The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-21
Great Possibilities for the Right Sort
Of Mens,in Our Sister
Republic.
The Administration Of President
Diax Has Worked Wonders
for the Country.


ESxU6p0 V410 "a vAAQ AAAO0o OoAAAAAeso S>.'~'e--
pleG Of tho opportunities now Afforded by
MSfioo for the rapid accumulation of large
fortunes II that given In the person of Senior
Mora, who arrived at the Astor house last
Tuesday ON his way to Europe on = ak
months vacation, says the New York Star.
Five or six years ago he started business IN
tho town of San Cristobal, the sleepy old
capital of the state Of Chiapas, in the ex-
treme southern section Of Mexico. He had
a few thousand dollars and looked about
him for investment. To-day he is worth
neary million of dollars, besides large
undeveloped mining interest. He said:
"There is great difference between the
Mexico of to-day and the Mexico of ten
years ago, II Is principally due to President
Diaz. Tho best proof Of this, perhaps, lies
in the fact that all Mexico demands that he
should stay in power another four years.
They no longer have riots in Mexico. They
are put down without bloodshed. Fifteen
or twenty years ago the revolutionist. who
was sort of trigandish demi-god. lived in
the Businesses of the mountains, where SOL
dliers had to trace him and frequently to
kill him in order to cure him of his heresy.
To-day single policeman goes after him,
catches him and puts him into Jail, and
then the courts make him work for his liv-
ing. Every new factory that has come IN
to the country OF late, every new mine that
has been opened, every business enterprise
that has been started, and thousands OF an
these things have been done, proves that
life and property are as safe in Mexico to
dav az they are in any other nation on the
face of the earth. When millions of dol
lars are poured out monthly from foreign
purses to solidify the great industrial I'M
IA ~ $<NrNR1 NYY1fp in
Mexico, it is very evident that the condi-
& ton of our internal affairs and of our gov
eminent is entirely satisfactory"
lis your part of Mexico like the rest?"
asked.
'sNot exactly. In the northern and east
been more noticeable, and the country
thereabouts has developed more rapidly and
more successfully. But even in the state of
Chiapas, where make my home, the
sound Of the locomotives whistle will soon
be heard, for the railroad builders are hard
and along it's fertile lands. Ever since the
building of the railroad lines connecting
the United States with the City of Mexico
the central portions of the republic have
been largely increasing their trade and
commerce between themselves as we'll as
impetus to the business of that section
which is perfectly astonishing to some of
the old-timers down there, who had never
expected to see such a stirring up of things.
The influence exerted by the progressive
ideas Of to-day has been, Of course, slower
to crystalline their power in the extreme
southernmost point of the republic, where
my business interests lie, than in some
other sections of the country
"But." proceeded Senior Mora, as he
lighted cigarette, Immigration will soon
bring us up to the point Of development al
roaHv pooNhod in rival 0kakaa All MoYic0
needs fresh blood and more people. We
are willing to do almost anything that is
fair in order to secure immigration. Take
my own case, for instance. A short time
ago company secured from the govern.
= ment the concession of 1,5OO.OOO acres of
land in one of the richest and most pros
porous sections of the state of Chiapas.
One Of the conditions upon which the land
was granted was that specified number of
families should be brought and settled on
the tract within certain time. To aid in
carrying out the contract, the Mexican
government allows us fixed sum for every
family that we planted on these Chlapas
lands. Besides this, the government of the
state itself and the local authorities are
most anxious for an infusion of new blood
The truth is that the southern portion of
Mexico has been 60 long shut out from the
great commercial world that very few can
realize how important this part of the con-
tinent is, and what splendid chances for
Investment it offers to the energy and tact
of the Americans"
DO you use much foreign capitals" I
asked.
Eyes, great deal. OF course, we have
some ourselves. There are good many
rich Mexicans, but many of them are con-
sentative in their ideas, and We are forced
to seek outside help. Up to few years ago
most of the capital necessary for the devel-
opment of Mexico came from England, Ger
many and France, principally England.
The City of Mexico was at that time nearer
to Liverpool or Hamburg than to New Or
leans so far as business was concerned. All
this has been changed. American capital
lists are interested in almost every under
taking in southern Mexico. Only short
time ago John w. Mackay wrote to me, de-
string to secure control of a valuable tract
in Chiapas. He will probably get it, and if
he does he will of course improve it and
make it more valuable. speak of this to
show that shrewd American capitalists are
turning their attention to the rich fields of
profit in our republic"
"How about the railroads down there?"
Railroads? Comparatively speaking. We
are building railroads faster than any other
country in the world. They are telling the
finest and most valuable mahogany trees all
over Mexico simply for railroad ties. Rats
with rails and ties and construction mate
rial are floating down dozens of rivers
where the raftsman's pole never was known
before, carrying the cargoes to almost un-
known corners, where the track-layers are
awaiting their coming. It takes time to
build railroads in Mexico, but the tracks
sweep along all the same, and little by little
We are coming into closest communication
with the outside world. For instance, there
are the two towns, almost unknown in this
country, of Tonala and San Juan Balatista,
One is ON the Pacific coast and the other on
the Gulf of Mexico, Between them there
is building to-day a railroad called
the Mexican Pacific. It is being
done very quietly, and the world has
scarcely heard of it, but it will be mag
nifcent connecting link between the Pacific
and the Gulf of Mexico, and will open to
the immigrant splendid portion of ma
along its line will pay it more than five
times over. Most of the railroad builders
come from the United States, and the peo-
pie north of the Rio Grande are learning
more and more about Mexico, which is q
great thing for both countries.
Although I am but 80 years old" said
Senior Mora, in conclusion, II have done
great deal of work in Southern Mexico. and
have given myself the next six months in
which to recuperate. After that shall
carry on, as have been doing, my share of
the work in my development of the coun-
try"
Great Reduction in Passenger Rates via the
Northern Pacific.
The Northern Pacific railroad desiring to