The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-16
MEXICO IS BUYING
MORE OF US EACH
YEAR
Heavy Gain in All Lines
of Business Noted in the
Report of British Consular
Agent Stationed in the
Capital of the Republic.
Special to The Globe.

Special to The Globe.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 10
The steady gain of the United States
| in supplying the foreign merchandise
| special comment by an official of the
British legation at the City of Mexico
| in a report made to the British foreign
! Office on Mexican trade in 1901.
The United States of. America" he
says, ARE yearly increasing the proper
! ton of their trade in this country. The
! value of the imports (from the United
| States) In 1901 amounted to e 6,941, 929,
as against e 6,767,042 in 1900, or an in
| crease from 5112 per cent to 55A per
cent Of the total infort trade. The
United Kingdom and her colonies to-
gether supplied Mexico with merchan-
disc to the value of G ,909, 167 during
1901, as against 6 2,217, Ill in 1900, rep
resenting about Is 1-3 of the import
trade. France supplied merchandise to
the value Of e 1,383,869 in 1900, while
in 1901 the value was but &2,231, 1852,
its proportion in 1900 being 1919 per
cent, but now is scarcely 8 q per cent.
Germany's share of the-trade Of Mex
leo in 1901 was trife over 10 1-3 per
cent, as against IL II per cent in 1900.
The trade with Spain continues about
the same as in past years, viz, Az per
cent in 1900 and AZ in 1901" The re-
port presents a table showing the per-
centage Of the principal countries IN
the imports of Mexico from 1896 to
1901, and shows that the percentage
supplied by imports from the United
States has increased from 40 per cent
in 1897 to 554 per cent in 1901 while
that of the United Kingdom has fallen
from 10 per cent to 10 1-3 per cent;
France, from 10 per cent to 9A per
cent, and Germany has increased its
share from 10 per cent to 1898 per cent,
while Spain has decreased from per
cent to 4 3-16 per cent.
Cotton manufacture in Mexico, he
says, is not as active as formerly. The
number of cotton factories in the re-
public increased in late. years to such
an extent, and the product of those al
ready in existence so increased, that
with the opening up of new establish
mentS fitted with modern machinery
the market has become overstocked
and several of the older factories have
had to stop work, and in many cases
close entirely, a state of things which
will continue until the existing stocks
of cotton goods is very much reduced.
Nevertheless. cotton goods form one of
the principal items in the imports of
Mexico.
Taking to Electricity.
The use of electricity not only for
lighting, but also for industrial pur-
poses is, he says, becoming more gem
eral, and several companies have been
formed for the purpose of making use
of the larger waterfalls throughout the
country for the generation Of electric
tty, the machinery being imported
chiefly from the United States. The
Electric Light Company of the City of
Mexico has been unable to supply the
demand for electricity for lighting pur-
poses. and the extension OF the electric
tramWay lines about the City of Mex
leo has greatly increased the use of
electricity.
The popularity Of American goods is
especially commented upon by the
writer, who says that boots and shoes
Of American manufacture are now
found all over the republic, while in the
City of Mexico four or five establish
ments have been opened for the ex-
press purpose of selling boots and shoes
Of American make only.
Commenting upon the growth of the
import trade of Mexico, and especially
the increasing proportion obtained by
the United States, the writer of the re-
port, Mr.. BiOrklund, says: However
much the trade Of Mexico increases,
the share of the United Kingdom is al
ways deceasing, partly for the reason
that British manufacturers and mer-
chants generally will not adopt more
what is loss to the United Kingdom is
gain to some other country.
Though, of course, the United Staes,
on account of their proximity are bound
to possess the largest share, and the ia
cilities for transportation being greater
thence than from Europe, there does
not seem to be any special reason why
the trade from the European countries,
especially the United Kingdom, should
not be more than it is, a fact that can
be verified by the figures given in an
other part of this report. American
merchants and manufacturers are
| ready to cater for the trade of Mexico,
and their agents are continually trav-
cling for the purpose of extending the
sale of articles already known, or are
endeavoring by means of samples to
open fields for new merchandise.
Though articles of German manufac-
| ture are acknowledged to be of inferior
quality, their style and finish are such
that they can favorably compare with
those Of greater finish, which cost more
than twice as much. Another reason
why German-made goods find better
market here is from the fact that the
makers are always ready to accept any
suggestion made to them. either by
| their own agents or by clients, who are
| often more in touch with the require
a