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The National Geographic Magazine 



gaudy in their interior, and the political 

 utility of some religious division among 

 the people is seen. 



AMERICANS IN MEXICO 



I must not close this paper without a 

 reference to the Americans in Mexico. 

 From the beginning of the Republic our 

 countrymen, owing to the proximity of 

 its territory, have/made investments in 

 that country and embarked upon vari- 

 ous enterprises ; but not until the reign 

 of peace and order was assured by Pres- 

 ident Diaz did they go there in large 

 numbers. They now constitute the 

 largest foreign element in that country. 

 The American colony in the City of 

 Mexico is not only numerous, but pros- 

 perous and well established. It sus- 

 tains a well-equipped club, an excellent 

 hospital, and has all the paraphernalia 

 of a well-ordered society intent on get- 

 ting the most out of life, such as golf 

 links, base-ball, women's clubs, after- 

 noon teas, literary circles, etc. Ameri- 

 cans have superintended the construc- 

 tion and are now directing the 

 operation of some of the leading rail- 

 roads. They ha've invested largely in 

 mining, and colonies of American min- 

 ers, numbering several hundred each, 

 are to be found in different states. They 

 have purchased large tracts of land for 

 the development of coffee, rubber, and 

 other agricultural products. Millions 

 of dollars of bonds of the federal, state, 

 and city governments have been sold 

 in the United States in the past ten 

 years. Man} 7 stock companies have 



been organized in various cities of the 

 Union to develop and carry on enter- 

 prises in Mexico. Where the object 

 and location of these companies have 

 been judiciously chosen, and they are 

 under experienced and prudent manage- 

 ment, the} - are likely to prove success- 

 ful, but money can be squandered in 

 Mexico as readily as in other countries. 



As a rule, the American residents in 

 that country have found adequate pro- 

 tection for their persons and business. 

 Occasionally complaint is made to our 

 Government or through the newspapers 

 of injustice on the part of the courts or 

 authorities, but when investigated the 

 complaint is generally found to origi- 

 nate either in a want of knowledge of 

 the system of jurisprudence in force in 

 that country (the civil law) or from an 

 undue bumptiousness on the part of the 

 American. Our citizens who volun- 

 tarily go to Mexico should bear in mind 

 that they are in a community of a dif- 

 ferent race, language, religion, customs, 

 and system of judicial procedure from 

 ours, and if they adapt themselves to 

 these changes they are quite unlikely 

 to encounter embarrassment or trouble. 

 Our countrymen, our capital and enter- 

 prise, are welcomed by the government 

 and the people, and there is a wide field 

 for the exercise of our surplus capital 

 and energy. 



Our political relations with the neigh- 

 boring republic were never more cordial 

 than they are today, and there is every 

 prospect that the two nations will con- 

 tinue to enjoy together the blessings of 

 peace, prosperity,- and independence. 



