Haciendo que la frontera sur sea americana, y México también.: Una lectura de Chatfield’s Twin Cities of the Border

Arturo Zárate Ruiz

doi:10.29105/transdisciplinar1.1-1

Abstract

Abstract: Historical documents call attention not only because of the facts reported, but also because of the views held by the reporter concerning the matters referred. This essay aims at identifying W. H. Chatfield’s views of America, Mexico, and their shared border, as they appear in his 1893 pamphlet The Twin Cities, Brownsville, Texas, Matamoros, Mexico, of the Border, and the Country of the Lower Rio Grande: that the Texan region bordering with Mexico then was fully Americanized, moreover, that the Mexican side of the border was undergoing a process of Americanization very needed for business, process which from that region would extend to all the Americas, process very convenient for American capitalists. The identification of those views is done, here, by highlighting them through a reading of the text itself, their judging being mostly left to the people reviewing what the author of this essay has stressed.

Highlights

In New Orleans, a pamphlet titled The Twin Cities, Brownsville, Texas, Matamoros, Mexico, of the Border, and the Country of the Lower Rio Grande.2. As it will be discussed, the tract aimed at offering information to entrepreneurs and possible well-to-do settlers about Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Mexico, a binational region, he assured, for very profitable investment
Chatfield pointed out that the Texan region bordering with Mexico was fully —or almost— Americanized
He explained that the Mexican side of the border was undergoing a process of Americanization very needed for business, process which from that region would extend to all the Americas, something very convenient for American capitalists

Summary

Introduction

This grand opportunity is given to Yankees and outside capitalists: This section has much to offer for the mature consideration of that class of young men who are seeking for the right place in which to begin a life career, and who possess the capital to start in business for themselves Such men, with a little capital, brawny arms, clear brains and “Yankee grit,” are infusions which will benefit the section they honor by their adoption; and in whatever field the new-comers may elect to put forth their efforts, the most undoubted assurances of success are held out to them by the prolificness of Nature and the improvements to be wrought by the hand of man. With a little capital, brawny arms, clear brains and “Yankee grit,” are infusions which will benefit the section they honor by their adoption; and in whatever field the new-comers may elect to put forth their efforts, the most undoubted assurances of success are held out to them by the prolificness of Nature and the improvements to be wrought by the hand of man. (p. 3d)

Some general arguments for embracing such an opportunity

How the Twin Cities became such a great investment opportunity