Photo by J. E. Kirkwood 

 PEONS SHELLING CORN ON THE HACIENDA DE CEDROS 



Ears are rubbed on blocks made by binding together corn-cobs. "One observing their 

 farming in the outlying districts might imagine himself living in the days of the Pharaohs. 

 The field is plowed with a crooked stick drawn by oxen, with the yoke tied to the horns. 

 Grain is cut with sickle and threshed by the hoofs of cattle, and corn is planted and shelled 

 by hand. Rough and heavy home-made carts or the backs of men or burros are the most 

 common modes of conveyance. The people seem to have no appreciation of improved farm- 

 ing implements. Often when improved implements are provided the laborers they discard 

 them for more primitive methods" (see text, page 573). 



and the glory of the church.' There still 

 remains indeed in the archives at Mexico 

 a map of the hacienda with a sketch of 

 the church building he proposed to erect. 

 According to these plans, the sacred edi- 

 fice would cover about five acres. The re- 

 sult was like some modern schemes for 

 public aid to private enterprise. The 

 promoter got 2^ million acres of land 

 and the church got a building 40 by 60 

 feet. 



"With less pious pretense, but by 

 equally dishonest methods, a second pur- 

 chaser obtained the property at a later 

 period. For some reason, either through 

 escheat or confiscation, the crown again 

 came into possession of the hacienda and 

 offered it for sale. An official in Mexico, 

 taking advantage of the ignorance of the 

 home government, represented the prop- 



erty as simply a desert waste, very un- 

 desirable ; but, 'in order to relieve the 

 crown of an unsalable asset,' he magnani- 

 mously offered to pay 6,000 Spanish dol- 

 lars for it as a virtual contribution to the 

 support of the throne, and thereupon re- 

 ceived a deed, with the thanks of the 

 monarch for his loyal zeal !" 



Some one who knew of the facts as 

 they then were later endorsed the follow- 

 ing on a blank page of the deed itself : 



"This reprobate son of a degenerate 

 father, . . . knew that besides rich 

 deposits of minerals and large flocks of 

 sheep and goats, the hacienda had at that 

 time 30,000 head of beef cattle, which, to 

 say nothing of the rest, the unmitigated 

 scoundrel got for 20 cents apiece by out- 

 right and deliberate lying to his Most 

 Catholic Majesty, the King of Spain." 



564 



