THE MEXICAN IN NEW MEXICO 21 



For it must never be forgotten that this is 

 New and not Old Mexico, and that whilst 

 the Mexican predominates in the population, 

 enjoying such influence as mere superiority 

 of numbers can bestow, unsupported by in- 

 telligence, the American is the dominating 

 element. A nice distinction, perhaps, but 

 an important one, for all that. To assign, 

 therefore, to the Mexican citizen of the 

 United States such a part as he plays in 

 Old Mexico would be to give a false and 

 unreal description of life in the Territory ; 

 and it is with life in the Territory, and 

 in a small corner at that, that these un- 

 exciting little personal experiences have to 

 do. Yet, small though the corner be, the 

 strong tide of feeling and opinion ebbing 

 and flowing all over this great country 

 searches out its every nook and crevice. 

 The Mexican element is, then, of necessity 

 only a circumstance, and to assign to the 

 native more than his due share of conspicuity 

 or influence would be to present a picture 

 untrue to life as it is with us. 



But the language ! There is always the 

 language to be reckoned with, and perhaps 



