Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-25
TALKS OF MEXICO.
A Great Country Closely Related
With the United States.
AMERICAN INVENTIONS AND RAILROADS
Frank Simmons, Who Recently Re-
turned From an Extended Business
Trip Thru Mexico, Talks About
Country's Condition.

Frank w. Simmons, of this city, who
recently returned from four weeks
sojourn in Mexico, where he, with 9TH
er Iowans, invested in extensive land
interests, was seen by Courier re-
porter this morning, and when asked
to state his opinions of that country,
concerning both the business and po.
litical outlook, said:
my opinion of Mexico since making
a visit to that country is greatly i'm
proved, and / have considered it a
matter to be regretted that our peo-
pie, as people, do not know more of
SO great country and country that
is SO closely allied with us socially, pc.
| litically and in business way.
Has Made Rapid Strides.
ITO the casual reader of history on
| ly, one is apt to get wrong impress.
sion of Mexico. / have never heard
nor read of country that has made
the rapid strides in progress which
Mexico has. From the time JaureZ
took command of the country as its
president, which was only about forty
years ago, there have been great chang
es in the political belief and CONNER.
cial doctrines. Porfirio Diaz is truly
a great man and will take high rank
when history writes his name. He is
loved by everybody, from the lowest
Indian to the highest Mexican aristo-
crat. If he does not know his people
who does? He has fought their bat
ties, for forty years. His faith was
born in insurrection. He is a scholar,
patriot and hero, and he rules thirteen
million subjects. This he accomplish.
es principally by the hand of love, but
is ably assisted by such military force
as Is necessary.
American Inventions.
AT the proper time, about fifteen
years ago he consulted with his advis-
ors relative to introducing American
railroads, telegraph, etc. He met OPP
position, but his counsel prevailed
with the theory that to connect the
two republics with the link Of CONNER
cialism would in the end make the
strongest tie between the two coun-
tries, and that a good way to tie ma
lions together was to mix their pocket
books. This has proven true. Our
trade with Mexico is rapidly increas-
| ing and we will do much more with
her in the future.
Further than this, the telegraph
and railway lines have given the Off
Gals. of the government advantages in
suppressing brigandage and buccan-
eering, etc., which was for thirty years
part of the business Of large ele-
ment in Mexico"
| The Political Situation.
When asked to give his opinion of
the political situation in Mexico. Mr.
Simmons said: "The politics of Mex.
leo with reference to the United States
is largely shaped by the sympathy
and admiration which they have for
our institutions. While we. as well
as other nations, have profited by the
blood that has been spilled in the
working out of our own destiny, they
are also profting by the enlightenment
and civilization of our country.
"The business men of Mexico are In
favor OF the gold standard in America
and they do not like the fluctuations
in the value of their own dollar
Property of any kind is almost as
much currency of the country as sill
yer itself. The national pawn shop
an institution of the government, will
receive anything from a pair of shoes
to a piano, and by its rules this prep
erty becomes currency at such value
as is set upon it by committee of ap
praisers. With such standard OF
measure as the gold standard there
would be no national pawn shop in
Mexico.
81 was much amused" continued Mr.
Simmons, during some conversations
which / had with American business
men who were formerly democrats In
the states and who were very anxious
ly inquiring concerning the election
which is approaching in this country
From these inquiries discovered that
the point was that they were all well
satisfied with the manner in which the
republican party has handled the fl
nances of the country. They prefer tt
buy Mexican labor at fifty cents on the
dollar and sell 1t for one hundred cents
on the dollar in other countries of the
world. This is exactly what Is being
done when we reduce the matter tx
actual facts.