The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-03-19
THE MEXICAN FAKE.

During the late campaign the
gold bug press made the welkin
ring with shrieks of "Do you want
to Mexicanize our institutions.
Dreadful stories were printed and
widely circulated showing the hor-
rible condition of Mexico resulting
from "free silver" The "Interior"
of Chicago did its fair share of the
work. But now that the election
is over and the result accomplished
these journals are not so closely on
their guard and sometimes tell the
truth.
The Interior recently had the
following article on Mexican
Prosperity"
"In these days when finance and
currency, revenue and expenditure
are matters that demand the inter-
ested attention of statesmen, busi-
ness men and people generally,
there are but few countries, either
in the old world or the new that can
show clear balance sheet. Mexi-
co is in the enviable position of
being able not only to live within
its fiscal income, but can rejoice
over surplus of about five million
dollars. The revenue last year
amounted to fifty million, five hun
hred and thirty-one thousand and
seventy dollars, while the expendi-
ture was forty-hve million, seventy
thousand and one hundred and
twenty-three dollars. Business is
prosperous, the income from GUS
tom duties amounts to two million
dollars monthly, while the internal
revenue receipts indicate that COM
mercial activity is not confined to
imports. Apparently period of
prosperity has arrived. Bankers,
manufacturers and business men
talk hopefully of the prospects.
There seems to be much activity in
every branch of trade, and, con-
trary to what prevails elsewhere,
agriculture is sharing the good
fortune which the country is enjoy
ing. So well pleased are the Mexi-
cans with the reelection and in
auguration of President Diaz that
festivities in his honor are still be-
ing celebrated"
How different is this picture from
the one which confronts Americans
every day. We see business Ian
gushing, agriculture discouraged
and Improbable, manufacturing
crippled, and insolvency on every
hand. Instead of a surplus in the
National Treasury bonds have been
issued during the last four years to
keep up the gold reserve.
None Of these unhappy conditions
exist in Mexico. Why? 1t is be-
cause the financial policy of that
country fosters home industries by
keeping the money at home. Mexi-
co not only has the free and unlimit-
ed coinage of silver, but does not
pretend to recognize gold as money
at all. The country is on silver
basis, and, therefore the money
stay at home and builds up domes-
tic wealth.
1t is Notifying to think that a
young republic that has had SO
much to contend against should
show a superior apprehension of its
financial needs than the United
States has shown. A contracted
volume of money may answer thel
purposes of finished countries like
England and Germany. But inI
countries like the United States and
Mexico, whose natural resources
are yet to be developed, larger|
volume Of money is necessary than
gold product would afford.
Some of our so. called fnanciers"
affect great contempt for Mexican
craftsmanship, but the truth is that
if a little of it could be injected in
to the management Of our national
affairs just at this time it would bel
about the best thing that could
Evansville Courier.