Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-07-16

been very great and in this develop
ment American capital has played the
most conspicuous part. 1t is obviously
/ impossible to ascertain the exact
amount of the American investment
/ in Mexico Mr.. Chas. A. Conant has
estimated it at $500 100000 United
States Consul General. A. D. Barlow
has made the only systematic in
vestigation and he places the amount
at $511 ,465, 1868 made by LILY firms
and individuals. One-half of this has
been invested in the last five years
and practically all in the last quarter
century. OF this amount approx
mately three hundred and thirty five
millions arc invested in railroads;
twenty-eieht millions in haciendas,
ranches and farms.
While as yet comparatively in
significant the plantation investment
is perhaps the most interesting and,
# successful along the lines planned,
viii soon be of the greatest i'm
portance. Upon this subject there IS
the greatest possible variance of
opinion, and IL is impossible to get at
the truth of the matter, for, although
there are plantations that have been
cultivated for centuries by the
Spaniards, Inc modern idea and
modern methods, are still in the ex-
detrimental stage. 1t is necessary here
to attempt to reconcile the report Of
the promoter, who has land to sell and
who will guarantee an income of from
200 to 500 per cent. in six years, with
the opinion of the man on the ground,
who has seen thousands of dollars
foolishiy spent and many plantations
proven failures.
Consul General Barlow finds that it
is very dimcult to determine the
amount of capital invested as some
companies have given their authorized
capitalization running into the
millions while the amount q tually
expended is very small. lie says
THE whole isthmus of TehJ rtepec,
and probably the entire tropical sec
ton OF Mexico, could be bought by
capitalists residing in this city, and
if there were any sure 200 per cent.
Investments to be made in that region,
they would surely be taken up by
persons on the ground who are
thoroughly familiar with the condi-
tions there" Mr.. Barlow's list con-
tains the names of 225 American firms
and individuals engaged in tropical
agriculture in Mexico. OF 65 that do
not report their capital, SO are strictly
trop,c cal plantations. Fifteen planta-
tiOr companies that advertise freely
have an aggregate capitalization of
$40, 115,000, or $l3.0S per acre on the
land that they claim to own. The
plantation that has advertised most
laVishly, employing one of the most
expensive advertising mediums in the
United States, has a capitalization of
$500 900 on 5000 acres But six of
these fifteen are reported by Barlow
and there is a wide variance in the
capitalization as advertised and that
to be invested. In 1901 four sugar
plantation companies were organized
Will iH average .CdI)lldllHdlIOH Ol
$2S25,000.
Almost without exception these
companies purchase wild land that is
covered with a dense growth of
tropical vegetation. The first cost of
the land is nominal, from fifty cents
to one dollar per acre. The expense
comes in clearing and preparing for
cultivation. The companies report
labor as plentiful and cheap, but in
formation from various sections seems
to indicate the contrary. The fact
that many Japanese and Chinese
laborors are imported does not point
to an easy condition of the labor
market Much care and experience is
necessary in the selection Of a loCa,