The record-union., 1895-07-13

new order Of things introduced by the
means of rapid transportation Is to be
equally advantageous to all places.
Towns that have already been developed
in Mexico have grown in obedience to
forces that will not necessarily remain
the dominant forces. The currents OF
trade and the centers of distribution are
not necessarily the same before and after
the introduction Of railways. A town, by
reason of it's position and the energy OF
few of it's Inhabitants, may become an
important distributing center; It's mer-
chants may hold large quantities of goods
In stock. and may supply the dealers IN
the towns of the adjacent region. Inc
building of a railway to that town, ana
through the region which has become
tributary to it, may destroy its trade and
it's relative Importance at single blow.
The dealers in other towns. who have
been its customers. are enabled TO go d.
reotly to it's source of supply. In THIS
process of developing few large centers
of trade, some of the hitherto existing
smaller ones are either left stationary or
caused to decline.
But there appears to be no doubt that
the property OF the Mexican nation as a
whole has been greatly Increased IN value
by the building of the railways. Rafael
Herrera, an apparently conservative
statistician, in setting forth the Items
which make up the nations property,
amounting to 1920, 100000, enters the
railways at $500, ,000, 900. In the same ac-
count he shows that the private property
fI,o nj
ways has been increased Sl25, 900. But
greater indirect result may be reason
ably expected in the increase which VIII
come as a consequence OF the improve
ment and extension of cultivation that
the better means of communication will
induce The improvement of cultivation
is brought about by facility in obtaining
better agricultural implements, which
are already being largely imported. those
that reach the southern part Of the coun-
try coming chiefly from England by way
Of Vera Cruz.
1t is noticeable that thus far the inn
proved implements introduced. partlcu-
larIy along the line of the Mexican South
ern Railway, between Puebla and OAK
aca, are principally for harvesting, while
in preparing the soil and planting there
is still vigorous adherence to old meth
DDS. The plow of the old style, with
the prestige OF several thousand years OF
use, holds it's place against all intruders
with remarkable resistance. The claim
that il is better suited to the conditions
OF the Mexican soil and climate than any
other is supported only by traditional
md 9th of
will ultimately be introduced, but they
would come the sooner if the makers OF
them would consider carefully the con-
ditions under which they must be used
and adapt them as far as possible to these
conditions.
The people of the United States are so
absolutely sure that their ways are the
only proper ways that they have not
made the advances in Spanish American
trade they might have made If they had
been more disposed to adapt themselves
and their work to the conditions and
practices of other nations. 1t may be
true that the customs OF nation, al
though supported by the traditions of
many generations, are not the best con-
ceivable. Still it may not be advisable,
If we wish TO trade with that nation, to
make it especially conspicuous in the be-
ginning that we know they are wrong
and we are right. and that they must
change and accept our practices immedi-
ately.
If the Mexieans wish plow with only
one handle, it is not worth while to stand
on their accepting q plow with two
handles as if it were high moral ques-
ton. Moses gave his followers not the
best laws he could invent but the best
they were prepared TO receive; so ordi-
nary business sense should have sug-
gested to Americans to give the Mexl-
cans not the beat agricultural implements
that could be invented, but the best the
Mexicans were prepared TO receive. In
the course OF their attempts TO trade with
Spanish America, the merchants and
manufacturers of the United States have
not always lived up TO this principle.
Year after year they have continued 20
pack goods for Bogata, or quito, or a
town in Mexico not reached by rail as
they would pack them to be sent from
New York to Albany, or from Chicago
to San Francisco, paying no attention to
the fact that all goods sent to Spanish
America, even where there are railways,
NAV be required to be carried longer or
shorter distance on the backs of men or
mules, and that where there are no rail-
ways this is the almost universal method
OF transportation.
In loading and unloading cars, the
ordinary truck is seldom used; the goods
are taken up bodily and carried from the
station to the car, or from the car TO the
station, and if they are TO be taken to
points remote from the station. they are
usually taken on mules. The necessi-
ties of the case demand, therefore, that
the package should never exceed
$50 pounds IN weight, except where
the nature OF the wares shipped renders
the reduction OF the package TO this size
impossible. If, instead OF this arrange
ment, package of 400 or 500 pounds
reaches point from which il must be
carried by men or animals, it will have
to be broken into several bundles before
it can be transported 10 its destination.
and it requires only little observation
to be able to appreciate what is likely to
happen to packages of goods broken in
transit in any Spanish American country.
One result we may count on with much
certainty: the next time the consignee
wishes goods he will send his orders to
another house, and probably 10 another
country. In the matter OF adapting
themselves to the peculiar conditions oi
Mexico and of Spanish America in gen.
eral, the traders OF the United States ap-