Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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MEXICO Graphic IPen-JPicture ??eo (pix J. Welclt, in tht 2to< lu general Mexico is an old-fashion ed country. Get your big family Bible, if you nave one, and look at the ancient pictures of the beggar, the water carrier,! the gentleman, the slave, and you have a picture of Old Mexico. Tho jack, the mule and the ox are beasts o| burden. "Fear work and be contented" is the native motto. The warm climate makes nature's clothes good enough for the poor. The masses delight in selling something for a living. A fruit stand on the corner, a fly bush that wags with a capital of eight pennies constitute a business. An enterprising Mexican walked up to a fruit seller and said:' "How much will you take for your outfit?" The woman looked at him and replied: "I won't sell you the outfit, because I would have nothing to do the remainder of the day." A Mexican gentleman in the days of his courtship spends the most in dustrious part of his life. The pati ence of an Amerioan would never win a Spanish lady. Aoross ? thirty-foot street from our residence there lived a wealthy lady, who had two courtable daughters. Young men would stand upon our doorstep every evening, gaz ing across the street through the win dows upon the fair ladies. It was al ways a mystery to me how the two ladies knew whioh one was being courted and by whom. I became deeply interested in the affair and was highly pleased, from the fact that our front door was well guarded every night without charge. The first stage of Mexican courtship consists in ''playing bear." The lover, stands across the street and looks through the window at his fair one. Bain or shine, he is there every night. A glance from the girl, a tip of the hat from the gent, is free to the public. If, after three months of daily duty, the gent succeeds in attracting the at tention of the lady then the second stage beginB. About 9 p. m. the lights are turned out. The lady ap pears behind the bars. In. Mexico all windows look like those of sn Ameri can jail. In former days it was neces sary to put iron bars over windows to , prevent thieving. It is stated that the practice is continued for the pur pose of keeping the boys and girls apart. I have been told some'wonder ful stories of the possibilities, through the bars, of an ambitious youth. To continue the courtship the young man walks rapidly up street, crosses over and walks down past the window. A shake of the hand, "good evening" and "good night" is the recompense for three hours' waiting. I tried stand ing on our sidewalk in the attitude of courtship, but could never make more than ten minutes, progress at a time. My room mate was shocked at the boldness of my competing with a na tive. I lost the day in not entering the bioyole races of the season,, for there stood the lady in robes of white, with wreaths of flowers to put aronnd the winner of the race. When a court ship haa arrived at the stage of mar riage the young gentleman is invited into the house of the lady for the first time. That is the great event of their lives. After a few receptions and a dance the young man enters upon life's career, beginning immediately to look for work. The poorer classes court and marry on the mutual agreement plan. The reason of this is thot tho priest exacts a fee for marriage beyond what the poor can pay. I beard Of one couple who lived together happily, reared a family and at the. end of twelve years got married in style. U non being asked Why they married after so long a time the man replied: "At first we were poor; since then \ have made considerable money and {.bought wa could now follow tho laws of our Church." The price, for a church marriage in Aguascalientes is from forty to a hundred dollars, as the priest may decide. Many a young man has started In life with the idea that if he can only get an education bois safe. After years of toil he discovers that success depends upon getting an opportunity to put his education into practica. This is the condition of affairs in Mexioo. I was riding down street in * mule car/ and a bright ytnng Mexican conductor was pointed out as the son of an Ex-Governor of our State. Ho had been through their best schools and coll?ges, but never had an oppor tunity in practical life. ? conductor gets one dollar a day, silver, and a "rake off." Wo wanted .to know why the company did not cisonsrgo all con ductors who pocketed the extra pen nies and Wcro told that if all such *cro . discharged there woujd be no body to run tho railroad. The educational system in. Mexico AS IT IS. of -A.n. Extraordinary pie. jam im*, Ohio. Chronicle.) can be improved. A child is through school when only in the primtry. Then he enters college, whieh is under the jurisdiction of the Church. The average Mexican learns to read and write. I have seen some of the finest .script from the pen of a poor work man. They seem proud of their talent, but it may as