Page:Face to Face With the Mexicans.djvu/560

554 when the Moors conquered Spain. They did not desire the advancement of the people, and, bent on conquest, introduced few improvements except those connected with their warlike enterprises.

In their turn the Spaniards have impressed the character of their civilization upon the Mexicans. A further retrospect, and we find ourselves face to face with Bible scenes. The gleaners follow closely after the harvesters, as then; the story of Ruth may perhaps find many a parallel here.

Some Mexican writers have remonstrated against the introduction of labor-saving machinery, fearing it would militate against the interests of that large proportion of the population—the laboring class. But as the undeveloped resources are so immense, it will probably be long before interference in that direction will be felt, for the cry still goes up for more laborers for both mines and haciendas. One of the principal causes of this want may be attributed to the constant recurrence of feast-days, the observance of which occupies at least one-third of the time. It is anything but a pious spirit that induces the laborer to take advantage of these occasions, but rather his innate love of ease and dissipation. These days are to him more holidays than holy days. But it is astonishing how little these people can exist upon. In spite of their small wages being in this way so