The record-union., 1895-06-29
to It's Betterment

PUEBLA, MEXICO, June 20, l895-Ihe
fact that Mexico has expanded her in
dustry and commerce. while the indus
trial affairs Of the United States have
been in a state OF stagnation or temporary
collapse, has attracted wide attention and
elected yOluminous comments. The
philosopher with single cause for every
thing that happens in the course OF social
development, or the reformer with a
single remedy that viii produce every
condition desirable, is likely to attribute
Mexico's present prosperity to her silver
monetary standard, or to the building OF
railways, or TO some other single con-
gpicuous influence. Undoubtedly the
cause he will Indicate has been intlu-
ential, but great social revolutions are
not usually the result of single force.
There are a few things in the way OF
social betterment that not even the adop-
ton of the single tax" would bring
about. The movements of society from
one STAGE or condition, to another are not
so simple as reformers sometimes appear
to imagine. An adequate explanation Of
the fact that MeXicO's period OF greatest
prosperity, in recent times. falls in the
years of the commercial depression OF
certain other nations, involves many con-
siderations, and one of the contributing
forces may be described and emphasized
without ignoring the existence OF others.
This is what is done when some of the
more general results of the Introduction
Of railways are pointed out, or when
tater some of the more particular. or local
consequences may be indicated, or when
some Of the effects Of the depreciation OF
silver may be described.
One of the most striking things in the
economic history Of Mexico is the COM
pIeteness and persistence Of her isola-
ton. By destroying this isolation she
has suddenly been brought under the iE-
tluences that make for changes, and we
have here one of the best examples OBJ
tainable OF the transition from stagnant
to progressive society. In taking ac-
count OF this change, it is proposed to es-
innate at this time only some OF the more
general influences and results of railway
building
To discover how powerful are the
forces proceeding from this source, we
have TO take account of the fact that the
Spaniards acquired from the Mcors, dur
ing their long association with them in
the peninsula, an Indifference TO roads
suited to vehicles with wheels, and that
the colonists who went out from Spain in
the sixteenth century carried this in
difference to the new world. Settlements
were made and cities grew to importance,
with no other means of communicating
with the world at large than that offered
by the Indian trail or the mule path.
This was not matter of great moment
so long as Spain's colonial restrictions on
trade were maintained. a few Indians
or a few donkeys would carry at single
trip all that any town received from
Spain in the course Of a year; and the
colonists were thus thrown back upon
their immediate efforts for the satisfac-
ton Of their wants; and the King, by pro-
hibiting trade between the colonies, en-
phasized their isolation. and indicated the
uselessness of means OF communication.
This restrictive policy Of Spain with re-
spect to her colonies placed the European
settlers on the economic basis of the In
dians, and compelled them to work their
way forward from this stage by slow and
laborious processes. a short period of
the Kind OF life to which they were re-
duced made them forget most of the
wants that had belonged to their previous
station, and made it comparatively easy
to provide what seemed to be an adequate
satisfaction of those remaining.
But by the imperfecdon of the means
of production, and of internal transport
tation, vast amount OF force was con-
sumed without great results. 1t is not
enough 10 say of this case that labor was
cheap. and to find in this Justification
OF its Improbable use. Labor was cheap
because, through the force Of custom and
the restrictions Of the law, it continued
to be used in such ways that its product
could afford no larger compensation.
BY referring to Spain's restrictions on
trade with and in America, the accom-
plisnment Of ends with rude means, and
the employment of human and animal
power directly with little use OF me-
chauical appliance, we indicate the early
character Of Nezico's economic system,
system which became so thoroughly
rooted in custom that its main character
istios were preserved we'll into this cen
turv: and some of it's features are con-
spicuous IN the Mexican life OF the pres
ent. Fruit is still carried into the City of
Mexico on the backs Of men, over dis
tances requiring journeys OF several days;
and When you buy it there IN the market
you think it still cheap, from which may
be inferred how little must be the daily
compensation of these men, and, rola-
lively to the result. how great the ex-
penditure Of force.
The revival in Mexico is a result of the
attempt now making to set aside an anti
uuated economic system and Introduce
that which the most progressive nations
have adopted. Probably the most con-
spicuous force thus tar observable as help
ing to effect this change has come through
the Introduction of railways.
When the railway was introduced into
England and France it came as a rival to
all SORTS Of wheeled vehicles drawn by
properly fed aud trained animals over
roads that were excellent specimens of
well-executed public works. When the
railway was introduced into Mexico. it
came as 8 rival of the half-starved donkey
and the not overted Indian. The transit
ton from the freight wagons and passen-
ger coaches on the great roads of France
was less striking than the transition from
the beasts of burden on the rough trails
of Mexico. The time OF the revolution in
the TWO cases was also important. In the
one case it happened before the habit of
much travel and the practice of extensive
shipments had become fully developed.
in the other case it came when the lead
ing nations had become filled with the