well be bid une jr a bushel. We had a young Mexioac in the offices on clerical work. He had been . olerking about for years. His education appeared to be purely me ohanioal. An English; concern doing business in Mexico finds it pays to employ all United 8tates men at a good salary for any position of responsibility. We had a Mexican contractor on adobe and mason work; ho was kept because a Mexican workman wsnld labor for him at one-half the price that he would for a foreigner. He was very popular among the poorer classes and bad been a leader in a great politioal uprising. At the end of eaoh week, as I made out his oheok, he would stand in an attitude of suspense won dering how much he would draw. If he received more than he expeoted he would laugh heartily, set up the cigar ettes and shake hands. If he received less than enough to pay his men I bad to make out another oheok for more money. I Asked him one day why he did not get a book and keep track of his work and run a bank ac count. He said: "What use is money to me, only to spend and have a good time." Our public schools teach thst Mex ico i? a Republic. It is a 'Republic in name und. a monarch in praotioe. President Diaz received his office somewhat after the "Kentucky style." When the former President died Diaz bought as many leaders as possible with presents and money and then be gan a wholesale execution of aii op posers. The militia would ride out of town and some political leader would try to make his escape, whereupon he was shot. The number of leaders that tried to escape was enormous. In or der to prevent "bloodshed hereafter in filling the President's chair the Gov ernment has provided a Vioe Presi dent, who will assume responsibility after the death of Diaz. .. Polities in Mexico ~is extremely ri dioulous. They have regular elections and the people vote for one candidate, who is previously chosen by the Presi dent. A Mexican votes as many times as there are polls in the city. The more he votes the greater is his re spect for politic^ and he is liable to a fine if be does not vote at all. I had the pleasure of beiog in the capital city of the State of Aguas Calientea during the eleetion for Gov ernor. The new osndidatc first went to the city of Mexico and procured the necessary papers from President Diaz, which entitled him to the Governor's chair. Upon his return to Aguas Calients he was met by a reception committee, a brass band and a torch light procession. I supposed the af fair was all settled. The next week there was an election for Governor. In surprise I said: "Why^ the Gov ernor was appointed a week ago." "Yes, he was appointed, hut the . citi zens have tj vote for him, anyhow." My informer, who had been in Mexico same time, said: "You should have been here four years ago to fully un derstand Mexican polities. A rich ranchman and stock raiser, having s>me politioal aspirations, decided to run for Governor on . an independent ticket. He kept the matter secret un til a few days before eleetion. The President's candidate had been ap pointed and the best citizens had celled and paid their respects to the new Governor. Oo election day the ranchman appointed workers at oll the polls, who bought off most of the votes at the price of a drink of whiskey. About the. middle of the afternoon this- 'telegram was sent lo President Dias: "Your candidate is losing; a ranchman is getting the votes/ Dies telegraphed back: ,1 Close the polls.' The votes wer? counted and the ranch man was elected by a Urge majority. The atr?nffA rvafi of the Jtfiir fC??G"5. The Ex-Governor ruled that each per son in the State is entitled to a vote. The count showed that less than half the people had voted. Then the E*? Governor ruled that he could east one vote for each citizen that had failed hin duty. The ballot-box was.stuffed for the President's pveviouly appoint ed candidate and the ranchman hcBv not been heard of Sinoe. v The standing army is maintained by volunteer*. They have a queer way of volunteering. Mexicans are not overly enthusiastic about anything exeept rest. They take no interest fn goy eminent or patriotism. A good healthy citizen sometimes gets ou a good, healthy drunk. He is escorted to the police station and placed in a room to sober up. On his awaking in the morning he is presented with pipers duly signed by himself whioh go to certify thai he has joined . the stand ing army for four years. If he refuses he is shot as a deserter. He decides to take his chances of being shot clbc where and is uniformed and marshalled out a fullfledged soldier. Police in the cities make life safe. Qn every corner is a policeman with a red light on duty all night. His light is plaoed in the middle of the street. A reward is offered by the Mexican Government for a light that can be stolen from a policeman. The fear of this induces the latter to watch his light closely. Every Lour there is a merry whistle all over the oity, whioh means, "All is well;" and each police man picks up his