The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-07-07
HERE'S RICHNESS.
SOME ALLEGED SCHEMES OF TERRI
ToRlAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT,
That the President Is Matching to MAXI
His Administration Remembered
Silver Mounted Mexican Lands
That are Thought Desirable.


CHICAGO, July THE Tribune's New
York correspondent sends the following
special
limitations are received here from Wash
ington that the financial condition OF Mexico
has started numerous propositions for the
requirement of new territory by this gov.
eminent by purchase President Cleveland
is known to have cherished for some time
the idea that he could distinguish
his administration by accessions of territory.
With the opportunity thrust forward
at the outset of his term it cannot be
doubted that the subject will be seriously
discussed in the cabinet, il it has not already
been. 1t is known that letters have been
showered by the score on President Cleve-
land and Secretary Bayard touching this
topic and making varied suggestions There
is also a report that President Diaz has in
trusted TO a secret ambassador the making
Of overtures in this direction, and that ne
is now here for that purpose.
The most popular of the plans pushed for
ward is one for the purchase OF six of the
states of Mexico lying on her northern boun-
dary-namely: Tamaulipas, Nusvo Leon,
Coahulia, Chihuahua, Sonora, and Lower
California. Sonora and Chihuahua have
recently been opened up to American lines
of railroad They are both exceedingly rich
states The area embraced in this propo-
sition is about $50 00J square miles OF all
these states, Sonora is probably the richest.
Her coinage in one year, as far back as 1869,
was $1l6,397 Her annual production OF
gold and silver must be now $500 900. Chi.
huahua has silver mines which have been
celebrated for centuries, and enabled the
early Catholic missionaries to build an $500,
900 cathedral at the City Of Chihuahua
The value of the territory in view, when
put in figures, is variously stated at from
500, 00o, 900 to $500. 0O0, 900 In the condi-
ton of financial distress in which President
Diaz finds his government it is not improb-
able that he would accept any offer between
these two amounts.
There is a second plan which has better
argument and would require less money L
is for the requirement of Sonora, Sinaloa
and Lower California only. These state
arc inaccessible to the government of tn,
City of Mexico. To reach the little, sharp
pointed state of Sinaloa, or Sonora
they must either go down to AGA
pulco and thence upon the water, o.
else go up to FL Paso and around by raj
through the United States, Sinaola woult
be more valuable acquisition than any O
the other states, except possibly Chihuahua
because of her numerous Pacific tidewate
| harbors and her rich mines of gold and sill
yer, from which, even in their undevelope,
| state, from 81, SOC, 900 to s., 100000 is annu
| ally taken out These three states have al
area about equal to California.
Still third project is being pushed Oh
the attention of the administration by tn
| American projectors of the Tehauntepe
railroad company. 1t is for the acquisition
| of strip Of land fifty miles wide across tn
isthmus of Tehauntepec and enough land a
cape Catochi, Yucatau, for the construction
| of forts 1t is thought this cession could b
obtaited for $50, 0oo, 900, or 81, 0o0, 900 70
each strip mile wide and $50 miles long.
just what view of these various scheme
will be taken by the administration is diff
cult to foreshadow The Southern influenc
which is dominant at Washington woul
object to the requirement of Sonora, Sina
loa and Lower California alone. Tn
yehuantepec scheme may fail of favor wit
Mr.. Bayard, who is sensitive to the extrsm
Of criticism, because it Is mora or less Con
nected with a railroad enterprise. Al
schemes may be pushed aside on the groun
that to adopt any would be following MI
Blsine's financial leadership But that tn
question is up and is to be seriously consid
cred is certain.