The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-07
MEXICO.


Parker
The dream of all great nations is conquest.
Our own country furnishes only this exception
to the rule, that we prefer to extend our control
peacefully over contiguous territory that viii
grow up into homogeneous States of the great
sisterhood rather than attempt any explora-
ton in distant lands, or to conquer weaker peo-
Piles in order to make them dependents. The
wonderful success that has attended our sever
al annexations of territory IN the South and
Southwest and the vast increase of wealth and
strength that have flowed from them have
served to attract the attention not only of the
restless. adventurous spirits of the republic, but
of the wise, the eool-headed and the far seeing
also, continually III that direction Slavery has
passed away and the urgent need of slaye-breed-
ers for new markets will never again precipitate
the country into wars of conquest against its
weak neighbors But with freedom has sprung
up such a quickening and extension of
the industrial and commercial spirit
that our railroads, telegraphs, machinery
and the kindly enterprise and push of our people
seem likely TO practically win for US, in the old
direction, as much and more than the force of
arms did under the ancient regime.
do not mean to say that Mexico is to lose her
national identity or to become part of the Ameri
can republic. The future alone can determine
that, and the only proper grounds for its settle
lnent will be the interests and nclinatons of the
enlightened classes of Mexico herself. But with
the opening up of the thousands of miles of rail
road now under course of construction, which
will connect all parts of the neighboring republic
directly with our principal cities ard business
centers such a flow of American blood, SKILL en-
terprise and energy will be infused into the old
land of the Aztecs, and its people will become
connected with us so closely by the ties of inter
est and commercial exchange, that the two
countries will be practically one. 1t
will take some time to wear out the
old hatred of Americans that has
been so long and zealously fostered by the Mex
lean priests among the ignorant masses. But
once you set people to prospering they are
likely to forget any former resentments and en-
mites that they may have held against the
causers and promoters of that prosperity. There
are those, however, who predict that this old
hatred cannot be overcome and that the pres
ence of Americans and American capital in
Mexico will furnish the opportunity for it to
break out in such wanton cruelties as will result
in another war between the two countries, which
could, naturally have but one end, the complete
subiugation of Mexico. But | prefer not to
trust these prophets of evil, nor to look forward
to an increase of national territory the bounda-
ries of which shall be written in blood. But
Mexico is rich in capabilities. Rich in the
power to produce much that we cannot grow in
any latitude within our present national limits,
and of which we are large consumers.
Some writer has said that Mexico is like
great horn of plenty with the big end turned to
the United States: glance at the
map win show that a better picture
OF the country could not have been condensed
into the same number of words. Another au-
thOFity tells us that if from that portion Of the
United States that lies east of the Mississippi
river you deduct the States of Indiana WiscOn-
sin and Mississippi, You have left an area of ter
ritery somewhat smaller than the present repub-
lie of Mexico. which contains al 79l square
miles From a recent report of the United
States Treasury Department, the facts and fig
ures hereinafter mostly CLEANED, and while
they show that agriculture and fruit culture re-
ceive but small and sloven attention, at the
hands of the half breed and aboriginal populsce,
there is enough also to Indicate something of
what might be under a better and more en-
lightened system of cultivation Mexico has
TO- 600 900 inhabitants divided as follows OF
rigiaal descent tMexiean lndiansl 5000, 900; per
sons Of mixed blood, 3 SOC, 600. The total value
of the agricultural products of Mexico in the
year 1888 was $l74,349, TIA This amount in
and the number of people. seems
Incredibly small; but when turn to the
products of the mines, the output Of the country
appears eerrespondiHsly great in that direction,
and We learn that the wonderful riches which
attracted victorious and cruel Cortez and
thousands of other Spanish adventures in the
early days Of the new world are by no means
exhausted. Mr.. A D. Anderson, in work en-
titled Mexico from Material Stand point
the following figures the nearest approxina-
tion to the value Of the pBeci0us metals taken
from the mines of Mexico from the year 152l to
lSS4
Silver. SIS, $40, $40 247
Gold ....................-.-.... 1851 I73
Making grand total of 1884,, $40. 420-a
sum nearly or quite equal to two dollars for
every human being. savage OF civilized. in the
whole world and whose purchasing power would
be too great for amy thing like correct computa-
ton l have rot been able TO find amy estimate
of the amount Of precious metals mined in any
one year; but this same treasury report shows
thai during the fiscal year ending June
IL, 1883, the country exported in gold and
silver. 500 62S 6j6 1t is now, and has long
been the policy of the Mexican government to
give every possible facility for, and encourage
ment to- mining enterprises. All articles inn
ported for use in the mining or refining of the
precious metals are admitted free of duty, and
capital is given every encouragement to invest
i'll the development of the mines. On the other
hand, but little encouragement is given to the
cultivation of the soil, and the people import
much that their own soil Is eIninently suited to
produce This short-sighted policy does not fail
of its natural result and the gold and silver go
abroad leaving the masses of the people butlitfl
better for their production A country that
produces much will always make considerable
Showing III the way of exports with those coun-
tries from which it draws its supplies of foreign
products But. outside of gold and silver, we
find Mexico only sending away $l2, So7 937 in the
year closing June 81, 1853. OF this amount, the
largest agricultural product was henequen,
species of hemp which reached about So, 1888 1888.
While coffee to which the climate and
soil of Mexico are admirably adapted only
reached 81. III, S. In looking over the hist
of plants, vegetables and other products of
Mexico that would find a ready and remunera-
tive market in the United States, and most of
which might be produced in great quantities in
that country under anything like an adequate
system of cultivation, we find henequen, coffee,
vanilla, fine tobacco catecfu, roots honey,
tropical and semi tropical plants dye woods,