The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-11-25
MEXICO AS y IS.
A Land for Which Nature Has Done Very
Much and Man Very Little.

Land for Which Nature Has Done Very
Much and Man Very Little.
A late volume of reports from United
States Consuls is mostly devoted to
Mexico. 1t includes general descrip-
ton of the state of the various industries
of the country; its agricultural. mining
and manufacturing possibilities; tenure
and value of land; prices of food, live
stock. ETC., and prospects for American
enterprise. These reports vary in ac-
cOrdance with local conditions. but
they are all of the same general purport.
With an area of 100000 square miles,
and q population of nearly 10000. 900,
the total real estate valuation of Mexi-
CO is only $685.. 0OO, 600, and the value
of its agricultural products is less than
$500, 100000 annually. The other in
dustries OF the country, aside from min
ing. are insignificant. This is due to no
lack of natural resources. The soil is
rich and the climate favorable for farm
ing operations. but there is no develop
ment OF the advantages of the country,
and ignorance. Incidence and poverty
form the burden Of the reports regard
remain unprOductive for want of arte-
sian wells and irrigating bitches. There
is variety of products which require
little or no cultivation, but there are no
roads for their transporta ion, no ma
chinery for handl ne them. and no
bank ng system to facilitate exchanges.
Land is literally ''dirt cheap" vet it
is difficult OF purchase because owners
are too conservative and inert to
either sell or work their holdings.
and there is no established trade in real
estae. The peasantry, mostly of Ind an
blood, are virtually held in bondage by
the system of perpetual Indebtedness
and the transferring of accounts from
one employer to another, and they are
SO lazy and sh ftless that they scarcely
earn the twenty-five cents dar which
is their average wage. What they get
for their labor after satisfying their
primitive living necessities. IS spent in
cheap finery and nj rry-making.
The whole teaching of these reports
is that Mexico is a grand field for Ameri-
can enterprise. in all natural advan-
tages, but that new race. or a rad cal
transforma' ion of the present inhabi-
tants, is necessary to make the field
profitable. For instance. the use of
American agricultural machinery
would be great boon to the country,
but there is little or no sale for it for
several reasons. Except in The immedi-
ate vicinity of the railroa DIS the cost and
d fficulty of transported on virtually
prohibits its use. Few of the farm
laborers or their employers are compe-
tent to use it. if procured. The native
mechanics are not smart enough to
make repairs, and any breakage means
disuse for months. To make a market
for such goods. dealers must establish
depots at centers of population, with
provision for making repairs at heavy
expense and considerable risk. So in
other departments of industry. Alto
gcther these consular reports tell the
same story of Mexico which has been
told by private observers. 1t is land
fer which nature has done much and
man | tile. There are some signs of
progress along main lines of commune
cation. but il will be necessarily Slow
San Francisco Bulletin.