The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-03
AMERICAN CAPITAL
POURING INTO
MEXICAN INDUSTRIES
Man From Mexico Tells About
the Affairs of Uncle Sans
Noirbho,,

ANS4S9 A4HV1
James King Duffy Of New York,
who has just returned from a trip to.
Mexico, as far south as the Isthmus
OF Tehuantepec, was found by Jour-
nal man In the lobby of the West no
tel yesterday, reading the account of
the sentencing to death of the ten
men found guilty by the court in So
nora, Mexico, of the murder Of a party
of American prospectors.
Glad you weren't a member Of that
prospecting party, aren't you?" asked
the reporter.
Well, yes" answered Mr.. Duffy
my presence wouldn't have added
any to the gaiety of the occasion. But,
seriously, the quick, almost summary
action of the authorities in Mexico,
illustrates the vigor and directness
with which offenses are punished in
that country. There is general mis-
conception here as to conditions in,
Mexico, and we do it great injus-
tice when we think that crime is per-
m1tted to go unpublished there. con-
slider, as a result Of careful observa--
ton and inquiry, that life, liberty and
the possession of property are gen
orally better protected there than with
us. The Sonora crime is not any more
appalling than some of the murders
recently done in the state of Colora-
do, and the punishment is more swift,
as you notice.
Il was not prospecting, by the way,
but gave my attention to plantation
and manufacture interests, as they
are developing in southern Mexico. 1t
Is simply marvellous how that south
ern country is opening up, and Amer
lean capital is pouring in there to-
take advantage of its magnificent ops
portunities. The states Of Campeche,
Chiapas, Tabasco and Vera Cruz seem
to be coming on most rapidly, due, I
suppose, to the fact that conditions
for the development of tropical plan
tat1ons are most favorable there, par
tlcularly for rubber and sugar. The
Vera Cruz & Pacific railway has only
been completed about a year and the
Iehuantepec National railway has
just been rebuilt, and both of these
roads are now owned. by the Next
can government and are being put
into splendid physical condition. T
was on the tsthmus at the time the
government took over the Vera Cruz
& Pacific road, buying it from the
Maryland Trust company. There was
general rejoicing among the people
there when the change took place. I
tell you, government ownership of
public utilities seems to be popular
proposition in Mexico, for the meth
DDS of the government are simple and
direct and to the plain advantageof the
people. saw lots to admire in Mext-
can methods of administration. The
government is firmly fixed, and the
selection Of Corral as the successor to
Dlaz, whenever that wonderful man
may die, meets with universal ap-
prevail. All in all, Mexico is on the
high road to national prosperity
which, in its way, will rival our own
What chance has the American
investor there? ?" asked the interviewer.
I'm what way?" asked Mr.. Duffy.
If you mean is he Disseminated
against, can answer he is not. His
investment is as safe as it would be
under any like conditions here. There
are hundreds Of big enterprises owned
and controlled by foreigners-mines,
railroads, cottoonmills, coffee. sugar
and rubber plantations-and all Of
them, so far as I could learn, are
operating successfully. There is a
great deal of English and German
capital invested in Mexico, and they
seem to have gotten in there ahead
of the American; but now the United
States enterprises have struck their:
can money invested in Mexico than
that of any other outside country"
TO what are the Americans de-
voting themselves principally?" asked
the reporter.
TN the northern part Of the coun-
Try tnere is nOth1ng put mining and
railroads.&c. Mexican Central being
an American institutions; but on the
isthmus the growing of rubber and
cultivating of the sugarcane are the
things which are promising the best
results. DR.. Harvey, of the La Ven
tura plantation, is probably the most
eminent rubber expert in the world;
and his Investigations and expert
ments, extending over many years, and
which have resulted in the magnificent
showing of rubber on La Ventura, has
proven beyond question that the rub
Der tree can be cultivated in Mexico,
and the results obtained equal if they
do not surpass, those Of any other
country in the world. OF course
sugar is no experiment; it has been
growing there for over 800 years; and
the Mexican sugarplanter has always
been known as the prince of his kind.
American methods begin where the
Mexican leaves off, and produce re-
suits far in advance Of anything the
Mexicans have done. The northern
or gulf side of the isthrnus is the ideal
place for the cultivation of those two
commodities, rubber and sugar-cof-
fee, for it's best development demands
higher attitudes.
There are several Chicago and
Kansas City plantations down there
which are we'll advanced and very
prosperous; and, by the way, about the