The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-07-10
THE FUTURE OF MEXICO
What It Presents as a Field.
For Endeavor.
VIEWS OF MEXICAN BUSINESS MAN

OnerS treat Opportunities In the
Next Twenty acknowledgement
In Industries In Chihuahua,-Possi
biIitfes OF Trade With the East.
Juan Terrazas of Chihuahua, Mexico,
who is one Of the best known mon Of
the republic in business and financial
circles, was recently interviewed by q
reporter of the New York Tribune at
the Waldorf in New York. What he
has to say about Mexico and Mexican
conditions may be regarded as nearly
ex cathedra as the statement of an in
dividual often is At his hotel he said:
81 can truthfuly declare that if a
bright young man wants field that
offers him plenty of opportunity and a
good reward for honest work there is
no better field than Mexico. The growth
of Mexico in the last twenty years has
been great, but the resources Of the
country are only beginning to be de-
Teloped. The country in the next TWEEN
ty years offers a great opportunity.
Take the case of the state of Chihua-
hua. which now has about 100000 in
habitants. Twenty years ago there
were not more than fifth of that num-
Der, should say. Along the big river
bottoms Of that state is splendid agri-
cultural land In the north is grazing
country that supports at least one herd
of 100000 cattle and another of $4,000,
besides smaller herds in numbers. Then
there are fiocks of sheep, one number
ing 100000 head The wool from these
s sheep is miled right in chihuahua city.
In the west of the same state are the
mountains, with their rich veins Of ore,
silver, copper, lead, anthony and some
gold, where Americans have already
entered the field with profit. You can
see what the country can do from what
it already has done
Continuing, Sig1or Terrazas told Of
the present outlet Of the produce Of
this region. "Only a few days ago"
he said, eighty thousand head of cat
tie were sent north to Texas and Kan
sas, where they will be fattened and
slaughtered and sold in Kansas City
and in Chicago. We can use many of
them in Mexico, of course, but the bulk
will go up to Kansas City and Chica-
go. However, there is already in Chi
huahua city plant that can slaughter
200 head a day and pack the beef as
well as dress mutton. In the City Of
Mexico similar plant is about to be
established. The cottonseed industry
is q still better illustration Of Mexico's
development. Some time ago the cot
ton seed was thrown away. Then, aft
er its value was realized, it used to be
made into oil and the pressed kernel
.senA to England for food to fatten cat
tie. Now there is plant in the state
Just south of Chihuahua, the cotton
district, the managers of which have
secured the right to all the cotton seed
for twenty-five years and which utll-
ICES about as much as can be reasona-
bly, demanded First oil is made, then
the pressed kernel is used to fatten our
own Mexican cattle, and finally the
shells are used for fuel, and the ashes,
rich in potassium, are sold for fertiliza
ton purposes. A large block of CAPT
tai is invested in the enterprise, with
excellent returns In Mexico it must
not be forgotten that labor is cheap,
averaging dollar a day in Mexican
money, and. while 1 won't say it is SO
good as American labor, it is very
good. There are no labor troubles to
contend with. While it may be true
that English and American agricul-
turists have not done so well in Mexico
as their fellow countrymen who have
gone into mining, that does not argue
that the field is not profitable one,
only that they have not known how
quite to adapt themselves to the differ
emf conditions imposed by the nature
Of the soil and climate. 1t demands
some study, but it repays."
Another feature of Mexico's future
but little thought of by most people,
but about which the speaker was most
hopeful, is the Asiatic trade, which he
feels is about to come when the Chi
huahua and Pacific railroad is COM
pleted to Port Stilwell on the Pacific
coast he said, ''it will mean that a
transcontinental line will run through
Mexico, for an agreement between that
road and the Kansas City, Mexico and
Orient road will make the line continu-
Gus from Kansas City through Chihua-
hua to the Pacific, cutting down by at
least 300 miles all present distances
across the continent to the far east. A
line, or, rather. lines, of steamers di-
rect from Mexico to Japan. China and
other oriental points will result, and
instead Of getting our tea, silks and the
ike via San Francisco, as we do now,
we will get them direct. What we will
give in return | do not yet know, but
feel confident return trade will spring
up. Another thing that this road will
accomplish for us internally is the de-
velopment Of the coalfelds, which are
at present unworked for lack of rail-
road facilities. Mexico is always in
need of fuel, and that will be great
advancement. There are oil wells. too,
to be worked, and on the extreme west,
between the mountains and the coast,
n vorv rich a0rio11 lti1ral raoiOn Tho