WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION 39
Mr. Yates. Yes, sir; but 10 years ago it was 25 to 75 in favor of
Mexicans. I am sure of that.
The CrarrMaN. Ten years ago you did not have this intensive
agriculture nor tracts as small, nor as much white population engaged
in this business. You did not have this kind of business developed.
Mr. Yates. We had it, but not to the same extent that it is developed
 now. Of course, you will understand that a lot of this white
population is in the towns and is not engaged in agriculture.
The CramRMAN. What are the largest towns in the four counties?
Mr. Yates. Brownsville is the largest, with a population of
around 20,000.
The CuairmMan. And the next one?
Mr. Yates. Harlinger, I should say is next, with eight to twelve
thousand. It is hard to estimate. Nat Allen has probably about
the same as Harlinger. And the most Mexicanized of all—you are
interested in that too, I take it—is Rio Grande City in Star County,
where the population is largely of Mexican ancestry.
The CrairMaN. Now, you think those counties can support a
million and a half to two million people?
Mr. Yates. Well, just judging from the developments since I have
been there, I believe it can, yes, sir.
The CrairMaN. Do you think the Mexicans are having their full
share of children?
Mr. Yates. I think they are; yes, sir. They are more prolific in
birth but they die in infancy. The child mortality is much greater,
of course.
The CasirmaN. For what reason?
Mr. Yares. Mainly on account of, probably, too many of them.
The CuairMaN. From underpaid and overworked parents?
Mr. Yates. No, sir; it is not that. It is hard to overwork them.
They will not permit themselves to be overworked very much, but
they prefer to let conditions remain as they were, much more than
we do. They are not as sensitive to scientific development as we are.
The CramrMaN. They make good citizens, do they?
Mr. Yates. Well, on a general average they do.
The CuamrmaN. They have more children and more young children
 die, you say?
Mr. Yates. I think so. I think that is certainly true.
The CuarrMAN. Do they send their children to school?
Mr. Yates. Yes; they send their children to school.
The CHAIRMAN. What are the arrangements in the county in which
you live for schooling?
Mr. Yates. We have a general average of, I should say, even in
the rural communities. an average of better than six months a year
of school.’ 3
The Cuarrman. Now, do you have two kinds of schools?
Mr. Yates. In most places they do. That is to say, thev have
them segregated to a certain extent.
The CrairMan. You treat the American of Mexican ancestry in a
separate class in that population for school purposes?
Mr. Yares. Yes, sir.
The Cuarrman. Is the schooling of these Mexican children much
of a burden on the taxpavers?