The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-08-27
The MEXICAN TRADE.

Although Mexican tarln5 are well
nigh prohibitory, so great of late has
become the demand in that country
tor all kinds of machinery and Ameri-
can goods generally, that it would be
possible for American firms to do q
splendid business with Mexicans, were
it not for the unreasonablyi high rates
of transportation throughout the entire
republic. After an article Of bulk or
weight has crossed the line 1t takes as
much as its original .cost to get it to a
trade center, one or two hundred
miles in tho interior. Either the
tariffs or the transportation might be
| stood but combination Of the two is
death to American trade. The reports
just published from the City
of Mexico relating tho fact
of tho reduction of rates an
the road from Vera Cruz TO Mexico
from $54 30 per ton on freight to $40 per
ton would indicate that the light is be
ginning TO break, This reduction has
resulted from competition with the
Mexican Central from FL Paso 30 Mex
leo, and, of course, is only the begin
ming of cuts that cannot but enlarge
tho volume of shipments and trade
and enable us soon to do much larger
business with all points in Mexico
reached by competing limos. IL now
the sob enc OF abolishing the tariffs
imposed by the different States be but
pushed to success, tho United States
will find one of its richest harvests
right at its Southern doors. The bar
riers are falling one by one.
Under such circumstances it ia in
teresting to enquire what can be OBJ
tanned in Mexico in exchange for our
goods and wares. They want every
thing except perhaps, tobacco, beel
and sugar, and particularly do they
need and desire all kinds OF machin-
cry, agricultural implements and iron
in its various forms, ard all kinds Of
hardware. They are able to pay good
prices and have an abundance ofrich
and TO us desirable products 10 give in
exchange for our goods.
s4The consular reports issued by the
State department inform us fully of
the Mexican imports to this county ia
1884, The grand total of these imports
reaches nearly Sl4,000,0O0 already, but
ought, by reason of the juxtnposltion
of the countries and our vast facilities,
reach nearer $50,OOO,0 900 than the pres-
ent rigures. 1t is more than likely
that such trade will be built up in
the next eight or ten years. Thirteen
consuls have reported from as many
consulates, the largest trade reported
being at Vera Cruz-$2. 1000 600 the
smallest at Acapulco.and Tehuantepec,
Sl01775. The exports from Vera Cruz
are in the order Of tbelc Importance:
Coffee, goat skins, hides, vanilla, rub,
Der and jalaps, saffron, tobacco and
oigars From Paso del Norte the ex.
ports, in order of importance, are bull
lion, live stock, silver, lead and cop
per ores, and all kinds Of fruits, brown
sugar, leather and articles OF art and
taste. At Laredo, where another
railway has its starting point and
runs southwark beyond Monterey, the
exports are cattle, live stock o; all
kinds indeed, Mexican fiber, sugar,
fruits, wool and all manner OF
Mexican products. The export from
New Laredo was 100000 pounds, from
Monterey $4,000 pounds, and Tam
plco, over this road, 100000. The i'm
ports from New Laredo, Guerren and
Monterey reached in value nearly
100000. So that from these thre,
points, reached by railway from tht
interior, Vera Cruz, Ell Paso anC
Nuevo Laredo, the imports to thii
country had an aggregate value re
turned officially OF 100000. ThlI
does not cover the entire trade across
the border, however, which will reacl
at least 100000.
This is q trade worth looking after
and by no State so much rs Texas
The border trade particularly anC
, naturally belongs to Texas, and b.
proper efforts, with sfew tariff change
and transportation reductions, tn
100000 trade could be doubled o
oven quadruplsd. 1t is, therefore, es
peolally gratifying to us, or should be
TO see the commencement of a rAllroa
war in Mexico that must soon resul
j in rates that will nearer approXimat
' those on this side the Rio Graude, an
' render far larger the volume of trad
u between this State and Northern MeS
lean States.
N-e