The Wilmingtonian., 1886-09-04
ADVERTISING RATES,
SATURDAY sEPTEnBER A, 1856.
moxico's Unimporfance.

that country to be possible prize as a terri
torial acquisition.
The Hon. David A. Wells has recently
published monograph upon that country
He gives interesting facts of 5000 mile
trip through Mexico, stating the results of
careful personal investigation of our neigh
Dor state.
Mr.. Wells says that "his observations lead
him to the conclusion that Mexico of TODAY
through oonjoined natural and artificial "(or
human) influences, is one of the very poorest
and most wretched Of all countries" the pop
ulation of Mexico has never been accurately
determined. 1t is supposed to be somewhere
between 10, OOO,O 900 and 19, 900, 600. OF this
number one-third are pure Indian, and half
the population of mixed blood. One sixth of
the Mexicans are Europeans by birth OIL i'm
mediate descent, 1.-THE Spanish element pre-
dominating" Three-quarters of the present
population cannot read or write, have no
property, ''no intelligent ideas about civil as
contradistinguished from military authority,
Of political liberty, or of constitutional gov
ernment," and wear no Shoes In late Off
cial report (18s5) of our Consul General may
be found the following in regard to the Ia
boring class in Mexico. They were "decid-
edly inferior in comfort and neatness to the
negroes of the Southern United States when
in the state of slavery" Satisfied with fri
jolss and tortillds, they have no bed, nor chair,
nor table. A fiat stone to grind their
corn, an esrthen vessel or two suffice their
household wants. With corn and beans and
red and green peppers their hunger is ap-
peased. Meat they get rarely when it is
obtainsble "every part of the animal is eat
en-" With mild climate people want less.
When their stomachs are filled, money has
no value to them. If the poor Mexican has
anything over he buys "pulque," or wastes
money in the purchase of lottery tickets
The Indians and half breeds have the strong
est attachment for the place of their natiyi-
ty. When the railroad was built, hands
were found to construct sections in their i'm
mediate vicinity, but neither money nor per-
suasion would induce these people ''to follow
their work any distance from their native
fields or villages" Public opinion in Mexi-
GO is limited to the few. "Large landed pro-
prietors, the professors, the teachers, the
students, and the army officers, comprising
in all not more than from 25, 900 to 10000 of
the whole population, lay down the law. AL
though the Constitution gives to every adult
male citizen Of the republic the right to vote,
less than $4,000 votes were cast at the last
Presidential election. Mr.. Wells presents
that often cited fact, that an uneducated
people will not avail themselves of the rights
of the ballot.
With ten millions of people the title of the
soil is vested in 5000 persons. Titles are
often uncertain, but the taxation on the land
is slight, if anything. 'tMexican land laws
discriminate very vigorously against the ac-
quirement Of land by foreigners who do not
propose to become Mexican citizens, and
seem to be especially framed to prevent any
encroachments on the part of the United
States.
The agricultural poverty Of Mexico is ex-
hibited by the following 9able. South Caro-
lima has an area Of 80, $40 square miles. Six
States of Northern Mexico, ,-Tamaulipas
Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Lower
California, and Souora-have 355, 900 square
miles. The annual agricultural product of
South Carolina making allowance for the
areas of land, is from 90 to 25 times as valu-
able as that of the whole Northern half of
Mexico.
On the plateau of Mexico there is much
good land, but there are no roads. Wheeled
vehicles are unknown, and men and donkeys
carry the loads. A Mexican road is very
rarely more than a trail, in popular parance
"buen camino de pajaros," "a good road for
birdR.) Plows are crooked sticks, and the
hoe the only agricultural implement. In
1882 the corn, wheat, sugar, tobacco, beans,
coffee, &C., raised in Mexico was not under
estimated at $75, 100000. The oat crop of
the United States alone is valued at also, ,OO0,- :
900. The great Mexican standby is corn,
and in 1882 the product gave 81 $40 bushels
per head. In 1885 our corn alone gave SO
bushels per capita. OF wheat Mexico har-
vested only 2-1O bushels per head. In
1884 the value of exported coffee from
Mexico was s1,71HOOO. Brazilian exports to
the United States alone last year were in ex.
cess of $50, 600 900. OF sugar Mexico's whole
product would give her 90 pounds a head,
The United States consumes per capita so
pounds.
Her textile products, considering the coun-
try as a whole are almost nothing and of the
poorest, coarsest grade. And this last is