light and advances one blook. On his way he tries all the front doors to see if they are locked. Room mate and I were read ing one night, when of a sudden a big, burly polieeman fell in through the door. His apology was: "Excuse me, you should lock your front door at night." Upon arriving at El Paso, Texas, I was met by an American agent of the Mexiean Central Railway, whose duty it is to give pointers to persons on their wsy to the interior of Mexico. His first advice was: "Get your money changed." I wanted to know what is the matter with Uncle Barn's money. He said, laughingly: "It's worth two for one in the United States, but it isn't worth anything in Mexi co." It is great fun going down to have money changers throw out two for one, and the excitement continues by having the pockets bulge out with money efter eaoh pay day, but the feeling is reversed upon returning. However, I think a man should con sider himself fortunate in return only. Muoh has been said for and against the value of the Mexioan dollar. This muoh can be said in its favor: "It goes in Mexico." At the time of the drop in price of silver Mexico lived upon agricultural products, buying all foreign manufactured goods. The drop in silver doubled the price of everything imported. The result was that importation stopped. Foreigners took advantage of the situation and began building home industries in Mexico, employing native help. The change has'been marvellous. Aguas Calients four years ago was a city of beggars. To-day it is the beginning of enterprise. The prices paid for labor in Mexico to-day are as follows: At the smelters and manufactories, laborers, 25 to 50 cents per day; carpenters, 75 cents to $'2.50; machinists, $1 to $2; clerks, $25 to $50 per month. Industries managed by Mexicans only: Farmers' help, 15 to 25 cents per day and board; tailors, 50 to 75 cents per day and bosrd; oarpenters, 50 cents per day atad board: servants, $4 to $8 per month. In many oases the servant boards himself on a salary of $10 per month-. A Mexioan could not get employ ment in the United States at any price. The majority of natives lack skill, have a great inclination for rest and are very careless. At the smelter it was found advisa ble to hire United States oarpenters at $4 gold per day in plaoe of Mexicans at 75 cents gold. The reason why labor is oheap in Mexico is because it is cheap labor. I was going the rounds one day and fouud four men unloading a car of lumber. Ono man was inside the oar throwing out a plank. once in a while and three men were sitting under the oar smoking cigarettes/ I looked at the crowd rather sharply and they orawled out and went to work. I eame back in about five minutes and found them smoking as before. The only way the Mexican element can be worked to advantage is to hire an American "cussing" machine as a foreman for a gang. Being anxious to learn Spanish I would often ask a foreman what he had to. say to his men. He would sometimes reply:_ "You had better not lesrn that, as the language isn't spoken in Heaven." v A good joke is told on the wire nail mill at Monterey. A duty was to be put on wire nails, and upon this agree ment . between President Dies and stockholders of the company the fac tory was built. At the next assembly of the Legislature a duty was plaoed upon wire nails and "also the wire of which the nails were made. As the wire was all imported the duty ate op all the profits of the mill. The mat w? ??? explained to President Disc and tie promised to have the error cor rected. The next body of Legislators got the matter twisted and took off all duty on wire nails and left the duty on the wire. This olosed the mills until the duties were properly ad justed. The chief difficulty in foreign min ing enterprise . is the Government in past years has kept suoh loose records that no one is sure of his* land title be ing good. After a mine ha'.- been put in good working order some old Mexi can will bob up with a prior claim 1 whioh be can prove tobe good. It requires a Philadelphia lawyer to pur chase property in Mexico and be sure of the claim. Religion controls the poor classes in Mexico. We walked into a great stone structure duris" religious service and there upon a hard stone floor was a body of kneeling peons. The first ar rivals go up front and kneel; then each succeeding person kneels until the church is full. Those who can not enter kneel outside. I have seen on special religious holidays peons kneel ing out in the middle of the street. The Church is the great opposition to foreign enterprise. It sees that the foreign element is not religious and that the latter is teaching the peons new tricks of the trade. I had an opportunity of seeing what foreign missions are doing in Mezico. There is a very neat little Presbyte rian mission Church in Aguas Cali entes. A party of us were walking past the mission one evening and we saw lined up in front of the church a body of soldiers. I asked: What are those fellows doing