New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-08

plant for several seasons in succession. NaturaiS
the cultivation of the plant was greatly eXtehueu
when it was found that this was the only crop
which could nc depended upon in locust years.
lucatan has thus been converted into a Yreat
centre for Jhe production Of hemp fibre. VIVA,
Sir Ambrose Shea hopes to accomplish in the
course of a few years IN the Bahamas has Deen
done in lucatan. Thousands of acres are under
successful cultivation y great industry has Deeil
established, and Progreso has been made one OF
the largest shipplng-points III Mexico. rfVallihe
Vera Cruz
Merida, instead Of being the fororn and
crumbling town which | have been expecting to
see is ilourlshing city. The Cathedral, fronting
with double towers upon the Plaza. shows signs
of age, but the houses freshly painted, In eX-
cellent repair and offer n marked contrast to the
ddllapldated architecture of Cuban towns. Inc
Government buildings opposite the Cathedral nave
double p0rtaleS and very graceful architecturai
lines There are in the city fourteen churches, a
town hail. a Government palace, palace OF JUS
tlce, theatre, a public library schools OF medl-
cine, pharmacy and law, conservatory OF music;
Literary institute, a hospital and museum OF
antiquities; The main plaza in the centre OF the
cheSS-Doard diagram of the town is very bright
and attractive, and is kept in perfect order.
Merida. while founded as long ago as / 54@. is III
many respects a most progressive Mexican city.
II has population of 10000 and is rich town.
The ssal-farmers live here in great comfort and
spend money freely. At the carnival balls there
are lavish displays Of diamonds and costumes, and
the Merida planters and merchants frequently
make expensive tours to the United States and
Europe
One institution of modern civilization is lacking
in Merida. There is n clubhouse where fair
dinner can be had, but there is no hotel worthy
of the name There is wrctchcd posada with
two or three damp and musty seepins-rooms,
where traveller passes night of agony on a
board with ragged Counterpart over him. Such
timber as there Is in lucatan belongs 10 the tropl-
cal belt and is hard wood. traveller who Is
cushioned with fat may he able TO adapt himself
to the cold hospitality of the hardest OF board
beds but betide the ill-favOred and lean guest
condemned to number his bones as well as to
count the quarter-hours of the jangling cathedral
bells in the watches OF secpIess night!
The bulk of the productions of Yucatan have a
free market in the United States, and the move
ment Of commercial exchange is mainly IN that
direction. BY the Mckinley Tariff Act the duty
Of 81 ; ton on sisal fibre has been removed AS
this is the most profitable industry of lucatan.
large concession has been made TO the producers
of this region. Mexican journalists who are COM
planning of the unfrendllness of the United States
in increasing the duties on low-grade ores ana
tobacco find it convenient TO overlook the fact
that the hcnnequen. iXtlr and other fibres form
ing OF the largest classes OF exports have Dec
admitted to free market W hen their atten
ton is called to the matter they assert that the
removal of the duties on fbres is not helpful TO
the industries in Mexico, since this class OF prod
nee is brought into competition with other lDres,
imported and domestic. This is shallow evasion.
BY placing fbres on the same level with coffee,
sugar, hides. dye-woods, and all the other produc-
tions Of the tropical belt, except tobacco, the
United States has gratuitously offered FIRE" mar,
kc for one of the chief sources OF the INDUSTRIAL
wealth of the country.
Privileges which are virtually given away by
tariff legislation 10 Spanisli-imcrica are not APP
prcciated The United States now imposes duties
on lead ores live stock. tobacco and wool: and
admits all the other leading products of Mexico
without restriction. The short dutaDie lis, Is
converted into n national grievance. The long
free list is not regarded indication of comfy
and goodwill Herein lies strong argument IN
favor of dealing with Mexico by reciprocity treaty
Grotuitous concessions like the free market for
Gbres. coffee, sugar. dye-woods and hides are not
valued Let bargain he struck in reciprocity
convention and there will be different feeling IN
Ncyico Commercial privileges. which are pur-
chased with compcnsatng tavorS in return; VIII
hc appreciated. and the two countries which are
linked together by thin railway systems VIII be
brought into more harmonious and satisfactory
relations. l. ~ L