Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/449

* MEXICO. 411 MEXICO. fessions vaiy from 50 ccnLs to $20 a inontli. The national debt in 1901 was divided into tlio gold debt, .^112,398,300; and internal debt, $135,509,- 271 (silver). Popi'LATio>'. It is difficult to take a correct census in Jlexico, particularly in the many dis- tricts inhabiteil by Indians, who fear that they will be taxed if they are enrolled in the census return. This table f;'^'^ t« area, population, and density of population according to the census of 1900: and, for comparison, the pojiulation aceordin" to the census of 1895 is added: STATES AXD TERHITOR1E8 Area in square miles Popular tiou 1895 Popula- tion 1900 ATLANTIC STATES 32,128 29,201 10,072 18,087 35,203 203,342 853,892 133,926 87,264 297,088 218,948 960,570 158,107 84,281 312264 Total 124,691 87,802 63,569 23,592 38,009 24,757 25,316 2,950 11,370 3,556 8,917 9,247 463 2,773 1,595 12,204 1,575,512 260,008 237,815 307.856 292,549 447,265 662,195 102.378 1,047.817 224,848 .551,817 837,981 468,705 156,786 163.244 973,876 1,734,170 INLAND STATES 327 004 Coahuila 2S0.S1I9 326.940 I)urango 371.274 462 880 682.4S6 101.910 1.065.317 Qiii-rC'taro Hidalgo 228.489 603.074 illPXiL-O 924.457 Feilnral District 540.478 161.697 172,217 1.024.446 Total PACIFIC STATES Lower CalUornia (Ter.) 316,120 58,328 76,900 33,671 11,275 31.846 2.272 22.874 24,996 35,382 27,222 6,635,140 41,838 189,158 256,858 146,805 1,094,569 55,264 887,008 417,886 872.902 318.730 7,173,574 47,082 220,553 296.109 149 677 Siualoa Tepic(Ter.) 1,137,311 65.026 935.849 474 .594 Colima Michoacan Gll'MTtTO 947 910 Chiapas 363.607 Total Islands Grand total 324,766 1.420 4.281,018 4.637.718 766,997 12,491,670 13.545,462 The population in 1900 included G,71G,007 males and (5,829.455 females. Nineteen per cent, of the population were pure white, 43 per cent, mixed bloods, and 38 per cent. Indians. The cold laiiils. being the most healthful, have the densest lK)]mlation. about 75 per cent, of the total popu- lation; a relatively small ]iart of the people, from 15 to IS per cent., live in the tcm]iprate zone, and only 7 to 10 per cent, in the torrid zone. The first census in 1795 showed a population of 5,200,- 000. The population therefore much more than d<mlded in the i)ast century. The increase of the Indian population is comparatively slow, because, though the Indians have large families, they are suliject to many epidemics. Of the foreign ele- ments of the population the English. Oermans, and French monopolize many branches of business, ^'ery few foreigners, excepting those engaged in leading branches of trade, are well educated. The country is to some extent being Americanized as far as means of transportation, electric Vol. Xlll— 27. lighting, improved hotel.s, and other modem con- veniences are concerned. The tendency of the people, however, is to cling to the old habits which grew out of their Spanish ancestry and climatic environment. They still desire their midday siesta, their religious feast days and holidays, but they are unwilling to live abstemi- ously, spending their money freely and dressing jioorly. This is especially true of the Indians. Immigration akd I'iulic L.^nds. The public lands are surveyed by surveying companies, who receive title to one-third of the lands which they demarcate. In the six years 1893-98 settlers acquired title to 750,592 hectares. The Govern- ment in every way encourages immigration and the occupancy of the areas not yet appropriated for farms, plantations, and grazing lands. The laws permit the free importation of personal ef- fects and the supjilies needed for the subsistence of colonists for a term of years, exempt colonists from taxes, and to some extent supply seed or plants. Thirty-two agricultural colonies have been established by the Government or by au- thorized companies or persons. The low rate of wages is an olistacle to large immigration. Other difficulties are that a large portion of the public lands have already been disposed of, comparative- ly little of the land, either public or private, has yet been adequately surveyed, and therefore can- not easily be obtained in small lots, and the large land-holders are unwilling to divide their estates. Education. In nearly all the States educa- tion is free and compulsory, but the law is not strictly enforced ; illiteracy is very prevalent, and little has been done to educate the Indians. In 1899 the common scliools, supported by the Federal and State governments, numbered 6376; by the municipalities. 2989; the teachers in both, 15,505 : enrolled pupils, 084,51)3 ; average attend- ance, 474.622; cost of schools, $6,805,074 (Mexi- can silver). The private and clerical schools numbered 2560; enrolled ]iu])ils, 134,987, with an average attendance of 103.955. The Federal Gov- ernment supports special schools for engineering, law, medicine, agriculture, etc., and most of the States support one technical college. The public and private libraries are notable, the largest of them, the National Lilirary, containing 205,000 volumes; there are 138 other public libraries, 33 museums for scientific and educational purposes, 11 meteorological observatories, and 702 newspa- pers, including 11 in English and 11 in Spanish and English. Mexico occu])ies the tirst place in Latin America in artistic, literary, and scientifie advancement, A consideral)le number of histori- ans, poets, dramatists, scientific men, painters, and sculptors have conferred honor upon their country. Religion. The Catholic faith is the prevailing religion, but there is no connection between Church and State, and the Constitution guaran- tees the free exercise of all religions. Protestant missionaries from the United States entered the country in 1867 after the withdrawal of the French army from Mexico. The number of Catholic churches in 1899 was 10,112, and of Protestant places of worship, 119. Government. The present Constitution of Mexico was adopted by a constituent assembly on February 5. 1857. and has undergone various amendments extending down to the year 1896. It is a written instrument of great length, and is closely modeled after the Constitution of the