New Orleans Republican., 1875-11-19

ent New York line of steamers to Mexican
ports, the expectation to that city of hene.
ken Ia fibrous product) from the single port
OF Progresso, Yucatan, has increased in five
years from less than 100000 in value to
,Oi9,2O as appears from the report OF the
Mexican Minister of the Treasury for 1873
1.-THE last publishedl. Thus, this single and
comparatively unimportant article has, BY
the establishment of this line of communi.
cation, developed into the second item in
value OF exports from that republic, except
silver
In addition to these. there is a long list of
important articles OF commercial exchange
much needed in the United States which
can be largely developed in Mexico, such
as precious woods found in almost unlimit.
ed quantities), cocoa, vanilla, various drugs
and dyes, pita Ia valuable tibre), india rub.
ber, rice, etc.
Thus far have only referred to the Gulf
and Pacific coasts and uplauds as the local.
ties where these productions, So much
needed in the United States, are cultivated.
But there are throughout the interior of the
republic large valleys, depressions in the
vast system Of table lands of Mexico, of
prolific SOIL or SURPRISING beauty, and en-
joying the most delightful climate, vhero
sugar, coffee and most of the other .rt -
are produced with the came success ani Of
equally good quality. But these regl.as
have heretofore been unavailable to foreign
markets. and are yet to q great extent, oy-
ing to the heavy cost of transportation to
the seap0rts. But the recent completion of
the railroad from Vera Cruz to the CITY
OF Mexico, which has accomplished the
difficult and expensive task of scaling
the mountains to the highest table lands at
an elevation Ot more than 5000 feet above
the sea, on four per cent grade, or more
than 2OO feet to the mile. is likely to lead to
important results as affecting the expor t =
IN nt ifrv.n ~ q
step toward reaching the rich valleys OF
Cuernavaca, Oaxaca, Atiiseo and Matamo-
ros Azucar. Branch railroads will vet be
built to these rich regions, as also to the
mines of Pachuca 1.-THE most extensive in
| the country, if the nation can be fully
awakened to an era of prosperity and en-
terprise. Concessions for two of them are
already granted by the federal government,
and it ia possible one or both may be inau-
gurated at no distant period
Work has already been commenced. all
though rot very vigorously, on the exten-
sion of the main stem or trunk line from
the City of Mexico, $50 miles interior to the
city of Leon, the latter having a population
| of 100000, and passing the large cities of
Queretaro and Guanajuato which will open
up still more OF the valleys to foreign trade,
and the construction of the International
| road 10 connect Leon and ali the internal
system of railroads with the International
of Texas, and through it with the vast rail
| road system of the United States will work
a wonderful transformation in the agricul-
tural industries ct Mexico and place its in
terror commerce in a great measure within
| the control of American markets.
l have dwelt at some length upon the
agricultural productions of Mexico Tor two
reasons. First, they are the articles which
| we in the United States most need in ex-
| change for our manufactures and products;
| second, because Mexico's great material
| need, in my opinion is to develop its rich
and bnundless agricultural capacities
| herein is it's greatest source of wealth,
prosperity and peace. But any extended
| remarks upon the material resources of
Mexico would be considered incomplete
! without some reference to its mining in.
| terests Thus far the chief source of its
| wealth consists in its mines. mainly of
silver. Throughout almost the entire re-.
| public these exist, their richness has been
known to the world for more than three
| inexhaustible. As already stated the total
exports of all articles for the last year re-
ported over $3l ,600,000 of which amount
| So, ,O52, ,959 were silver and geld, the latter
| less than $1,000, 900, which is near the aver
| age export for several years The general
| report as to this interest is that it ia not at
present in a very fourishing condition, and
| tudt tuO "olhiHS ICoGllb arc uos Ntky 5ulis-
| factory or profitable, although this is sub
| iect to some exceptions in special localities.
| In general the country has not availed itself
| of the new methods and improvements in
mining adopted in the United States, and as
a cOnseq uence it labors under rdisadvantag ges
in the amount of yield and profit in working.
| But the great hindrance to successful min
| ing has been In the onerous taxes which the
local and federal governments impose upon
| 1t, and the expense of getting the silver
| bars and coiu out of the country. In 1868
| the taxes and costs of transportation upon
silver sent to the Bank OF England from
Mexico City. or rather from Real del Monte.
the nearest mineral region and one of the
| most extensive in the country, were found
to amount to twenty-five per cent, of which
over twenty per cent was loca! and govern
ment taxes This was go manifestly oppres-
| sive that commission was appointed by the
| government to investigate the subject, and
| this commission proposed, .as the sole
means of rapidly raising this branch
of industry to the grade of prosperity
OF which it is Immediately susceptible,
the absolute exemption of gold and silver
from all duties" This wise cecormenda
| ton has been in part, but, unfortunately,
| only in part, acted Upon. From careful
examination of the present condition of the
restrictions and charges upon the exporta-
ton of silver, l find that 1t COSTS to place
l tuo SILVER pEuuuCou dU tuo h5di ubi HlOuUc
mines in the Bank of England or in New
York, thirteen and one-half per cent, and
from Guauaiuato or other points in the in.
| terror from fourteen to fifteen and one half
per cent. OF this sum from ten and one
| halt to twelve per cent are local and gov
ernment taxes and charges.
| The necessities of the national treasury
have to great extent led to the adoption
| of these heavy duties, as its finances have
| continued through go many years of civil
disturbances in deplorsble condition, and
mining; being the leading source of wealth
and most available for taxation, has been
made to contribute literally to carry on the
| government both of the regular administra-
| ton as well as of insurrectiOnists But
| with the return of peace and q stable gov
ernment, intelligent public men recognize
the bad policy of taxing the life out OF this
important branch of industry, and as pros.
perity develops an ability TO provide
| revenue by other methods, it is most
probable these burdens upon mining
will bs greatly ightened. As illustrative
of the disposition of some of the authorities
to alleviate these burdens and to encourage
this important industry, l may cite the
action of the Legislature o. Oaxaca, one OF
the richest States in mines, both of silver
and gold as also possessing several beauti-
full and fertile valleys where sugar and
coffee are successfully grown. The
Legislature has, during the present wear,
passed an act apprOpriating $4,000
per annum for twenty years as bonus to
a mining company of from $3.50 900 y $780,
900 capital, to be organized by Mr.. Con
stantne Richards, an English resident, who
has for several years been successfully en-
gagged in mining in that State. The same
Legislature has passed an act TO encourage
| fha nj ntfar N I