The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-04
He Has Great Faith in the Flu
ture Of Mexico.
PROSPERITY SMILES ON 1T
Developing More Rapidly Than
Amy Other Nation.
RESULT OFA0oUeLE STANDARD
Prices Are About One-HaIf What They
Are in the United States
ard Cotton is Worth
Much More.

One OF the most STRIKING examples
of the worlds progress and civilization
that | have ever known said Judge
Walter { lark, as he rested in the Su-
preme Cou,t library yesterday evening,
after having spent the day on the bench
examining the thirty applicants for
license to practice lazy in the State,
was my trip home il ON Mexico, where
/ have been for the past month Thurs
day evening at sunset | was riding over
the battlefield of Buena Vista, $50 miles
south of the Rio Grande, and / arrived
in Raleigh Il little after midnight This
battle, you know, was fought Iu~t
forty-nine years ago the 22nd OF this
month, and it is said that it took taa
news of the battle One month to rcao'
Raleigh"
Oyerhearing this remark, a reporter
asked Judge Clark to tell him some
thing more of his trip to the land OF
the MONDAY sun.
II left Raleigh on December Goth"
he continued Il entered Mexico via
FL Paso and the Mexican Central, which
is the longest route, and returned by
the Mexican National via Larido. BY
this last route it is just even one hun
dred hours from Raleigh to the City
of Mexico, of which sixty hours is
taken up in getting to the Rio Grande,
and forty from the Rio Grande to Mex
ico''
Did you travel over much of the
Republic of Mexico?"
Yes; visited twenty of the twenty
seven States which compose the United
States of Mexico. And right here let
me say many of our people do not real
ize the Importance, wealth and extent
Of Mexico 1t is fifteen times as large
as North Carolina. At it's widest part
it is about 800 miles across, about
! 600 miles in it's EXTREMIST length.
FOur-titths of the country is an ele
waited table-land, averaging 5000 to
1860 feet above sea level. and with a
climate which apprOXimates, the year
round, the first of June of our climate.
| did not see chimney the whole time
! was in the Republic fires not being
needed except for cooking.
Il should suppose that the country
is very healthy" the reporter suggest
ed
There is a narrow strip Of land on
the Gulf coast and also on the Pacific
slope known as the "tierra caliente,
or hot lands which are fearfully hot
and unhealthy. With the exception OF
the hot lands and some of the cities
which are as yet badly drained, though
this last is being remedied, Mexico is
one Of the healthiest countries on the
globe"
What is the population of MeXico?"
THE population Of the country is
something over 12,000,000 In the City
OF Mexico there are nearly 400, 900 peo-
pie, and there are a dozen other cities
ranging from 10000 to 100000 in popu-
lation. ! saw only six negroes during
my stay in Mexico, and three of these
were from the West Indies"
Did you find many Americans resi-
dent there p"
a great many, and they are doing
Wcll and the tide Of immigration
yearly grows larger \ large quantity
Of American capital is also flowing into
the country and the volume is steadily
increasing. In all of the towns and
cities of even moderate size, they have
horse cars, electric lights, water works
and ice factories There are also some
1900 miles Of railroad in Mexico. Near
~ all these works of public improve
ment have been built and are owned
and operated by Americans.
THE scenery is marvellous. There
is nothing in Switzerland or the High
lands Of Scotland that can equal it. 1T
has at least four peaks that are half
mile higher than Mt. Blanc, the highest
mountain in Europe. and their SUBMITS
are crested with SHOWS that never melt
beneath the sun of the tropics
How do prices in Mexico compare
with those in the United States?'
They are in many instances nomi-
nally the same. but in reality very
different. For instance. take passen-
ger rates on the railroads. AS in the
uited States, first class fare is cents
q mile, on an average; second class, y
cents mile; third class ] cent mile
and Pullman cars 81 a night But
practically the rates are only one-haif
what they are i'm the United States,
because Of the enhancement Of the
value of our dollar in the last few years;
the American dollar, which was for
merly exchanged at par with the Mex
can dollar, now being worth nearly dOu
bic. As another consequence of the en-
hancemeHt of the American dollar cot
ton, which has here gone down 10 Z
cents a pound, still brings, as formerly,
- 10 IS cents in Mexico, according to
the locality Corn is worth from 81 to
81 40 a bushel, and wheat the same.
Another effect Of the increased value
of the American dollar is that Ameri-
can manufactures can no longer be
shipped into Mexico, the difference in
the value of the dollar alone amounting
to a protective tariff of nearly 100 per
cent. AS a consequence, the establish
ment of factories in Mexico, with
American capital has been enormously
stimulated and the export of raw ma
terial raised in Mexico and sold in this
country for gold prices has risen from
500 900 to about $3.50, 100000 at the
present time.
"rhe country is undoubtedly ex-
tremely prosperous and developing
more rapidly at this time than any
other on the planet, Japan not except
ed. A very instructive and interesting
article by Mr.. Romero, the Mexican
Minister in Washington, appeared in
tie North American Review of June