Alfred Ronald Conkling

“ This result can only be achieved by their education, not alone in the lessons of the schools, but in the various branches of skilled industry and in social progress and enlightenment.
Thus far almost the only step which has been taken toward the intellectual culture of the young has been to provide schools for the training of the children of Spanish blood. Surely it requires no argument, in our day, to prove that the facilities for acquiring at least the elementary branches of education ought to be placed within the reach of every child, without reference to color, creed, or lineage. ”

“ Labor is now abundant throughout the Republic. In some of the larger cities the supply is greater than the demand. Skilled labor is rare among the natives, but they are capable of learning any trade. European labor has not thus far been largely introduced into Mexico. American negroes have been imported to a limited extent for the purpose of railway-construction.
The peons or day-laborers may be divided principally into two great classes, i. e. , those engaging in mining, and those who are employed on farms and ranches. The former class are much better workmen than the latter. ”

“ The great desideratum in Mexico has always been cheap and rapid transportation. For many years communication between the various towns could only be had by means of carts and on horseback. At length a system of diligences was established, which of course was only adapted to carrying passengers. The first line of railroad—that of the Mexican Railway Company, connecting the city of Vera Cruz with the national capital—was begun in 1837. On September 16, 1869, the branch of this road from Mexico to Puebla, a distance of 1153⁄4 miles, was opened with great pomp and ceremony. ”

“ Foreigners who have acquired real estate from private owners, or the Government of Mexico, are subject to all kinds of taxation, and are bound to do military duty whenever called upon to protect the property they have acquired, or preserve public order and tranquillity in the place where they reside, and are bound to take part in the elucidation of all questions that may arise in regard to said property, according to the existing laws, and before the tribunals of Mexico, without ever appealing to their rights of foreign citizenship, or to any intervention from a foreign power. ”

“ The atmosphere on the Mexican plateau is very dry. This aridity proceeds from two causes: 1. The evaporation that occurs on great plains, which is increased by the high table-land; and, 2. The country is not sufficiently elevated for a considerable number of the mountains to penetrate the region of perpetual snow. Tourists are liable to suffer from thirst and chapped lips on arriving in the valley of Mexico, owing to the dryness of the climate. The nights are cold throughout the year on the great table-land north of the eighteenth parallel of latitude. ”

“ Soon after the Spanish Conquest, horned cattle, horses, donkeys, sheep, and hogs were exported in large numbers to Mexico from the mother-country. At the present time more attention is devoted to rearing horses, mules, and donkeys than to other animals. The Mexican horse is of small stature, but possesses great endurance, and resembles the Arabian breed. The mules in Mexico are inferior in size to those of the United States, but are said to be capable of doing more work than the latter. ”

“ Villages where the tourist can obtain food and lodging are few and far between. As the stage-coach oftentimes fails to reach the “regular" stopping-place of the route during the day's journey, these facts should be borne in mind; and passengers are advised to carry provisions with them while traveling by diligence in the rainy season.
On the other hand, the dust rising in clouds, which often envelop the vehicle so that the surrounding country is invisible for a few moments, constitutes the only drawback to traveling by diligence in the dry season. ”

“ Indeed, without the opening of new fields of industry, and of new avenues for placing the surplus products in the markets of the world, an increase of production might even prove disastrous. In his recent elaborate publication entitled Railways in Mexico, Señor Romero, the Mexican Minister at Washington, pertinently remarks: “A year of good crops in Mexico is a real calamity in many of the agricultural districts, as the production in that year far exceeds the consumption of the immediate neighborhood; and grain can not be sent to any distance on account of the high cost of transportation. ”

“ Most of the arable land in the tierra caliente and tierra templada is employed for agricultural purposes. The haciendas of El Salado and Cedres, in the central part of Mexico, are among the largest stock-ranches in the Republic. Artificial ponds and tanks for watering animals are common throughout the country.
Cattle-raising bids fair to become an important industry in Northern Mexico at an early day. The mildness of the winters admits of the stock feeding on the pastures, and there is no danger of losing the herd by a snow-storm. The natives are good herdsmen. ”

“ Happily, the first and most essential step has already been taken to provide adequate means of transportation for all the surplus products of the country. The great lines of railway which are now rapidly approaching completion, together with those which have been begun under the auspices of General Grant, Mr. Gould, and other experienced railroad managers, connecting, as they do, with the roads of this country, will become an integral part of a system which is infinitely the grandest and most extensive in the world. ”

“ Nevertheless, it must be admitted that agriculture is still in its infancy in the various parts of Mexico. This is due to the persistency of the peons in making use of the rude implements of their forefathers. Fortunately, an easily worked and fertile soil generally exists in the Republic. Frost occurs only on the table-land, and is rare in many portions of it. All kinds of cereals, vegetables, and fruits are cultivated in the country, but the absence of facilities for cheap transportation in some of the States is a great drawback. ”

“ Soon after the French invasion, a common-school system similar to that of the United States was introduced into Mexico. The English language is now generally taught, and even many business men are studying it with a private tutor. A few industrial schools have been established in the larger cities. Mexican children are said to be very docile pupils, and in the hands of good instructors they learn readily. ”

“ The capital is virtually fire-proof, it being next to impossible to set fire to a Mexican house.
In dwellings of more than one story, the upper floor, on account of the higher ceilings, is always preferred as a residence, although it commands the highest rents. The ground-floor is commonly occupied for business purposes—e. g., for stables, store-houses, or workshops.
There are no aristocratic streets nor quarters in the City of Mexico, the homes of both the upper and lower classes being scattered over the metropolis, and oftentimes being found under the same roof. ”

