The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-05-02
MEXICAN METHODS
OF DOING BUSINESS

The stock of the Mexican company is
then transferred to the foreign COM
pany, of which 1t then becomes
subsidiary company, operated by the
foreign company as a dependent con-
cern.
THE wIFES TITLE.
zone or two other points that may |
well be borne in mind are that the wife
has q vested right in all real property
owned by her husband No legal trans
fer of such property can be made with
out her written consent in the deed Of
sale.
Companies and corporations have a
personality entirely distinct from the
individuals constituting them. Such
companies are citizens or foreigners,
depending upon whether they have
been organized at home or abroad, and
enjoy the corresponding privileges or
suffer the restrictions of the classes
of people TO which they belonged.
Thus a domestic company, a company
organized under the laws of the re-
public, will be essentially a citizen Of
the republic, even though the members
organizing the company are them
selves all foreigners.
| "A deed in Mexico is a contract to
which both buyer and seller are par
ties-one agreeing to buy, the other
to sell. Both must appear before the
notary making the transfer. This ap-
pearance may be in person or by pow
er of attorney properly certified. The
wife of the vendor, IL he be married,
must appear.
"A mining title is merely min
ing permit, issued by the government.
contingent upon the payment of
fixed annual tax of $40 Mexican silver
/, per mining claim Of 10000 square
meters superficial area Failure to pay
these taxes forfeits the claim. Taxes
are due every four months. and a
failure to pay for three months after
due works forfeiture. Cautious peo-
pie and those having large interests at
stake usually pay annually in advance
to avoid risk or forfeiture through
oversight.
! CAUTIOUS TREATMENT.
"In the matter of treatment accord
ed foreigners in the republic there is
little to be criticised. The Mexicans
are naturally a polite and considerate
people. generous to their friends and
tolerant of strangers. They realize the
great benefits derived during recent
years from the influx of foreign capi-
tai, and are inclined to foster and
protect 1t by every means in their pow
er. The general government especial
ly, has set the example of encourag-
ing foreign enterprise, and four-fifths
Of the valuable concessions granted in
the last fifteen years have been to for
eign companies, the natives themselves
not yet fully awake to the spirit of
, modern commercialism, being content
, to act as sponsors in the capacity of
lawyers, agents and employees of the
large concerns.
Foreign manufactures establishing
themselves in the republic usually Sc
, cure concessions exempting them from
, import duty on the machinery and
, equipment of their plants, and exemp-
tion from taxation for a period of
, years. In this respect the Mexican
government has been very LIBERAL in
Let, its protection of foreign indus
tries is such as to give them almost
, the standing of national beneficiaries-
their faults of omission and commits
sion are condoned, special privileges
are granted them, ignorance Of the
, laws and customs of the country is
, treated with leniency, and the rough
. spots on their commercial paths made
q
cheerfully met. and every assistance
) given to facilitate the establishment
of business and its subsequent ad-
r ministration.
al LAWYERS ARE SCARCE.
3, Compared with other fields of en-
8 terprise, the legal profession has not
been lucrative one in Mexico. Law
, yers are comparatively scarce, compe-
3 tent ones being found only in the
! larger cities. The best have more bus
D iness than they can attend to properly
and the foreigner in his restless haste
to push matters through. often defeats
the very aim for which he Is working
"a careful and thorough investigation
1 OF the investment before his money is
t irrctrievably tied up.
$ Mexican methods, the outgrowth OF
: the old Latin and French legal sys-
q tens, are unquestionably antiquated
}, and cumbersome. To the Anglo-Saxon
q they present many strange and pro-
t voking requisites. Patience and good
d humor are essential in dealing with
n such situations; and, above all, II
d should be borne in mind that the laws
: of country are for the citizens Of that
country, to be conformed to cheer.
fully by those whose business enter
prise leads them for a time into ma.
tional by-ways. A little additional ex.
: pense in securing the services of 9
competent lawyer, a little patience
!, persistence and care in the first steps
y y of acquiring property in Mexico will
often save months of anxiety ant
thousands of dollars needlessly wastet
: after your business shall have reach,
4, ed a point of such importance that II
. attracts the attention OF the unscru
!. tpulous and needy extortioner found
!, alike in every quarter of the globe.