Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-02-19

bers 81 the federal congress could I'm.
derstana speech delivered in our Ian.
guage. Ths leading hotels and stores
have clerks who can speak English, so
that travel and traffic are made easy.
Advances In Edseaaiesal AGAiru.
Eiehth.-Mexico IL making substan-
tial progress in education. The public
schools are FIRE and attendance is com.
pulsory. The president and those asso-
eiated with him in authority are put
ting forth every possible effort to i'm
prove the system Of instruction and to
bring all the children under the infiu-
ence Of the schoolteacher. As an illus
tratiou, in the state Of Mexico the num-
Der OF schools has increased more than
100 per cent within the last ten years,
and tho number Of pupils in attendance
shows nm equal increase. The girls and
boys enter school upon an equal footing,
and the ambition Of the pupil is stimu-
lated by the offer Of rewards for merit.
IL was our good fortune TO be- invited
TO witness the distribution Of prizes
for the schools Of the federal district.
Nothing impressed me more than the
scene here presented. President Diaz
delivered the awards TO several hundred
boys and girls. The Indian and the
Spaniard, the rich and the poor. all
mingle together in the public schools
and vie with each other for the prizes.
The state not only furnishes instruction
in the elementary branches, but pro-
vides industrial training for both boys
and girls, normal schools for teachers
and professional schools for students of
law and medicine. President Diaz re-
Gently quoted remark made by Won
Moltke in praise Of the German school.
teacher and also pointed out the neces.
sity for educated mothers. He recog-
nizes. rs did jefferson. that popular edu.
cation is vital in a republic, and large
ly through his efforts Mexico sees o
yearly increase in the number of those
who are capable Of intelligent partici.
patton in government
Ninth.-That the free coinage Of sill.
yer is entirely satisfactory TO the people
Of Mexico. They have had q chance to
test the system thoroughly and to com.
pare IL with the systems Of the United
States. England. France and Germany,
and found no disposition either among
the officials or among the people to IA
vor the gold standard. The federal gov.
eminent pays about e., ZOO. 600 annual
ly ON gold obligations, and while it is
compelled To collect over Sl2, O0O, 900 in
silver 90 cover this interest account, il
has no difficulty in doing 30, because Of
the prosperous condition Of the nations
industries. The governmect is not only
meeting its expenses, but has surplus.
In Mexico the producers Of wealth have
not encountered tho disastrous fall in
prices which has afflicted all the gold
standard countries since 1873. While
exchange has fiuctuated, the fluctua-
ton has only affected foreign trade, and
that fiuctuation. while Of small impor.
tanee when compared with the great
advantage Of maintaining the level of
prices. will entirely disappear when the
parity between gold and silver is re-
stored.
found quite number Of Mexicans
who went - far as to express the hope
that the United States would continue
the gold standard because Of the advan-
tage which Mexican manufacturers find
IN q high rate Of exchange, but the ma
jority Of the people with whom talked
desire the restoration Of bimetallism in
the United States in order that stability
in exchange may be added to stability
in prices.
No Desire to Abandon silver.
The United States has had the gold
standard for % years. and the system
has proved so unsatisfactory that at the
last election 6. 800, 900 voters expressed
desire for independent bimetallism,
while 100000 cast their votes for
candidates pledged to international bi.
metallism. The gold standard has been
80 disastrous that even Republican ad.
ministration is asking foreign nations
to help us 10 get rid Of it, The people
Of Mexico could adopt the gold standard
II they desired TO do so, and yet no con.
siderable number Of them wish to aban.
don silver.
Tenth.-That Mexico il more pros
Porous today than ever before. Her in
dustries are increasing in number and
Importance. Near Orizaba is cotton
mill Of immense proportions. The COM
pany operates $4,000 looms and 20, 600
spindles. The plant has earned moro
than 10 per cent n year on the capital
stock during the last five years. has
been enlarged ut the rate Of more than
10 per cent per annum during that
time, and the company is preparing to
add 500 looms and 12, coo spindles this
year. At san Luis Potosi found cot
ton factory owned by an American.
The proprietor told me that he had
been charging his plant and found the
business profitable. went through q
new cotton factory at Monterey and
learned Of large mill now under con-
struction at Guadalajara. There are q
number Of cotton mills also in the
ncighborhood Of Pueblo.
The manufacture Of wooden goods,
the manufacture Of hats, the manufac.
ture Of boots and shoes and the brewing
Of beer are all growing industries. The
silk industry is in its infancy, but q
Frenchman has planted over 3, 900, 900
mulberry trees in the state Of Guiana
juaso within the last few years and is