y lifted up its voice in questions of American affairs. The
attitude of Mexico in world-politics is not without interest. Her
geographical situation midway between the two great oceans of the
world, the Atlantic and the Pacific, and between the two vast
continents of the Americas, is one of considerable commercial and
strategic value. That part of her territory known as the isthmus of
Tehuantepec has not inaptly been termed "the bridge of the world's
commerce," as elsewhere mentioned, and as such, indeed, it may play an
important part, analogous to that of the Panama Canal, being, as it is,
more than a thousand miles nearer to the world's great populations and
the trade route of commerce than that famous isthmus. Mexico states
that she looks towards Asia with equal favour as towards Europe, and
geographically she may do so indeed. But this is a sentiment
which--except in the mere matter of buying and selling--time will show
to be untenable. Mexico is a "European" state, in character, tradition,
and civilisation; and she, in common with all Latin America, must
continue largely to draw her inspirations, and to augment her
population from old Europe, not from Asia; nor, indeed, save in certain
respects, from her Anglo-American neighbour, the United States.

A greater population, and of a higher calibre, is one of Mexico's chief
desiderata. The introduction of Asiatics is permitted and even
encouraged at present, but it is impossible that a growing
enlightenment will permit this to continue. It must be disastrous to a
country to admit Asiatics to permanent habitation in quantities, and
such can only be done in obedience to dictates of a selfish nature,
emanating, for example, from greedy plantation- or mine-owners, whose
main object is that of present profits, regardless of the future. The
natives of Mexico, like those of other Hispanic-American countries, are
far superior to Asiatics, and it is to the advantage of Mexico that its
Government should foster the growth of the vigorous and useful _peon_
race, and sternly set its face against the introduction of Chinese or
other Asiatics as elements of colonisation. There is a favourable
circumstance attending the matter of increase of population in
Spanish-American countries: the women are prolific, and, moreover, the
influence of the Roman Catholic religion tends at present to prevent
the adoption of the condition known as "race-suicide." Equally with
this fostering of the nat