New-York tribune., 1891-05-22
THE MEXICAN BORDER.
RIVAL, srLvER.pRoDUCING NATIONS.


couvrecrA1, RECIPROCITY THE ORDER OF
ppocRrss-s1GSs OF FINANCIAL sTABILr
1ry IN MExIco-A WORK or CIVIL
zATroN IN WHICH AMERICANS
HAVE LARGE SHARE.
NOV srArr CORRESPONDENT or TIE TRIBUNE.
Nuevo Laredo March 3-There are many signs
~ Amercanization as one approaches the border
NJ the United States from the Southwest but there
il none more cheering and impressive than the
face NJ the Consu-General. with its keen intelh-
ccnce and genial smile. Mr. Sutton is one OF the
best-informed men in the Consular service. lie
has been most successful in bringing to lignt IN
his official reports facts about Mexico lts agrl-
culture commerce and industries which no otner
investigator has been able to obtain. otaolsUicS
are not to be had here for the asking whoever
learns anything about the material progress ana
financial condition of Mexico Is forced 70 oganize
n commission of investigation and to compile sys-
tematically the results Some of the most useful
and comprehensive Of Mr.. Sutton's reports-one,
for example on the agricultural conditions OIL
the country and recent one on the silver ques-
tion-have involved eXhausting labor on his part.
He has his reward in an established reputation as
one Of the most accomplished men in the Consular
service.
Consul.General Sutton speaks most hopefully Of
the future OF Mexico. He considers it an amazing
proof Of the stability of the nations finances that
there has been neither crisis panic during the
last eighteen months. Bar silver has fuctuated in
value from 43 pence to SIS pence in London, and
New-York exchange from to 40 per cent pre-
MUM; yet business has been conducted in an
orderly way, notwithstanding these extraordinary
changes The total export of silver from Mexico
for the year ending June 80, 1889, was S3S,OOO,-
900. The value of this white metal was increased
% per cent in August, 1890 IL there had been
S400, 900 900 invested in Mexican mines, another
81 co. 900 added to it by the rise Of silver
and the Improvement in exchange. II the I'M
ports amounted to $30,000,000 year, there was
a saving Of % per cent in the settlement Of ac-
counts 1t was a most favorable time for the
payment Of old debts and for increasing orders
for imports. Domestic manufacturers found
themselves forced to reduce their selling prices
nearly one-quarter. and were menaced with ruin
from cheap mportatons. AS the white metal
went out OF the country under improved prices in
London and New-York there was scarcity Of
eagle dollars and panic seemed TO he impending,
but it was averted by conservative action Of the
banks Then followed the decline in silver and
the unsettling of all values. These fluctuations
affected every industry since two-thirds of the
exports Of Mexico are precious metals, and the
purchasing power of all domestic produce is de-
pendent upon the value Of white metal The
confusion and uncertainty have been very great,
but there has been no crisis. Financial manage
ment under President Dnz's Administration has
steadily improved and the cOuntrys industrial
development has not been arrested by the rise and
fall Of silver and by the excessive expectations
Of the past few months
Mining is the chief industry of Mexico and it
Is carried on in the most businesslike way The
result of legislation in the United States last year
was to increase the value of every silver mine
on this side of the border. Many mines have long
been idle because they could not be worked
economically, owing to the expense of timbering
and the cost of treatment. The effect of improved
prices for silver and Of the erection of smeters in
many portions of Mexico will be to increase the
production. Low-grade deposits of ore which
could not be worked under former conditions can
now be handled proftaby COnsul-Gcneral SUIT
ton quotes the estimates Of silver production fur
nished by Mr. Staveli, Chief of the Mexican Bureau
Of Statistics, but considers them too high These
are 900 Kilograms for 1887; 955,5O0 for
1888; and 1,335,s2s for 1880. This is a larger
increase than has been reported during the same
has risen from 1,2S3,s5j TO 1,555,4S6 Kilograms.
Mr. Sutton believes that there will be found an
increase Of 52l $50 Kilograms in the worlds pro-
duction of silver for 500, and that 20O,374 kilo-
grams viii represent MeSico's share. lie also
estimates that if silver holds up in price European
nations will increase their coinage another year
and that the consumption in s9l will largely
exceed that Of 1890, and that this increase will
hold for several years He considers it probable
that several leading European nations will be
forced TO make larger use of white metal in
order TO retain their influence and trade in Spanish
America, and that the conditions in Mexico and
the republics to the south are such as to warrant
the estimate that there will be n considerable in
in the silver required for carrying on their
business. AS the leading silvcr-producing coun-
tries, the United States and Mexico have COM
mercal interests which indissoubly connected.
Mexico has been more directly concerned in the
results of recent legislation in Washington than
| any other foreign country. Silver contributes
two-thrds of the exports, and is the only measure
Of value and standard OF exchange. The follow
ing exhibit Of the worlds production of silver
shows how intimately the interests of the United
States and Mexico as white-metal countries
bound together
PRODUCTION OF SILVER.