, 1890-08-02

In the country appears clearly IRON tH0
further statement that capital is pouring
into Mexico as it never did before, and
that the demand for modern improvements
has increased enormously. That there IS
need for improvement is no less clear.
Good drainage and a good water supply
are among the first essentials of MOdeTn
civiliz ID life, as We understand them in
this country. Mexico has been backward
in both respects. Nearly all the Mexican
cities are built on sites which were inha-
bited before the Spanish conquest. and
since they have not been drained either
before that event or after it, the conditions
of the soil is just what we should expect
it would be and must be. A high altitude
and a consequently pure atmosphere are
some set-off in many cases for the state OF
the soil saturated with the filth OF centu.
ries. The necessary reform is now at last
to be taken in hand, somewhat late IN the
day. and under circumstances OF no small
difficulty. The promise, however, is that,
with the help of loans lately negotiated ia
Europe, there are TO be. municipal improve
mentS of the kind most required Ill tho
larger Mexican cities. That they are to
be supplied with good water Is a part OF
the general scheme not very easily to be
carried out. In the interior of Mexico
there are no rivers that can be depended
upOn for a constant yield OF water.
Floods and drOughtS alternate, the excess
of water passing off to" rapidly and too
completely 10 be tuTACd easily 10 account.
Something is to be done by storage OK
water, for which there are large works IN
course of construction and in other cases,
the reliance is on artesian wells, the depth
of which ranges from 500 feet 10 the al.
,,o,e r.oI;L;t;.n MN "a ~ I1n nf I HO0 Yaut
The postal system Of Mexico is rapidly
developing with the increase OF trade, both
interior and foreign. The Mexican Post
Office takes the lead with a new expert
nlent, untitled elsewhere. 1t has entered
into "a contract for establishing II phonO-
graph service, from which, in the PreSi-
dents opinion, highly satisfactory results
may be looked fOr. We shall avail Them
with some curiosity. II is a new position
which Mexico is thus assuming as the
pioneer to other countries. That it has
begun to pay its debts is an Improvement
IF no small moment, but OF so recent date
THAT we cannot venture as yes 10 feel coll
fdent about its permanence. The demand
for modern improvements, hOwever excel.
lent a sign of progress in civilization. Is
not to be satisfied without a great increase
of expenditure. The finances of the cOun-
try are said, in the Presidents address, TO
be in a very satisfactory state. We learn
on more neutral authority that its foreign
Indebtedness is increasing at a rapid rate,
and this we must set down as cOunterba.
lancing in some degree the more hopeful
signs, diScoveFable elsewhere, OF financial
and general progress. .<.
The Consular reports on Brazil show
hat Mexico is not the only province OF
the New World which is moving with the
times. The demand from Santos is for
more English capital, not as a lOaH, b u as
an inv estment on English account. There
is already 412, 900, 900 of it invested in this
province alone and finding lucrative
employment, and there is room, Her
Majesty's Consul states, for many millions
more. Parana is also referred to as
having certainly q great industrial future
before it, and in need only OF capital and
immigr alton to give it a start. This Is 9
somewhat large demand, however varied
may be the products which 'Parana may
be made to yield, and however great the
inducements which it offers to attract the
capital and the settlers who are to find
their profit in developing it. The COn-
sular report is encouraging certainly for
the future, but no men and no money Is
the substance of it's statement as to the
present condition of Parana. The English
capitalist in search of ali outlet will hnd
in the Board Of Trade Journal so many
aud SO varied promises from almost all,
norris nf the nutor wnrld that his only