Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-21


Record Herald.
CITY OF MEXICO, April 10, 1906
In 1902 Consul General Barlow made a
canvass of the republic of Mexico, assisted
by thirty-eight consular officers of the
United States, five OF Great Britain and
five or Germany, to ascertain the number
OF Americans engaged In business in
Mexico and the amount of capital Invested
by them. Every American company and
individual was asked to make a return
and 1,117 companies. firms and individuals
responded, reporting the investment of
5o0,OOO,CO0 gold dollars within the last
quarter Of a century. About one-half of
the Investments have been made since 1898
The railways represent the largest proper
tlon, and about two-thirds of the whole
The Mexican Central alone represents one
hundred and fifty-nine millions. About
eighty millions are invested In mines
twenty-elght millions In agriculture and
twenty-five millions in manufacturing en-
terprises
Although our Congress had done nothing
10 promote commerce between the two
countries both exports and imports have
steadily grown until in 1908 our trade with
Mexico amounted to $92. O00, 000 as COM
pared with $31,G00,0o0 In 1895; 1900, 600 In
1885, and 81 900 600 in 1879 Mexico buys
81 per cent of her imported merchandise in
the United States and we take Il per cent
OF her exports. No other country except
Canada. draws so large a percentage of
her Imports from our markets and none
except Cuba gives us so large a percentage
OF her exports The largest item of our
imports from Mexico is fiber; the next
largest is copper, while manufactures of
Iron and steel, including machinery of all
kind and railway supplies. are the largest
Item In our exports TO Mexico.
Trada IN Cnifa oP
Our exports have grown 800 per cent since
President Diaz took the executive chair
thirty years ago, and this in spite of con-
tinueus adverse legislation on the part Of
our Congress. The executive department
of the United States, our President, secre-
taries of State, ministers and ambassa-
doris have done as much as they could to
facilitate commerce and encourage the
Mexicans to buy goods from us and sell US
of their natural products such as we do not
raise ourselves but our tariff laws and
regulations year after year have been
framed to obstruct trade. Nor has this
policy of Congress been unlntentional. The
people on the border and competing indus
tries in the United States have insisted
upon tariff wall to shut out as much of
the produce of Mexico IS possible from
our markets, but, as you see from the
figures, 1t has not been effective.
Twenty-three years ago Gen. Grant came
down here as special ambassador from
President Arthur to negotiate a reciprocity
treaty. and succeeded in framing one that
practically closed the custom houses on
both sides of the Rio Grande. That treaty
was pending in our Congress for five years;
1t expired by limitation twice and was re-
newed, but Notwithstanding the urgent
recommendations and practical arguments
OF persons who were Interested In building
up a trade, the agreement was allowed
to lapse and Congress deliberately denied
the merchants and manufacturers of the
United States a monopoly of the Mexican
market
This is only one of several occasions In
which the legislative branch of our govern
ment has rejected the friendly advances OF
the Mexican government, and 1t Is a wonder
that we have any trade here at all.
The Obnoxious Head Tax.
The most recent obstruction to commerce
is the amendment 10 the immigration law
enacted by Congress in 1903 requiring every
foreign merchant in Mexico who comes to
the United States to buy goods to pay q
head tax as he crosses the border. The
larger part of the retail trade is in the
hands OF foreigners, Germans French
Spanish English and Italians, and large
part of them would prefer to buy their
goods in the United States, because they
can get them cheaper and better there and
American goods are particularly popular
among Mexicans. 1t is also matter of
great convenience. There are through
sleeping cars over two railroads from all
the principal cities in Mexico to St Louis
and Chicago, with dining cars and other
comforts of travel. whereas steamers to
Europe take fifteen days for a voyage, and
are not frst-class. But every time these
merchants enter the United States an i'm
migrant inspector holds them up at the
border, asks them what they consider inn
pertinent and often insulting questions. and
demands the payment of 81 head money,
which other passengers. American or Mex
lean citizens, are not required to pay The
amount IS a trifie, but the manner In
which ii is collected Is so odlous and
the principle Of it so offensive that very
few of the English. Germans. French. Span
ish or Italian shopkeepers will place them
selves In such humiliating position They
prefer TO go to Europe for their goods.
The government of the United States is
not so poor as TO require this offensive tax
for purposes OF revenue, and we certainly
do not wish to shut out of the country
merchants who are seeking to buy our
wares.
Foreigners in Mexico.
According to the census of 1900, there
were in Mexico 81 5OT foreigners, classified
as follows:
spsniards. 1925 Italians ......... 1854