Page:Mexico under Carranza.djvu/241

Rh the peon population by legislation is shown in its dealing with what was known as the Ejidos lands.

Before the advent of the Latin in Mexico and since, many of the labouring class lived in small settlements or villages. To these villages, from Aztec times, appertained certain areas known as Ejidos lands, which were the common property of all. Upon these village commons the peon could have a garden, or maintain a few goats or fowls. This small opportunity of contributing to the family livelihood relieved him from absolute economic dependence upon the employer upon whose great estate he worked.

Some years ago a law was passed by the Mexican Congress under the provisions of which the common lands, the use of which the villages of peon labourers had enjoyed for hundreds of years, were sold and became the property of the employing class. Thus was destroyed by act of the national government the last refuge which the peon had from absolute economic exploitation by the employing class.

But hope can be found for the future of the masses under the stimulus of proper opportunity for intellectual development in the fact that through the darkest experience of their night of servitude and degradation, individual members of the race have shown more than ordinary ability. An instance of this is found in the historical work