The Springfield herald., 1904-06-03
AM e RICAN BUILT
MOST OF MEXICAN RAILWAYS

Encouraged by President Diaz.-LIber.
al Concessions and Subsidies
Railway Stock Bought to Forestall
the Standard OIL Company.
A correspondent OF the Washington
Post. writing from the City OF Mexico,
says:
Three hundred and fifty millions OF
American dollars are invested in the
railways of this Republic Under the
shelter OF the American flag this vast
sum Of money has been spent in Mexi
CO. VIII any revolutionlst in the fu-
ture dare to put In jeopardy that great
Investment? Diaz cannot be meas
ued with Julius Caesar and Napoleon,
but 1t truly can be said that he is an
eminent statesman as well as a soldier.
He asked Americans to come, and they
came. They built three railways from
the Texas frontier into the very heart
of Mexico Two of the roads come
straight to this city-come straight for
hundreds of miles through an almost
trackless wilderness, The third was
built by the late Coils p. Huntington
and Is almost 900 miles long.
The first road in Mexico. the one
built by Englishmen from Vera Cruz
to this city, was opened to traffic in the
year 1874. The government gave it a
subsidy of about $14,000,000. Twenty
years ago this month the first Ameri-
can road, beginning at Ell Paso, Texas,
and ending in Mexico City. was fin
ished. Thus was opened this era OF
American railroad building in Mexico,
and opened with subsidy of $24 ,00O,-
900. Thus likewise began the general
.f In . ting.
by resolute Americans. The railroad
threw down the barred doors of this
backward and violent nation. Diaz
knew they would. When he signed his
name to the contract binding his coun-
Try to the payment of great sum Of
money to the first American railroad
his treasury was empty. His revenues
were scarcely enough to pay his SOL
diers He had come to power by the
buyonet. and by the bayonet he gov
erned. He paid his army and he paid
the subsidy. The wealth of foreigners
and the soldiers of DiaZ brought order,
industry thrift, peace to n turbulent
and primitive people. In twenty years
Mexico has been turned from battle
field into a stalwart and harmonious
nation-turned by the craftsmanship
and courage of one man and by the
EOld ana Hnanclal talent Oh SaSaclOuS
and steady Americans. Surely com
mercialism. as it is called. has rescued
Mexico from the assassin and the in
cendiary.
Other American railroads followed
the first one subsidy of more than
S12,O00,000 was paid to group of cap
italists, and they built the second road
from the Rio Grande and the Texas
frontier to Mexico City. Last year the
gauge of the road was widened and
Sl1 ,000,0 900 was voted for its improve
ment This month the Mexican gov
ernment bought heavily through New
York bankers. of its capital stock, and
now dominates in its management and
policy This likewise. was the act of
Diaz Two great roads. great in mile
age and their power and possibilities
in Mexico. go from this city to the Rio
Grande. Both were controlled by
Americans Diaz foresaw the peril that
would menace Mexican interests if the
roads should be combined in one own
ership 1t is openly said in this city
that the Standard Oil Company has
bought into one of these roads, and
that 1t has done so that it may monop-
oize more certainly the petroleum
trade of the county. Diaz was warned
He bought the other road.