“ It has been suggested that a thorough system of drainage for the capital would do more harm than good, for the reason that the heavier buildings might settle so much as to render them unsafe. The early Spanish historians narrate that, before the Conquest, the valley of Mexico was covered with dense forests. The foreign invaders made war on these forests, as did the Puritans in New England, and to-day, with the exception of the magnificent grove of Chapultepec, there are only a few rows of trees of recent growth along the causeways. ”

“ It is not usual in Mexico to estimate a crop of grain by the number of bushels to the acre. In response to inquiries made in various States, the author was told that the yield of maize varied from twenty to forty bushels to an acre. The highest production is seventy bushels. No figures as to the proportionate amount of wheat and barley yielded could be obtained. Next to the cereals, the great staple products of Mexico are coffee, sugar, tobacco, cocoa, and cotton. ”

“ The prevailing style of modern architecture throughout the Republic is the Spanish renaissance. Almost every cathedral and church in the country are built in this fashion. The façades of the churches often contain beautiful stone carvings of figures of the saints, and also arabesque work. Mexico, Puebla, Morelia, and Guadalajara, contain cathedrals that compare favorably with those of any other cities in the world. The plans of most of the Mexican churches were drawn in Spain. The buildings used for secular purposes, especially those belonging
The Cathedral, Mexico. ”

“ The Indians of the New Mexican pueblos resemble those of Mexico in stature, physiognomy, and habits. Apparently they are the same race of people, and it is not improbable, that their ancestors built some of the magnificent edifices that remain in the southern part of the country.
Tourists, who are not specially interested in Mexican archæology, are recommended to confine themselves to visiting the ruins of Mitla, Cholula, and San Juan Teotihuacan. ”

“ Trails are very common all over Mexico, as horse-back-riding has been the principal means of communication up to the present day. Nearly every cañon, valley, and plain can be traversed by a bridle-path. The railroad soon makes a sharp turn, and leaves the Cañon de los Zopilotes. The grade is still very heavy. A fine view of the broad and fertile valley below presents itself to the eye, and the observer will soon notice a cliff about two hundred feet high, on the right-hand side of the track, called the Salto de Medina. ”

“ Tourists should hire saddle-horses in Pátzcuaro. If there are two or three in the party, it will be expedient to take a man-servant or mozo. Three horses and a mozo can be obtained at the rate of $4 daily, and the price of stabling. The cost of feeding each horse will be about one real a day. If the traveler wishes to go alone, and is able to talk in Spanish, a mozo will be unnecessary, although useful.
Leaving the quaint town of Pátzcuaro, the road ascends for about two miles, when a densely-wooded plateau is reached. ”

“ Leaving Cedral, there is a good road to La Ventura, 81 miles distant, over a broad valley, bordered with sierras on either side. There is but little vegetation to be seen, other than the huisachi, mesquite, and shrub-palms. At El Salado, about 27 miles from Cedral, a stop is made for lunch. We are now on the eastern boundary of one of the largest estates in Mexico, the Hacienda del Salado. It lies partly in the four States of San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Nuevo Leon and Coahuila. There are 8,000 horses and 3,000 cattle on the farm. ”

“ As a rule, all buildings in Mexico are erected in the most substantial manner. The walls are of great thickness, and cellars are rarely seen. The windows are generally covered with railings of Biscay iron, reminding the traveler of Spain. Balconies are added to those above the ground-floor. Many private residences of the better class have porte-cochères, and a fountain in the paved courtyards. The dry climate is favorable to the endurance of the edifices, and many houses built soon after the Conquest are still in a fair state of preservation. ”

“ The laboring classes of Mexico are exceedingly jealous of the introduction of labor-saving machinery. They regard it as an unwarranted means of preventing them from earning a living. Two recent events will serve to illustrate the antagonism of the peons to modern improvements.
Soon after the adoption of the compressed air-brake on the railroads of the United States, the Mexican Railway Company discharged several of their brakemen and introduced this improved brake on their trains. ”

“ Great cities and temples are to-day concealed by thick forests, and the traveler cannot form a correct idea of their original size. It is to be regretted that, with the present limited facilities for traveling, many of the ruins of Southern Mexico are difficult of access. The principal remains lie remote from the sea-coast and also from the lines of railroad.
Let us begin with the ruined edifices of Yucatan, and describe the places in their geographical and supposed historical order. ”

“ With the improved processes of tillage, including the use of modern implements, extensive tanks and irrigating ditches, all of which are likely to be introduced at an early day, the staple products of Mexico will of course be increased many fold.
The culture of sugar and tobacco is, and will doubtless continue to be, more profitable than that of the cereals. The cultivation of the tropical and semi-tropical fruits will also be carried on far more extensively than at present throughout the tierra caliente, and in the lower parts of the tierra templada. ”

“ Unless the tourist is familiar with Spanish, he is strongly advised not to travel alone in Mexico. Large parties are not recommended, owing to the small number of bedrooms in the hotels, and the limited capacity of the diligences. As a rule, the latter are run only three times a week, and the seats are frequently engaged for days in advance. Neither have the companies more vehicles to "put on" when the regular coach is filled with passengers. Occasionally the stranger will be obliged to spend two or three days in some uninteresting town while waiting for transportation. ”

“ Owing to the restrictions imposed by the Government, manufactures did not thrive during the rule of the viceroys. Still, the cotton and woolen factories were preserved, the metals were reduced from the ores, and soap, wax, sugar, pottery, pulque, and a few other articles were produced. The frequent revolutions and the instability of the Federal Government since the War of Independence have greatly retarded manufacturing industry. Fuel being exceedingly scarce, steam is even now rarely used in the factories and reducing- works; but water-, mule-, and man-power are generally employed. ”