to be stationed on
the Rio Grande, and no time should be
lost in bringing them up to the proper
standard. A failure to properly re-en-
force the troops on the Rio Grande may
cause the nation to lament over another
Custer massacre.