The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1896-06-13

Thers-FsrDsrs oroetnE We9ithy.
4 Mr.. Curtis sometimes writes IN such
q vein as 70 lead ore to suppose that he
believes IN the gold standard When
the direct question Is raised, he as
claims being q silver man, and oy I'M
phcation he does the same when the
point under consideration bears 50 I'M
mediately upon the main issue that us
decisicn necessarily and palpably IN
| wolves the entire question, as IN the
statement concerning silver production
which Is elsewhere commented upon.
II he openly conceded that silver had
fallen compared with gold. or, more
properly. that gold had risen compared
| with silver, because Of silver's demon
etization, II would be complete sur
render Of the gold side OF the case. But
wherever the connection Is not so pat
ent-where there is . chance for hedg-
ing. qualifying and explaining, the
whole trend Of HIS writings Is against
the gold standard.
A considerable portion Of one Of his
recent letters to the Chicago Record Is
devoted to q statement by ex-Goy.
Shepherd, relative to business condi-
lions In Mexico. What the governor
says In here given In fun:
Ex-Gov. A. R. Shepherd. who Is now
principal owner and manager Of the
Batopilas silver mines, in chihuahua,
Mexico, has been spending the winter
In washington for the first time since
IA ~ har a ~
fore leaving for his Mexican home yes
terday he addressed the following let
ter 10 Representative Newlands Of Ne
vada, in reply to some inquiries from
that gentleman concerning the eco
nomic condition Of Mexico as a silver
basis:
Il have been a resident of Mexico
since 1870. When I first went there
the ratio between silver and gold was
l5h to /. The first exchange I bought
was at the rate Of Is per cent In coin |
silver on q New York draft. Since
then, owing to the demonetization of |
silver, many changes have occurred In 1
the rate Of exchange. During the fam
Inc, which existed the whole period 1
from 1883 to 1892, when two-thirds OF /
al the grain used for food in Mexico
was brought from the United States.
the rates Of exchange ranged from so |
to IS per cent, and at times went as
high as 100. Notwithstanding this.
Mexico met ali her obligations. paid ali
her interest, and suffered less than any
country.
The present condition Of the silver
market Is leading the Mexican people
TO doing their own manufacturing. As
an instance OF this may cite Chihua-
hua a an example. An iron foundry
and machine shop was established
there some time ago, with $50 900 can't
al Tor the purpose Of manufacturing
the mining and other machinery for
which there was q large and growing
demand In that vicinity and which was
formerly supplied by the United States.
Inc success OF this venture may be re-
ailzed when IL Is known that the Cant
al stock was increased to s3eo, 900. and
hat the company secured a contract |
'ecentiy Tor large amount Of marhin-
ny IN competition with the firm Of
fraser q Chalmers and other large con-
'erns In this country. Cheap clothing.
VI OF which was formerly purchased IN
ne United States and Europe. IS now
Manufactured in Mexico. At Chihua-
iua q canning establishment. with a
apftal Of s1,5o0. 900, is now being or
'Anizeo Tor the purpose Of preserving
meats and fruit. and large brewery. :
sitn . capital OF 500. 900, IL being put :
. operation. A wooden factory. with :
zVo.Ooo capital. was started. anS was
nIarged last season to meet the I'm
reased demands upon II, and snelters
chihuahua now treat the ,Mexiean
res that were formerly sent across the !,
order at heavy expense.
numerous other enterprises have
cen established and are CONTEMPLATED :,
u having the effect Of giving remuner-
i've employment to Mexican artisans
nd laoorers, and what Is equally i'm
orant, serving to keep Mexican mon b
In Mexico. for the fruit Of all these Il
INNS OF industry represents the lie =,
ecessities Of which Mexico has hither- :,
Been dependant on this country and :,
urope. q
he conditions In chihuahua ara 4,
ner Of the more advanced portions OF :,
exico. and the development Is steady
"a remarkable throughout. In the
'rthsest Of MEXICO RAILROAD win be
MT within the next year. running er
ON ri Paso to point south Of Cor d
'iititas. distance OF $50 miles, open z
9 up country rich in mines ana y
'ricultural resources. The 5000. 600 n
'pital Tor the undertaking has been =.
rnished By New York parties. =
The conditions Of the people have
'proyed correlztively with the devsl-
'nent Of the country. The district Of en-
fusrte. which furnishes the part Of An
. mountains In which our mines are =,
eatsd. has doubled In population A on
. last fifteen years and ita productive | b
pacdty correspondingly Increased. Il,
'rmeriy the peon system Of labor. s.
lich pervaded all Mexico. was the rule
~ Fcerte Now the scarcity AZ