The Meeker herald., 1897-02-20
WHY MEXICO PRosPERs.
Z. .. Light, Formerly of Denver. Gives his
Views on the south-rn Republic.


Views on the south-rn Republic.
Edward B. Light. formerly secretary
OF the Denver Chamber OF Commerce
and now United States consular agent
at Guadalajarn, Mexico. writes to the
Denver Times from the latter place as
follows:
80 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 will
occasionally send you letter, an
swering as best l can many OF the
questions frequently asked.
assume that as there is no political
campaign on, it will not be claimed
tnat my letters are written with the
view OF influencing votes.
Mexico Is and has been for some
t,he IN very prosperous condition.
Every class of business seems to go on
III prosperous manner. There is the
necessary amount of money in circula-
tioI, with which to do business, which
is done practically over the counter
Ihere Is. generally speaking. no time
asked Tor or given In selling goods.
men a Dill of goods Is sold at whole
SAFE II is expected that as soon as the
goods are received and checked up n
check covering the amount will be at
once forwarded.
large amount of capital is seeking
investment here. because of the ad-
Vahtageous manner in which 1t 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
nfty 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 he paid, and, of course. be worth
par
Then there is reasonably good
chance that at that time silver will be
Mt par, and If so, he will double his
money twice. In the meantime he is
drawing II per cent. for the use of his
money In silver, or q per cent in gold.
nat better investment could rea-
sohnDle man ask for. even though the
speculative element be entirely elimi-
mated therefrom? In our country for
tunes We're made during the war by
Duying 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-
sirable to hold. They are. If one does
NOT care to make money.
But 1t is not alone In bonds that the
money Is being made In this country.
~ Is roiling up good returns in manu-
iacturing, In merchandising, in bank
Ing. In mines. in railroads, etc. Probo-
Dly there Is no Investment paying such
large returns as in agriculture. II the
farmers of the great west were get
ting one-half the prices for their prod
ucts the producer in Mexico receives,
he would soon become a bloated mil
lionaire.
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 1t, that competi-
tion may be avoided. The price of Ia
bor Is familiar to most of your readers,
nut while 1t is lOw-priced labor, 1t is
not always ohaap laba.- IIa .~l..
thinks half-starved Mexican work
man. or possibly, I should say, n half
nourished laborer, will accomplish in
n day rs much as our healthy, vigorous
Intelligent workman, makes miscal-
culation. Nevertheless, as farmers,
where they raise part they eat on
hhhu See ou " 'iieih. they uHtEu CHehp
help. In no part of Mexico do they
raise as large crops as we do In Colo
RADIO, 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.
IL 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 % cents per
pound. But one must have American
cows to make IL success of the dairy
business. 1t cannot be accomplished
with the long-horned 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 I
know of for man with means, 1t is
the very worst country for man to
come to that has no money. He is at
once placed on level with the native
as to pay. and labors even under great
er disadvantages because he cannot
speak the language.
stranded American comes to my door
for assistance. True many of these
men are bummers that have fled from
Justice possibly, but 1t does not change
their helpless condition. 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 a person of reasOna-
ble aptness can pick up the language
and learn the ways Of the country. no
he is reasonably sure Of catching
on"
q AR