The Springfield herald., 1897-02-19
WHY MEXICO PRosPERs.
f. Ii. Light, Formerly of Denver. Gives his
Views on the Southern Republic.


Edward B. Light. formerly secretary
of the Denver Chamber of Commerce
and now United States consular agent
at Guadalajara, Mexico, writes to the
Denver Times from the latter place Us
follows:
$50 many letters come to me from
my old home making inquiries about
this republic, and especially the part
where my lot has been cast, that 1 will
occasionally send you a letter, an
swering as best l can many of the
questions frequently asked.
Il assume that ns there is no political
campaign on, it will not be claimed
that my letters are written with the
view of influencing votes.
Mexico is and has been for some
time in very prosperous condition.
| Every class of business seems to go on
In prosperous mimner. There is the
necessary amount of money in circula-
ton, with which to do business, which
is done practically over the counter.
There Is, generally speaking. no time
asked for or given in selling goods.
When bill of goods is sold at whole
sale 1t is expected that as soon as the
goods are received and checked up a
check covering the amount will be at
once forwarded.
"A large amount of capital is seeking
investment here, because of the ad-
vantageous manner in which it can be
placed. To Illustrate: A well-known
capitalist of Denver was recently here
on visit. While his business eye was
| open as 1t ever was to make an hon
| est dollar, he discovered that Mexican
per cent. bonds could be bought for
fifty cents in silver, or twenty-five
cents in gold. These bonds become due
at the option of the republic in ten
years, at which time they are likely
to be paid, and, of course, be worth
par.
"'rhen there is reasonably good
| chance that at that time silver will be
money twice. In the meantime he is
drawing 12per cent. for the use of his
money in silver, or per cent in gold
What better investment could rea-
sonable man ask for even though the
speculative element be entirely elimi-
| mated therefrom? In our country for
tunes were made during the war by
buying government bonds at less than
par. which We're held until they went
above par. To-day there is no money
in handling our bonds. They became
popular when so profitable, and many
people still seem to think they are de
siihDit W HOlu L leN are, II one does
not care to make money.
But 1t is not alone in bonds that the
| money is being made in this country
1t is rolling up good returns in manu-
featuring. in merchandising. in bank
| ing, in mines, in railroads. etc. PrOba-
bly, there is no investment paying such
| large returns aS in agriculture. If the
| farmers of the great west were get
| ting one-hnlf the prices for their prod
| ucts the producer in Mexico receives
| lie would soon become bloated mil
| lionaire
1.-The field of agriculture is wide open
to thousands. Land here is held in
large tracts, is not taxed. and holders
are slow to part with it. that competi-
tiOn may be avoided. The price of Ia
bor is familiar to most of your readers.
but while 1t is low-priced labor, it is
not always cheap labor. He who
thinks half-stlrvcd Mexican work
man, or possibly. should say, half
nourished laborer will accomplish in
day as much as our healthy, vigorous
Intelligent workman, makes n miscal-
culation. Nevertheless. as farmers,
where they raise part they eat on
land set off to them. they afford cheap
Help. In no part of Mexico do they
raise as large crops as we do in Colo
rado, but in most of the republic they
raise two crops annually. They do not
| cut hay and feed stock, as we do. and
the cost of farming and raising stock
is very much less than with us.
81 know of no business which pre-
sents equally rs attractive investment
as farming. Dairy farming is receiv-
ing increased attention. Good cream
cry butter commands 10 cents per
pound. But one must have American
cows to make n success of the dairy
business. 1t cannot be accomplished
with the long Texas COW (as we
call them. Hogs are also very profita-
BILE. Market gardening will pay good
returns. To say nothing of the wheat,
corn. coffee, vanilla, cotton, etc. But
to take up any one of these enterprises
successfully one must have money.
while this is the best country l
know of for man with means. it is
the very worst country for n man to
come to that has no money. He is at
once placed on Il level with the native
as to pay, and labors even under great
er disadvantages because he cannot
speak the language.
"There is seldom n week but some
stranded American comes to my door
for assistance. True many of these
men are bummers that have fed from
i Justice possibly, Dul suoeS uol cl'iuSe
their helpless condition. 1 mention
this because so many of our workmen
thrown out of employment strike out
for prosperous Mexico, without realiZ-
ing the great disadvantage they must
labor under when they reach here. 1t
is the opinion of all my friends that no
person should come here without suffi-
cient money to support them in the
style they wish to live in for one year.
During that time Il person of reasona-
bic aptness can pick up the language
and learn the ways of the country, SO
he is reasonably sure of catching
on"
Blizzard In south Dakota.
ST. Paul, Mimi, Feb. 13.-Specials
from South Dakota. western and north
ern Minnesota report n heavy snow
storm now raging with pretentions. in
| fo ilur rs ct h1izzn T.