Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-08-02
Mexican Laws aud Investments.

"Thc most lucrative business in Moxi-
co since 1885," said George Bell to q
reportcr, "has been that Of 'donounccr.'
In that year the church was deprived
of most of its real estate. The de-
nounccr' OF any failure to comply with
tho law of coniiscation received an
eighth OF tho valuo OF the land de-
nounccd.
so, too. tho 'dcnouncer' rcaped
rich harvest on the collapse Of tho
French Intervention. All the employees
and well-wishcrs of Maximilian's gov
ernment were declared traitors. and
the denouucer' Of a traitor received q
quarter OF his property.
"l3ut the 'denounccr,' who Is an OBJ
ject Of special interest TO American in
yestors at tho present time, Is tho
chronic .denounccr' OF the owners Of
mines This 'denounccr' receives cent
per cent. and slips at once into tho
shoes Of tho person denounced.
THE term dcnouncing In Mexico
carries no viiscrcdit with IL, for the same
word Is applied to the claim (the do
nounccmenD made by any discovercr
Of mine.
ANY mine In Mexico may be de-
nounced. and its working title Qho
only title you can obtain) forfeited, II
tho mine Is not worked according to
I the mining law. Before our investors
lavish much money on Mexico mines
they may find II to their advantage to
know something Of Mexican mining
laws and ordinances.
"1n Mexico all mines are the prop
erty OF the state, but practically private
persons aud corporations can own
mines like other property, subject to
two conditions: They and their grant
ees must pay the state whatever II do
mands for the privileges granted, and
they must conform to the mining Ordi-
nances. One OF the chief OF these ordi-
| nances Is that failure to work mine
with ut least four paid workmen for
four months work n forfeiture Of tho
mine.
"Iitlos to all mines in the country Of
the Aztecs are fragile enough. but the
| frailcst of all are the titles to coal
mines. These titles depend in great
measure upon the somewhat fanciful
| inquiry whether or not coal is a fossil
In our common speech we call a politi-
clan fossil after he has been in or
out of Office half-a-dozen years. One
| would suppose that coal. which is some
| aeons old, could be called fossil
without a stretch of the tongue. The
original law orders that discovercrs
may claim mines Of gold and silver
or other fossils, not mentioning coal.
| The question is whether tue miner, who
finds coal on another mans land, be-
comes the owner of the coal mine as he
would Of silver mine The supreme
court Of Mexico has decided that coal
is a fossil, and that the owner of tho
land Is not the owner OF coal mine
discovered thereon by another party.
| American investors are now turning
with eager eyes from their per cent
investments here to tho rich fields of
Mexico. In most branches OF business
In that narvclously rich country they
can scarcely fail to profit.
| "But before they buy mines they
should endcavor to learn through some
| astrologer the exact amount of money
which during the next fifty years the
| government Of Mexico will see fit to
demand for the privilege of working
them. Especially with coal-lauds. they
must satisfy themselves that the de-
cisiOn that coal is fossil is perlna-
nent, and that the man who owns the
land and the man who owns the coal
have both bcon included in the deed.
ut often happens that when an
American capitalist has bought the
title to large tract Of coal land and
begins to work it he finds himself In
the condition OF poor MIR. Girder in
The Bride Of Lammcrmoor. Mr..
Girdcr's spouse, it will be remembered,
had by her carclcssncss allowed the old
butler. Caleb Baldcston to steal brace
OF wild fowl that had been booked for
Parson Bidc-thc-Bc Mr.. Girder was
about 10 discipline his good wife with
q stick, when his perverse mothcr-in-
law threw herself in front Of her daugh-
ter. and nourished lade.
Am not to chas,isc my ain wife7'
exclaimed the indignant husband.
".Ye may chastise your ain wife IL
70 like answered his mother-in-law,
but ye shall never lay finger on my
daughter
"'You may do what you please with
your coal land, tho Mexican court says
to the American capitalist, but you
shall not lay a finger on tho coal. "
| ~ Y AntJ as,i Ernrpss