The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-09-29
LIFE IN MEXICO.
a Pleasant Country Offering A6lvan-
tages for American Enterprise.


4 Pleasant Country Offering Aavan-
tages for American Enterprise.
A gentleman now residing in Washington
Rho lived for twenty years in Mexico where
he carried ON an extensive business and had
excellent opportunities to acquire informa-
ton concerning the country, says that it is
adelightful country to live in when you are
once established there to advantage. The
climate is mild and invigorating, and the
society in the centers cultivated and agree
able. Nowhere ON the earth are the better
classes of people more kindly disposed, or
capable of truer or more lasting friendships
The domestic life is gentle and pure. The
lrts and sciences are cultivated to degree
not conceived of in this country. The pro
fessional mans course at the university is
as a rule, much more careful than among
US. The physician, the lawyer, the edu-
Gator leach is well equipped before he en-
tiers upon his life work. / regard the public
school system there as nearly perfect. 1t is
free, you know, as with us, and in many of
the States education is obligatory. There
is MS much religious liberation, and it is as
sincere as exists in this country. The
American citizen is constantly reminded,
indeed, of all that enters into the aspirations
of his own countrymen for the betterment
of their social and political condition by
that which on every hand confronts fair
and an unprecedented observation. The
people of the two countries differ, of course,
but in nd hing that authorizes hatred or
contempt on either side, or that should
serve as barrier to the existence of the
completest, the most cordial friendship be-
tween them. The Mexicans are quick enough
Of apprehension, and capital companions.
They do not lead the hurried, money-haunt-
ed life that we do, and it is question if
they are not the happier in their slower
natures.
The business field is very inviting to men
who will go there and identify themselves
with the people and their customs. He cam
not hope to succeed, however, who goes
there and sneers OF his neighbors, busies
himself with their private affairs, treats laws
and local customs with open contempt and
acts in every way as if he considered him.
self superior person. But such course
will bring failure anywhere. Neither will
the man succeed who goes to Mexico bent
ON making fortune in short time, and
then hurrying of again. The fact is, too
many Americans emigrate with that idea.
They are in too great hurry. Feeling
that they possess a superior order of talent
or business energy, an article of manufac-
ture, they want its superiority recognized
at once. If this recognition is denied, they
grow impatient and reaentful. The great
requisite is patience staying qualities. The
truth is TINT while our articles of manufac-
ture are greatly superior to those of Mexico,
o very great deal may still be cheaply and
adyantageously accomplished with the
primitive implements in use there. Great
and important works are pushed forward
with them at small expense, and this, of
course, initiates against their immediate
abandonment. In time, however, they must
give place to improved methods, and, in
Tact, are already doing 30.
The Mexicans feel very friendly toward
1 this country, and respond readily enough
TO overtures, whether commercial or soeial.
We labor under no disadvantages that we
may not in the greatest measure remove.
An important point against us is that as
compared with either the English, the Ger.
man, or the French We are poor linguists,
and there is a penalty attached to the diff.
Guilty. Take for example, the case of a
young German who leaves a counting room
at Hayre or Hamburg, and goes to Mexico
in pursuit of his fortune. His first step,
after determining his branch of business, is
to acquire knowledge of the language and
of the commercial laws of the country.
That enables him to move along surefooted-
", and TO keep his own counsels. In other
words, he is soon practically at home, and
can look out for himself. As rule the
American, despairing after brief struggle
of mastering the new tongue, takes an
interpreter into his employ and operates
almost solely by his aid. You can see the
hanger and the disadvantage OF that. The
mans secrets are all exposed, or become
liable to betrayal, for his experience will
soon teach him that six out of ten interpre-
tiers are reckless or corrupt gossps and that
nothing is safe with them. Now to go from
purely personal embarrassment to broad
er, more general phase of the question the
reason why we do not sell more largely to
Mexico is that we do not offer the terms
that England does. We are nearer mar
ket, but we are also n much dearer one.
The Mexican merchant Of good standing
has no trouble in securing six months
credit in Manchester, shy, and even longer
time, but his Boston or his New York or
New Orleans correspondent will give only
ninety days at the outside. Then we do
not offer inducements for an interchange Of
commodities, which is absolutely indispens-
able to the building up of business We
should not shut our gates, as we do, against
what Mexico Inns to sell.
- >-soh~-.> %------