New-York tribune., 1868-12-19

REVIEW OF THE sITUATION-MISING, RAILROADS
AND REyENUE-THE STATE OF TAMAULiPAS
GEN. PORFIRIO DIAZ-EUNS AND PRIESTS.
IYROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
MEXICO. Nov 29.Of late the most hopeful signs OF
the situation Of Mexico have been the free export OF
ore allowed by Congress for the first time in Mexico
the liberation of another mineral material that OF
salt, from Federal duty the encouragement prof
fered by the Government to o railroad near the cap-
tai and the tardy, though somewhat necessarily de-
ayed grant Of the Vera Cruz railroad. Congress has
shown good sense by permitting the free expectation
of silver ore, instead of imposing the export taxes
| recommended by the Government The good effects
of liberal policy in respect to the mines seem to be
! made clear in the case Of Guanajuato. which has
coined greatly In excess of her former average since
she reduced by onehaf her taxes gold and silver
One of the mining districts asks for the free e1porta
ton of the latter metal measure which is radically
impossible in the present condition OF industry ana
| finance but that the clumsy State taxes upon the
mines should be modified, and allow fair play to
whatever iberaty the Federal powers choose to con-
cede seems at all times very reasonable proposition
No appreciable augmentation Of mineral industry Is
reported In the Republic except in the State OK So
| nora. where about dozen new mines had been de-
| nounced and registered, and where mining in gen.
eral would probably avail itself Of the decreed free
dom of export with respect to ores. Two tuns Of
able success, and petroleum region of unusual ca
paoity was reported from Port Angel on the Pacific,
but this news required investigation and confirming
The facts here given sum up the present phase OF
mineral development in the country, which repre-
cents about the average.
The railroad interest less active than II might and
should be. has taken new start from the Vera Cruz
grant This is to say that its English owners have
at length put men to work, and promise to connect
Mexico with Puebla by rail before many months
-Four years allowed by their concession 10 con-
meet Vera Cruz, by way Of the mountains. with the
capital, and from the present state and building OF
tho road it may he reasoned that the whole ROAD
should be built in less than that time Its owners
however, who report having spent many millions
upon the 100 miles already built, and whom the Mex
lean opposition charge with having swnmped con-
siderable sum in subventons do not at present sight
possess the entire confidence of the public which
they address and the most striking reason appears
70 he that their money capacity is doubted. Modi-
fed as il has properly BEEN their concession is still
an ample one $5G0 900 guaranteed by maritime pa
per in payment of dues and representing portion
Of the principal and interest Of eight millions owed
by the Government on bonds held by the
Company, is still in the compact. and
the speedy building Of the road, on the strength
of the largo money representations made
by the Company would be the best guarantee III the
world that the subyention will be annually paid.
The Zangroniz Railroad to Jalapa, from Vera Cruz,
is said TO have come to a pause for want of its sub
vention from Government. which, understand. is
forthcoming. Congress is about to order $4,000
shares in the railroad 10 Tapan III the Federal dis
trict Puebla has formed an association 10 promote
a railroad to the river Mesosa, nayigablo water
way of which the Mcxicans ought not 10 fail taking
prompt advantage There arc dozen other projects
of railroads all Of which present signs OF intellectual
life but none OF which under way. bir stephen
sons project to pOpulanzc railroad stock throughout
tho country by regarding ths ownership thereof as
an exemption from drafts IN connection with the
forming of national militia, Is 10 far developed that
il has enlisted the sympathIes OF many OF le u"N-
eTuors and that company has been formed upon
it, Vera Cruz appears tO be warmly interested IN
building telegraph line 10 lamploO; the lOhg Ihe
10 Matamoros from san Luis was represented a.
already half built by Escobedos forces;
Gen Arce was anxious TO do the same Work
with the telegaphic material offered 20 the MIN
is,er of the Treasury BY parties In ew-fork. seV,
eral of the lakes had bcen or were 10 be naVigatcd
by small steamers. Reviewing these facts; u cannOt
be said that the MeXicans have not bad disposition
and purpose rather in advance of their past history.
to grant and encourage enteIprses ihelI nam di-
hcnty is not one OF will. The Vera Cruz concession
might have been granted eight months ago n srf,
fcent foresight had been displayed IN lis original
draft; but this w0nld not have profoundly altered
the case however good II might have been as an ad-
yertlseInent TO the particular foreign capital inter
ested in il or hkoly 10 be tempted by ~. Is best
virtue would have been to shorten the period OF pro
baton between abstract poverty and want Oh wolk'
and the resumption of business. But II rs pam,
upon searching through the situation OF all the states
that the Republic present suffering was leoruahed
more than wear ago two years. he dlihculty IN
all the countTys projects OF enterprise ls tho "at oi
capital willing to invest in measurable and reasona.
BILE undertakings without Government aid. Behind
this is the unprepossessing social and business con
ditOn the relics Of the baTbafism of wars; bnt ~ IL
nevertheless true that once built railroads III Mexico
should pay splendidly. Let the country be Tree OF
actual revolution. and capitalists have as good
chance as they likely 70 have within any near
term Of years between this and the building OF the
principal roads. IL is patent that the iand ls at
present unrevolutionzed, ana that the 4oScrhmeD,
has defeated every attempt at revolt. Poverty and
robbery are TO be cured by means OF enterprise and
labor, or not at all.
The Government and States together have not
larger budget than $2S,OOO,OO 50 that the actual
sum of money for carrying the public business OF
Mexicos S0OO,0O0 inhabitants is certainly not
great in proportion. The complaint is natural that
the Government cannot collect in part or wholly AZ
some Of it's custom houses and the reason il TO be
found in the poverty OF some OF the States. Bat
with all the fault of the money system OF the coun-
try and partially of want OF system, the treasury
reports confidently that Judging from the past six
months the Government will be able TO meet Its ex-
penses for the year simply from It's revenues Inc
Commission TO revise the tarn understood TO be-
lieve in the expedieney OF maintaining 1t high, but
not in prohibition. The burden felt by commerce -
not in this species OF taxation, but IN several
others refeTable 20 the old Alcabala system The
classification and equalization Of duties, 80 that com
merce shall be treated with justice all around ought
to be made apparent in the forthcoming report OF the
committee.
In the political situation at largo single feature
appears as extraordinary but the twin and mutual
evils Of poverty and robbery were IN nearly every
of theStates deplorabie with all TINS me conn
State of Tanaulipas was there any decided revolt,
and there il seems to have originated in personal
was accused of numerous kdnappings and assassina-
toDs among them of q brother Ot the Governor lho