, 1884-09-27
ALL's D GOLD
That Gntters Within thf Borders o.
Our Sister Republic.
The tEAiiroad ~. the Peon and His
Dankey--Somc Di-e%ouraaing Hea-
-on>-I Significant Finan-
eiai IneidenL

80 a"H ALNNNNA ~ TAU WV u u
Ma raan capitalists aud civil engineers who
cnfr.-i 10 en,iufia las iraily upon milHaJ
hti-a b.. lt fissica i.'y years age. and The
r--u.i- ai,-r labor. and money cxpendr
iurr fnst rne msenihcently built lite
90 Va, N-Tirr f%enfral, was that they a
sum ina f.sei -. a. IN the Unite 1
Stat. 20 t. enl, nar,sary TO push a railway
line fhnsisu o ,tsnury naturally rich mt
pnfldi 6, s-. go nnrr little towns and rul,-
idB Atottug village bringing up all Along
it, Zoo sad tin. p,7s,, business for The rumt.
Suen - til hi.sEY Of all our American
uilrnad-. Bu. Joaicoi. a totally different
county IRON Toe 1 mt-d Statea-tho Me1i-
cans -r Is race Wholly different in ideas n
bttSil 49,, II politics. 90 commerce.. from the
citizen. 81 tn United Staten. And what
would have taken plarn in the case Of a rail
way built thus IA any part Of thu United
state la not taken place here. nor IS u
iikei, 10 for many year 20 come, II ever.
Now, after "a portion Ot the Mexican Cen
trail raiiwBy-that from the capital 10 Quere
tafo. AMI from III raso to C~hihuahua-
has been in active operation during two years
nearly aud the entirc main limo since April
last, there are no morn settlements along the
line than there existed three years ago, no
new towns, no colaniss formed, nc increased
activity in busin ~ whatever, save only that
produced by the arrival OF an occasional
party Of American tourists or business men
ON u prospecting tour anil the usual local
business picked up by a railroad, which bust
ness was formerly transacted by other COM
mon carriers.
Even this latter item Is not wholly acquired
by the railway company, for the reason that
Ia this country tho pcopls are exceedingly
conservative and cling 10 old IA hioned
methods. The peon has his one or two dom
keys, that live on next to nothing. Why
should no pay the company for fruighting his
fruit. vegetables, charcoal. straw, hay, pot
terry, otc., to tho nearest market town when
he can Just as well carry them In on his pa
tient lacknss at no expense whateVerl OF
course he loses timo thereby. but thnt don't
count; time Is not ii va liable commodity In
this suminivilized country, where mnnana Is
just a. good ne to-day" and usually much
better.
Hence, as you mny readily see, the local
business OF the Mexican Contra Is but small
and not Increasing mpidly. The prospects
for an increase Of any Importance arp not
good, not at least for some years, for the fol
lowing reasons;
Flrst-This country IL 70 badly governed,
the administration Is 50 corrupt, the oppres-
sion OF the merchants and manufacturer 30
great ~ the opposition Of unjust, oxtortion-
ate and ve1atious ttxations and imposts, rs
10 discourage now coueS from investing
money In business ben.
Second-A widespread and almoat uni
vcrsal commercial and financial depression
rrsts upon the people, preventing them from
extending business enterprises, which would
bring grist to the railways mill in the shape
Of freight tolls and passage fares. Instead
of extension Of business, contraction is going
ON constantly, and this state of affairs has
not only existed already upwards of seven
months, but bids fair to continue Indefinitely.
Third-rhe Mexicans are not IN enter
prising people, as | have explained above.
They cling to old ways do not travel much.
and when they do they economic, go second
or third class, with rare exception; indeed,
the greater portion Of the people arc forced
10 economi1o closely In order to eke out an
existence. Though l nave carefully studied
the subject, with a preconceived bias in favor
OF Mexican trade as a great outlet for many
Of our American manufactures, ! have 10
luctAntly come Ia the conclusion that W.
Americans hnvo been hugging a delusion;
wo have been deceiving ourselves; there is
no such grand field for the extension OF our
foreign trade as many writers have for years
been telling ms does exist In Mexico. That Is
all false, and the sooner Americans, especially
American manufacturer, become convinced
II this fact the better Il will be for them.
] AAfN viii Ahfi ~ ~lNtl lIOin llAhl ulAdP
%. utInent- i%esulting from unsuccessful ven
turts in trndo here.
ky the way. permit me 10 digr1ss from the
subject an instant 20 rotate an incident.
While converting last evening with a friend
here. who has extensive usine transactions
with the Mexican government, be told me
that he had within the past two weeks made
many calls upon the chief OF the treasury de
partmcnt 10 collect his little billn Of some
thousands Of dollars. and that the last time
he paid that official a visit OF that nature
tho functonary, TO show how impossible it
Oas 10 liquidato the national floating debts.
pallei from his desk a pile of kilograms and
letters and handed them 10 my friend to
rad. flo says they ran mostly in thi-
fashion;
10 Minister Of War. Mexico: All OF our sup
plies are exhausted; cannot got credit;
haven't got a dollar. Send US supplies or
money Immediately. -
On board Mexican man -of-war- United
States To tho Minister Of the Navy, Mex
leo; Nearly all our supplies used up; coal
all exhausted; no money and no credit
Telegraph US a remittance at once.
And SO on Dispatches from garrisons in
frontier towns, from unpaid customs officials,
from unpaid telegraph operators on the
government lines, from all classes and sorts
OF public servants and functionaries-nll ask
ing for coin. My friend did not get the
shekels for which he zane. He departed from
the presence OF the watchdog OF the treasury
a sadder and a wiser man.
The necessity OF n vigorous foreign policy"
on the part Of the American government Is
becoming morc and more impressed upon tho
minds Of citizens 81 the United States who
arc compelled 10 stay bero for business pur-
pose, for assurodly no American ever
S oppcd many days IN this poverty-strickeil
and lauless country un.ess his business com.
PEELED him to do 70. The advocates OF "a
closer international intercourse between the
two sister republics arc very gushing at
times In their remarks about the "immenso
advantages certain 10 flow from a closer
commercial intercourse between tho two
peoples But let any American who fnncies
that the Mexicans IRE waiting 20 receive him
with open nrms and joyful enthusiasm just
co.ne down here As / have done and he viii
hnd the cxRc reverse TO be the case. When.
ever you sound them carefully you find thu
following to be the truth In the matter.
Either they hato Americans or else they dis.
trusNund fear them.
II you hear a song that thrills you
Sung by any hid OF song,
Praise t. Do not lot the singer
ait deserved praises long.
Why should one who thri L vnur heart
lack thr Joy you may imparti
-sAnon
Little Joker" is the best smoking to.
bacoo.