The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-10-22
A MEXICAN VISITOR
TO CANTON GIVES AN INTEREST
ING INTERVIEW
To a Representative of the News-Dem.
ocrat-Conditions In Mexico and
Prosperity of the Natives Pleas
antly Rehearsed.

antly Rehearsed.
J. Wendell Loewen berg, of San Benito,
Isthmus of Tehauntepec, Mexico, on a
business trip to the United States, was a
guest of the Hurford House, this city, on
Friday. He is quite an intelligent gentle
man, and was not backward in imparting
to representative of the News Democrat
many interesting items ebout Mexico and
the condition Of her people. He and his
brother own 40, 900 acres of land, 1000
of which are cleared and 800 devoted to
coffee culture. He acquired this land by
concession from the government of
Mexico, and by performing certain work
on the land and bringing to 1t forty-six
families from the states, he has secured
an undisputed title to the land from the
government Mr.. Loewenberg was born
in the United States, but for the bet ter
protection of his property became citi-
zen Of Mexico, as foreigners are not pro-
teoted in the ownership of land in that
country. Upon his land he said that he
found 900 native Mexican families,
which, under his concession, he was re-
qulred to protect and furnish with land
on which to live. These people, never had
any other home and the government
protects them in their squatter rights
They pay no rent ana are given all the
land they want to cultivate and are al
loved to plant what they please for their
living. Corn is the staff Of life, and wild
steers furnish abundance of meat. The
natives live in cabins constructed from
split bamboo. without windows, doors or
floors. They have no furniture but that
which they make themselves, and such
things as mattresses or beds are entirely
unknown. Their white cotton clothes
are made by the Mexican women, and
consist of baggy trousers and shirts worn
outside like Chinamans. These suits
cost but 81 cents in Mexican money.
Their hats or som breros are the most ex-
pensive part of their clothing, as the price
ranges from g5 cents to SO. 90 each.
II and my brother" said Mr.. Loewen.
berg, "have each som brero trimmed in
gold that cost 5000. The natives wear
leather sandals strapped to their ankles by
leather thongs. Both sexes dress very
much alike Burros are used for freight,
mules for passenger and horses for orna-
ment. Horses are of no value. These
animals are never shod.
1--WE are about SO miles from a post
office, ," said Mr.. Loewenberg, "and have
with us 46 American families, all
Protestant. The climate is exhilarating
and healthy with the thermometer stand
ing at about So degrees the year round.
All business Is done In Mexican money.
We sell our coffee In the United States
for SO cents in Mexican money. The
range in price has not varied for years,
as the crop is very steady and a failure
rarely known. The American dollar is
not used in Mexico If they are brought
into the country by travellers they are ex-
changed at once for Mexican money In
the cities One never sees in the interior
American money of any kind. The paper
money of the Bank of Mexico is at par
and exohanseable for silver and gold, but
there is very little gold in the country
and 1t does not command premium.
"Mexico is very prosperous, extremely
so The fact is, that silver coin and bull
lion does not affect our business. The
natives will not accept paper, as less than
per cent. of them can read and they do
not understand it. They want silver or
gold and not paper"
Mr.. Loewenperg was asked about the
wages OF the poems. He said: Wages
of our Mexican help Is 81 cents a day,
with all the land they want to cultivate
and house they build for themselves,
free Of rent or taxes The per diem we
pay our help is equal to more than a
dollar paid the American laborer. He
has steady employment the year round
and supplies all of his needs with his
wages. Having his own home and ample
ground for cultivation, of which he
knows he will never be deprived, he has
no ambition for greater possessions, as he
could not spend more II he received 1t.
1t is extremely unfair to make a oom-
parison of the Mexican peon with the in
telligent American farmer. There are no
poor-houses in Mexico. Opportunities
are abundant. Every Deon has his plat
Of land from which he makes living
for himself and his family.
with the same opportunities to every
poor man In America to have a piece of
land from which to make a living, there
would be less complaint than 1 now
hear, /" was Mr.. Loewenberg's significant
remark. Steady prices prevail In
Mexico. There is ample money, with
hioh to do the business and very few
over ambitious and greedy men. To
these facts may be ascriDed the prosperity
of Mexico, - were the parting words Of
this most intelligent and accomplished
Mexican gentleman.