438 ‘WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION

ment, do we not have here in a much more serious form the very reasons why
we found it so vitally necessary to exclude oriental immigration? Does our
country need docile immigrants who do not possess much more than the intelligence
 of ‘‘collie dogs”? Do we need additional thousands of “primitive”
people, ignorant of our economic, social and legal precepts and incapable of
ever assimilating them? Shall we continue to build up in the United States
industries that must depend upon such “foreign” labor for their existence?
Are we willing to pay the price? These are questions the Amrican people and
their Congress must answer now!
A problem of great concern to Americans living near the border is the immorality
 of Mexicans. One of the first laws ever passed by Congress to restrict
immigration was designed to prevent the entrance of Chinese women who were
being imported for immoral purposes. Living under the conditions they do it is
inevitable that promiscuous fornication should be common among Mexicans.
Seldom does any moral consideration seem to dissuade them. I am informed that
the general rule seems to be to treat the women as mere chattels.
An attorney in a border city advised me: “In my whole residence in this
frontier country, I have never heard the fact of Mexican immorality disputed
but by one person. A newspaper woman came in here from the north s couple
years ago and wrote a lot of bunk for an El Paso paper. Then she made a short
trip down to the capital of Chihuahua and wrote a little story back to the effect
that it was all a mistake. I presume they told her so. Her story was read with
laughter. Defenders of these Mexicans say that the women are not immoral but
unmoral. Well, if that is a distinction the results are the same.” But few persons
can be found in the Southwest who will not agree that the Mexicans are deficient
in almost every one of our moral standards. Thieving seems to be second nature
to them. They seem to have the animal instinet to snatch something and run
with it. One border resident told me, “In this town they trespass and prowl
continuously. I can not stick my nose out of a window or door without coming
face to face with some Mexican snooping about like a hungry dog sniffing for a
stray bite to eat.” Nor do these sentiments seem to be isolated. Rather an
extensive investigation indicates that they reflect the general estimate and views
of practically all those Americans who have little or nothing to gain from the
exploitation of these persons.
These Americans likewise seem to be of the opinion that long association with
Mexican surroundings seems to be deadening to the sensibilities of the people of
the Southwest. Even a casual observer will be able to note that the constant
sight of poverty, vice, and immorality, and even the vile smells of the Mexican
settlements no longer seem to shock some of our own citizens. The idea of starving
 the peons into working for nearly nothing came from Mexico. Merchants
often protest against fining the Mexicans for disorderliness as it takes money
from the stores. There is very little Sunday observance and as a rule ordinary
activities are carried on every Sunday, the same as in Mexico. Law enforcement,
 State and Federal, seems to be at a very low ebb, due, doubtless to the
fact that many of our officers have adopted the Mexican’s ethical, moral, and
legal standards, so thoroughly has the section become Mexicanized. At least
the statements and activities of some of these officers indicate this for it is a
known fact that frequently they take no action against Mexicans who have
violated our law, because “as the Mexican sees it he has done no wrong.” Such
a condition can ultimately result in but one thing—the destruction of law enforcement
 and a complete surrender to the Mexican conception of what ig legally
right and wrong. Furthermore, the border frontier has always been notorious
for its use of alien Mexicans as voters, . Conclusive evidence exists to prove that
many border politicians and Mexicans elected to local offices owe their power to
their control of the Mexican vote—the laws of the States to the contrary notwithstanding.
 .
Few persons can be found who will deny that this is quite generally the true
situation along the entire Texas border. A prominent newspaper owner and
publisher in New Mexico advised me that “the Mexican, or ‘Spanish American,’
as he styles himself, is the most active figure in the political life in New Mexico.
His influence extends from a majority in the State house of representatives to
every justice of the peace in Las Cruces. It is generally understood that the
party with the most ‘paid workers’ will carry a district.” Indeed, sufficient
data exists to warrant the general statement that wherever the Mexican element
is found in considerable numbers in this country, it is a power in politics, often
the balance of power. Truly the Mexican seems to be making good his oftrepeated
 boast that he will reconquer the Southwest without the necessity of
firing a single shot.