here? "Why, don't you know this is the night of the great jubliee for the election of Governor?" was the reply. Well, what of that? I said. My friend re plied: "When these people get oat in mobs and beoome excited the first plaee they break for is the mission and smash in the windows, break up the furniture, etc." I could not have believed it had not the soldiers been silent witnesses. The natives believe in patting their religion into practice. At the smelter we had a very devout-pumpman. One day the water supply suddenly stop ped. Something had happened and the pumps refused to work. The mas ter mcchanio went down to the river, and there in the middle of the pump house was the attendant upon his knees praying for the pumps to start. The master mechanic in a fit of laugh ter told us how he awakened the pray ing attendant and asked him why he did not ask the saints to help start the pumps. The Mexican replied: "I did ask the saints, but the saints don't care a d-whether the" pumps go or not." One of the strangest sights in Mexico is a funeral. .A native can be said to be truly religious. He believes that a friend or relative is better off dead than alive. "To be dead, to be happy forever; to be alive is to be miserable," is the way he reasons. Therefore, when a member of the family dies a feast is held. Dauoing and wine lend joy to the occasion. We heard so much about the strange methods of burial that room mate and I spent Sunday afternoon in the grave yard to see for ourselves. Inside a high adobe wall there are two burial grounds. The first is much the same as the American cemetery. Lots are bought and monuments erected and preserved fcr time to come/ In the seoond, or pauper, ground lots are rented for two years. If a relative, at the expiration of that time, happens to remmber that he has a dead respon sibility on his hands, and also happens to be the prond possessor of two dol lars which he does not know what to do with, he rerents the silent abode for two more years. If the lot is not again rented the bones are dag up and thrown down a deep shaft and the grave is ready for another. After gathering up the fragments of skele tons that lay around we went to the deep shaft and peeped in. There was I a mixture whioh would have caused a feeling of joy to a proprietor of a bone dust faotory. A shaft fifteen feet in diameter was filled to a depth of fifty feet with human bones. As we looked down it was with solemn thought. I was in the midst of an argument as to what is the difference whether our Some People have a of Fruit Jars too mu KING BROS. B IN ONE WE beg to say that it is not. W car. We will agree that we have ham firm of Anderson has in any past seaso sell right. We have purchased one solid <a prices on Crockery. Our Cups and Sa Fi?tes per set 35c. We bought two hundred and eigb . A few specials to take home with Bowl 10c. Pickle Dishes 5c. If you would make sure of gettiu KING I MUSIC I FARRAND * VOTEY, E8TEY a and last a life-time or two. The Bali-Bearing NEW HOME t the best in the-world. THE C, boucs nre separated from those of our neighbor by clay or air, of what does it matter if we are uot collectively iu the same spot. We looked around and saw a Mexi can coming down the walk witb somo ing on hia his head. Following bim was a woman and child. Upon close investigation we found the man smok ing a cigarette and on his head was a board. Upon the board lay the body of a girl about 8 years of age. They proceeded to a grave that had been previously used and went about bury ing the dead in a business-like way. Flowers were strewn on the bottom and the body laid gently away, and the man, with the assistance of a sexton, covered up the human form. No coffin was used and no tears were shed. Upon going out we asked the gate keeper if he knew the people who had buried the child, and if they were its parents. *'Oh, yes," ho replied. "I know them, and that was their child." The term pleasure in Mexico is looked upon with a chilly sensation. A man may get into a railroad wreck, help pull out living and dead and be warmed up with the exercise and ex citement, but when he sits on a stone step and watches a first-class bull fight his blood runs cold. It was our for tune to see one of the finest bull fighters on the road. The scene be gan with the first bull killing four horses in quick succession. Each time he would chase out into the mid dle of the ring and look for more. Many a pen picture has been drawn in the finest language in our popular magazines of "a Spanish bull fight," but one look is worth a month's read ing. The strength of a mad bull is something enormous. He would toss a dead horse several feet in the an with the uso of only one horn. Oui scats were next to the ring, on top oi a stone wall about eight feet high. One of the fighters threw some gaily colored clothes over the rope in front of us. After the bull had chased all the fighters away he saw those red clothes and made a grand rush over the five-foot fence and tried