Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-11

staples, especially tobacco, corn, sugar, rub
Der. cocoa and coffee in the lowlands and wheat
In the upper lands. 1t is at the southwestern
end OF the country, adjoining Guatemala. and
1t Will soon have a near railroad connection
with the remainder of Mexico by the line which
is being built from Mexico City to Tehuantepec.
This road will go right through the state of
Oaxaca and this state is wonderful in its re-
sources. 1t contains a vast area of best soil for
coiee culture and IN some parts of it tobacco
OF good quality is produced. The climate is
healthy and agreeable. Recently great many
deposits OF coal have been discovered and two
companies are now engaged i'll developing coal
mines there. There are rich iron mines near
these coal deposits and we may have a great
menufac turing district in this state. As vet
the state has not been prospected. 1t will be
opened up by this railroad and it is one Of the
best fields of enterprise of today. The iron
horse will i'll two or three years at least reach
the capital of the state and the possibilities of
fortunes and fortune making in it are, it seems
10 me. very great.
The state of San Louis Potosi. President Diaz
went on, rs also a mining country, but its
principal wealth will in time be derived from
It's admirable situation as center Of trade for
the interior OF the country. The railroads
which now center at its capital will make it a
great distributing point. and the Tampico har-
Dor Will add greatly to its advantages. Chihua-
hua. which lies below Texas in the north central
part OF Mexico, has a vast extent of soil suited
TO cattle raising, and a great deal of British
capital Is being invested there at the present
time"
RAILROADS IN MEXICO.
How about the railroad development Of
Mexico? Will it continued"
Yes. was the reply. ''Since the year 1885
the railway system of this country has been 80
extended that there are few cities of import
ance that are not now connected with the CEN
ter OF the country or Mexico City. 1t is n sig
nificant fact too, that railways in Mexico
nave been paying enterprises since their be-
glnning. so much SO that trunk lines such as
the Mexican Central and the Mexican National.
have given dividends to their shareholders
almost since the first year they were in opera
uon. Remember that such results were OBJ
talned when the country was at the beginning
OF ITS development and when little or no for
eign capital had been invested in mines or
agriculture III Mexico, and you will see that it
may be safely said that this progress will In
crease now that new elements of prosperity
are being constantly brought from abroad
lou ask As to subsidies. When Mexico was anx-
ious for the construction of railways, it Law
lshed subsidies on all the roads. The outlay
was very large In comparison with its present
resources, and now that the system is about to
be completed the government has decided not
10 pay any subsidies for new line"
RECIPROCITY TREATY
As to reciprocity treaties President Diaz
said: I'VE can make reciprocity treaty with
the United States, as we already made one some
years ago which never was in force, but which
met with very bad fortune in your country
L refer to the Grant-Romero treaty and any
new treaty that We could make would not
differ substantially from this. Any extension
OF our free list OF American goods would more
or less diminish our federal receipts, and in
some cases very detrimentally SO. We cannot
lot lagu L
kind OF taxation for this source of revenue. As
TO the land tax OF which you ask it is already
levied by the states on a small scale and the in
creasing OF it requires great deal of tact not
to hurt influential and transcendent interests
Among the other objects of the government in
fayoring railroad building was to increase the
Productlveness Of landed property, as when it
becomes more remunerative it can he taxed
more heavily"
MANUFACTURING IN MEXICO.
How about Mexican manufacturers?" I
asked.
Manufacturing in Mexico" said the presi-
dent, lis constantly increasing. Every wear
new paper. wool and cotton manufactures are
established and the old ones are being continu-
ally enlarged. There is great manufacturing
growth going on in the states of Puebla. ia
lisco and Oaxaca and in the federal district A
number of new factories for the making of
beer, spirits and wine have been started and I
believe that in manufactures OF all kinds there
is a great field for American capital and Ameri-
can enterprise"
The conversation here turned to education
and President Diaz told me that there was now
a compulsory primary education throughput
Mexico, and that the Mexican congress and the
government were doing all they could to i'm
prove their educational methods He said he
Thought that the Indians could be greatly i'm
proved by the Mexican school system and that
though the work would be slow, that they
would eventually make good and intelligent
citizens. He spoke highly Of the progress of
Mexico In an educational way, and characterized
the Indian population as a people possessed of
great natural abilities and infinite possibilities.
He then referred to the worlds fair, saying:
MEXICO AND THE WORLDS FAIR.
"Mexico has cordially accepted the invita-
ton to the worlds fair at Chicago. Her ex-
hibits will be the best calculated to promote
trade and business relations between the two
countries. The plan of the exhibition will differ
somewhat from that adopted by us at the New
Orleans exposition and the intention is to give
practical exhibition Of what can be exchanged
or improved upon in our relations with the
United States rather than to make an interest
ing but less important show of the different
products Of our rudimental industries"
In closing, President Diaz spoke of the Young
men Of Mexico. speaking of them in high terms
and saying that they seemed to be moro desir-
Gus Of making good citizens and preserving
social order than did the young men of the
past. I'm them" said he, lis largely the hope
Of Mexico, and through them would come the
great Mexico of the future" He said that the
progress of Mexico would, he believed, 60 stead
| ily on, and he paid Us q very pretty compli-
ment in saying that he believed it would i'm
prove in every respect and become day after
day more worthy Of being called sister of the
| great model republic. the United States of
America. FRANK G. CARPENTKl-