The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-01-16

Mr.. Enos Harlan, a former Terre-
bonnean, who has spent the
greater portion Of his life in Mexico is
in HOuma visiting his sister, Mrs. E.
Picou and his brother, Mr.. Henry
Harlan.
Knowing that many conflicting e
ports in regard to the financial and
industrial condition Of Mexico were
sent broad, cast during the recent
campaign, aud Whaling TO get AS . a
as possiblc 4 correct visw Of the sitna
ton from a practical business. man,
who has spent years in Mexico, the
chief reporter of THE COURIER fred a
series of questionsat Mt. Harlan which
that gentleman answered in such a
manner as to leave no doubt that our
free-siiver sister republic is making
giant commercial strides.
The questions and answers are as
follows:
what effect has the tree coinage Of
silver had o thecommercial develop
mpnt OF Mexico %
"The fictitious value placed ON gold,
and the consequent depreciation Of
silver az u medium Of exchange 10 the
gold standard, or manufacturing conn
tries has stimulated all line Of indus
tries throughout the country.
This has been particularly noticeable
in the manufacture If textiles and
the production Of both sugar aud cof.
Zee. Wherever the population
has been such that labor, could be
easily employed, aud retained, manu-
featuring III all branches has made
rapid strides. This particularly
applies to the manufacturing Of
cotton and woolIcn goods.
Formerly they were 81 rather inferior
grade, but with modern appliances,
winch are being introduced. the grade
Of goods manufactured can compare 10
a great many instances fayurably with
that which was formerly imported
flOm abroad. Al to tho sugar and cOf.
fee industries, it has been rather M
bill work Ia some instances for those
who havo gone into the ;buAiness. on
account OF the scarcity 1T labor 10
some parts Of the country. This, how
ever, cannot be urged IA a serious
drawback as with ~ little effort
labOrers can be had, by hunting for
them, aud if the laborers are properly
treated, aud housed they make faith
full servants.
Mexico has always had free coinage,
Of both gold aud silver, or in other
words the country is bi metallic, in
theory il not in practice"
The advocates Of a single gold stand
ard often assert that all the necessa-
ries Of life would double ia value. If
the United States would open her
mlnts to the free coinage of silver.
Has this been the case with Mcxico3
'.Eo. Ths n-ecessaries of life which
ale those products used by the bulk
OF the Mexican population have not
increased in value in the last thirty
years, in fact there are some articles
which are now cheaper than they
were at that period, Notwithstanding
the fact, that wages Of the laborer as
we'll a~sthatOf theartisan has Increased
from twenty-five to fifty per cent
during that time.I
Would tho people Of Mexico like to
see the United States change to a BIZ
metallic basis or not, and If moi why
mott
"FrOm the way the depreciation of
the silver dollar has operated to ssim
nlate all lines Of Industries in Mexico,
| do not think the Mexicans would
like to see tile United States adopt the
bi-mstallic system as laid down ia
the Democrats platform ofIsO6, which
would open the mints Of the United
States to the free aud unlimited coin
age Of SILVER. Il would have q tenden-
to cheaper certain lines Of man
nfactured goods, which, no~twithsSand
the high custom duties imposed,
10 imported into Mexico, and
comp etc With the factories now man
1faeturing that Clasa Of goods, and
arc now Only ia their infancy
L can be truthfnlly said that every
irop il silver OF a per cent. is an