Page:Mexico under Carranza.djvu/223

Rh power, and the race which has been, and will continue to be responsible for its government until the majority of its citizenship is elevated intellectually and morally by a widely diffused opportunity for education, it would appear logical to consider the history and character of that race first.

The Latin element was, of course, introduced by Cortez when he conquered Mexico and established over it the government of Spain. As soon as the conquest was completed, the lands were divided among the Spanish conquerors, thus establishing the holding in large tracts, by a few owners, of the national domain. A history of the occupation of Mexico by the Spaniards says:

 "Inasmuch as the Indians formed the great bulk of the Hispano-American population, the king, of course, soon after the discovery, directed his attention to their capabilities for labour. By a system of repartimientos they were divided among the conquerors and made vassals of the land holders. The capitation tax levied on every Indian varied in different parts of Spanish America from four to fifteen dollars, according to the ability of the Indians. They were doomed to labour on the public works as well as to cultivate the soil for the general benefit of the country, while by the imposition of the mita they were forced to toil in the mines under a rigorous and debasing system. Toil