Evening star., 1901-03-26
Sensational Statements Founded on
Gossip.
HAS BEEN RIDING HORSEBACK DAILY
Interest Arising From F oreign Hold
ings Of Mexican Securities.
RAILWAY PROSPECTS BRIGHT



health of President Diaz, which have been
published in the United States during the
past few days, are founded wholly upon
idle gossip. They arose primarily from the
long visit the president has made to the
hot country around Cuernavaca. During
the past years of his busy life President
Diaz has seldom availed himself of such
opportunity for rest, and as he has never
been seriously ill since he has been presi-
dent the mere disposition to remain away
from his office is sufficient to arouse the
alarm of the Mexican people. While out of
town the president, although away from
his desk, has really been fully occupied
with government business and in preparing
his message for congress, which meets
April 1. He has been horseback riding
every day during his stay at the resort and
has held audience with many visitors. The
statements made by government officials
to the effect that President DiaZ is not Sc
riously ill are absolutely true, except that
they should be qualified by an explanation
OF the advanced age of this ruler. Official
ly he is said to be seventy years old. Some
of his friends al1ege that he is seventy-two,
but the most reliable information leads one
to the belief that he is at least seventy
five, thus having reached the period in life
when minor physical ills become serious
matters and death is liable to intervene at
Nearly all the news printed in the United
States Which is alleged to come from Mex
leo originates along the Rio Grande and is
the gossip of travellers revamped by local
newspaper enterprise. AS a rule 1t is un-
worthy of the slightest consideration Pres
1dent D1aZ is not in the grasp of any
rfous disease He is, however, necessarily
approaching the end of his career and can
not, In the ordinary course of events, re-
main much longer with his people Any
statement to the effect that his mental fac
ult1es are impaired may be branded as SEN
sationalism of the most malicious descrip-
ton. His mind is as sound and healthy to-
day as it has been at any time during his
remarkable administra ton. Any consid-
Grafton of his immediate taking off through
disease may be set aside as profitless, but
1t has become pertinent to take some
thought for the tomorrow of Mexico In
that the great leader of the Mexican peo-
pie must shortly lay down his wand of
ofhce by the very limitations of mans
physical powers.
Holdings of Mexican Securities,
The keen anxiety and interest shown in
the United States in the health of Presi-
dent Diaz arises from the enormous hold
ings of Mexican securities in that country
The Mexican railroads alone represent sev-
eral hundred million dollars of foreign
capital and these properties are quickly
affected by any unfavorable developments
of the governmental or political conditions
in the country. Not only has the amount
of railroad track increased in twenty-five
years from 420 to 5000 miles, but the pro-
portiOnate number of passengers carried
has increased twelvefold and the propor-
ton of tonnage has increased fourfold
These Mexican railroads represent a re-
markable showing in the relation of op-
Grating expenses to earnings, the former
being about half Of the latter. 1t 1t were
not for the bonded Indebtedness of these
roads being in gold, thus taking two for
Y nj "a int yY-;+l 1,
Yer earnings all of these properties would
make remarkable showing in dividends
Even as matters stand there can be no
complaint as to the results of investing
these many millions of foreign money in
building railroads In Mexico.
During the next ten years if present con-
ditions continue there will be several nota-
BILE improvements in Mexico's railroad
1acllltles. The country is well supplied
with lines running north and south and
these are numerouSly connected with the
gulf coast by branches. There Is as vet
no railroad crossing Mexico from ocean to
ocean with the exception Of the Tehuan-
tepec road, which is useless in it's present
condition. Sir Weetman Pearson, the
famous EnSilsh contractor, is now at work
putting the Tehuantepec line into good
condition, and this when finished will form
practical trans-isthmian route 1t will
not be long before a railroad Is built along
the line already surveyed from Aguas
Calientes to Guadalajara. From this lat
cific coast Is already built and when finish
ed the Mexican Central railroad will have
a transcontinental line from Tampico to
the Pacific coast The completion of what
Is known as the Cuernavaca road from the
City of Mexico to the Pacific is only a
matter of few years. 1t was at first in
tended to build this road to Acapulco, but
an easier grade has been found to the
Pacific coast, and it will probably debouch
from the mountains farther to the north
These are merely few of the principal
railroad improvements contemplated and
does not take into account the extensive
work now being carried on in Sonora the
northwestern state, and many other por-
ttons of the republic where mines and aeri-
cultural lands are being made valuable by
being placed within the reach of CHEAP
transportation.
Railway Prospects Excellent
The future of Mexican railroads would
certainly seem to be excellent Mining is
the principal industry of the country and
a heavy producer of traffic. The passenger
travel is making rapid increases with
every passing year, not only in the number
Of visitors carried, but because of the
increasing wealth of the people of Mexico
and the growth of the habit of travel among
them. The Mexican railroads are power
in the government of Mexico notwith-
standing their ownership by aliens, and
their influence for peace is most potent.
Nearly all the railroads now In operation
were Dullt unQer most advantageous con-
cessions from the Mexican government,
most of the concessions carrying a cash
bonus for every mile of track laid AS the
country has developed and as it became
apparent that business enterprises If prop.
erly instituted, would pay their own way,
1t has become more and more difficult to
secure from the Mexican government any
concession which carried with it a cash
payment. and it is not probable that MANY
more such concessions will be granted.
President Diaz has always been anxious
for at least two transcontinental roads
and he would still undoubtedly favor most
liberal terms to such capital as could be
induced to take up this work and carry il
to completion.
Sale of Mexican Concessions.
The hawking about of Mexican conces
sions to credulous purchasers has practi-
cally become obsolete. The government no
longer gives something for nothing. and
the glib-tongued promoter makes little inn
preston. It is the man with the cash that
Mexico wants, and to him she will extend
more privileges and courtesies that he can
get in almost any other part of the world.
With all this increased conservatism in
the matter of concessions there need be no
hesitancy IN presenting to the Mexican