to climb the stone wall. It is only by gazing into those wild eyes that one realizes what courage is necessary on the pari of the bull fighter to walk out with a sword and a little red Hag and send the mad bull to Mb doom. Blood-curdling excitement will some times give way to the humorous. It was tho duty of an attendant to open a large gate, through which the mad bull tore out into the centre of the ring, kicked up his heels and looked around for something upon whioh to charge. Seeing the attendant closing the gate the bull made a grand rush f01 him. The latter being busy, did nol notice the bull until within a few fest. The bull gave a snort and boosted the fellow over the fence in a manner that caused roars of laughter. Cuts and Bruises Quickly Healed. Chamberlain's Pain Balm applied t( a cut, bruise, burn, scald or like in jurj will instantly allay the pain and wil heal the parts in less time than an] other treatment. Unless the injury it very severe it will not leave a scar Pain Balm also eures rheumatism sprains, swellings and lameness. Foi sale by Hill-Orr Drug Co. If you eat without appetite you necc Prickly Ash Bitters. It promptly re moves impurities that clog and impede the action of the digestive organs, ere ates good appetite and digestion strength of body and activity of brain For sale by Evans Pharmacy. ? It is sincerely to be hoped thai when one John Hun married a Misi Strychnine in a West Virginia towi the other day he took her for bettei and not for worse. It will surprise you to experienc< the benefit gained by using the fa mous little pills known as DeWitt'; Little Early Risers.?Evans' Pharma oy-_' 1 1 ?? mam sked isn't Two Cars ch for. arcain store SEASON ? e have about sold the last of our seconc lied more Jars this season than any om m. Buying right enables any one U. r of CROCKERY. So look out foi lucers at 35c, 40c, 45c and 50c goes ity-eight Balloon Fly Traps. 10c each you : Butter Dishes 5c. A large Glaei g lowest prices always buy from BROS., BARGAIN STORE, Two Doors from Post Office. jOVERS! Are Enthusiastic Admirers of the ?>i*b??t?4 IVER8 & POND AND f: WHEELOCK PIANOS. rhey are of the highest grade of Instru ment. The best in every respect?touch tone, durability, finish?all of the mos superior character. Come in and lean tiow easily you may own one of eithe make. nd CROWN ORGANS will delight ym md WHITE SEWING MACHINES ar A. REED MUSIC HOUSE. ??.'y.' ?';v/?-'.'V - . . " ' H?finl l III I tllHii|iMMiii|iiiilii'ii I nil hnnrn ! 'iiiine m oo'!$ 'aouid S3H01S ?nvjo nv w oios i 4? 4 * 1HDRI13M LNOa EVANS PHARMACY, Sueci? A??iits. uioaq puu A"poq jo XSaoao pu? jo?ia puu 'uojiso?ip poo? ^-iia^o? itjuojioanj so^ouioa? 'suc^ao o\\% Buo\v\Huoi\9 'sojiunduii snouosiod UU^no soAijp S?iaXIHI HSV AlXOIUd jsnosjp ouiosoiquoj-} aaq^o ouios ao saopjosip A\>upt>t 'sjoasi reu -\}\vm dopAOp \\\a\ 'ononuoo oi po.uoipj j; 'qoiqw sioA\oq pue jl9a\\ o\\% jo uon?paoo pidacq pu? po33op ? u? sosuu oiqnoj) ano^ SUSHIS HSV AlMOlUd jo p?3ii ni?Sjn tu noA* uopipuoD jno<{ saquDS?p sup ji <s.moX ?duo sc.w j?ih A"2j3u;> pue mi a 'dcus 3qi ssiiu noX oa <A*ipm2ur;i S3i}np K\\tp jnoA uuojj?d no.C oq ?paqsajj -3jun puc p3j|i Suuuoui aiu ut dn ^um iio?" oq 8END US YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS. We have engaged the services of Mr. J. E. BRADLEY, an experienced Pharmacist, and we are now prepared to serve you at all hours?either day or night. Mr.^ Bradley will room over our Store, so if you want a Prescrip tion tilled at night just press the button in front of our Store and we'll do the rest. Remember, only? THE BEST AND PUREST DRUGS Are allowed in our Store. E. Gr. EV^ISTS & CO., PKNOLETON, S. C. Fruit Jars, To put up you/ Fruit in. Preserving Powder, To keep Fruit from spoiling. Fruit Jar Rubbers, To put on your old Jars. To make Cherry and Blackberry Acid. ?tieky Fly Paper, To catch the flies while working with your frui ALL AT HILL-ORR DRUC GO. 66 Emerson 99 A half century of successful PIANO BUILDING. Seventy-five thousand delighted ouBtomers. Unequalled in tone, touch and durability. A poorhiHs, perfect PIANO. Every Instrument sold under a positive guarantee. The name "EMERSON" on a PIANO is like tbo trade mark on English Silver? a guarantee that it is Standard. Friendr, remember that you can buy an 7 of the leading SEWING MACHINES from me at about one-half other dealers ask. A full line of ORGANS. Time given. South Main Street. M. L. WILLIS. 0 w gS<=! 0* g? 2 0 < M od 0 ? ? > < > M _ H 0 Q H co w H a Ii 3 H & 2 "* ? w g S3 S 2 CO o ? M p 69 \ I Ci-arence OsnoRNE. RUTLEDOE osbobnb. Stoves, Stoves ! Iron King Stoves, Elmo Stoves, Liberty Stoves, Peerless Iron King Stoves, And other good makes Stoves and Ranges. A big line of TINWARE, GLASSWARE, CROCKERY and CHI NA WARE. Also, anything in the line of Kitchen Furnishing Goods?such as Buck, ets, Trays, Rolling Pin9, Sifters, &c. Thanking our friends and customers for their past patronage and wish ing for continuance of same Yours truly, OSBORNE & OSBOBNE.