The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1907-06-04
rooDsTuFrs m MEXICO.
What the Mass of the People Have
to Eat.


to Eat.
In answer to inquiries from the
United States relative to Mexico's meat
and dairy product supplies, Consul
James A. LIE Roy Of Durango furnishes
the following report, says the Washing
ton Star.
While the mass Of the people Of Mex
leo subsist primarily on tortillas (corn
cake) and beans, it is significant that,
in the larger centers Of population,
wherever the workmen are getting
higher wages, as result Of the estab-
lishment of new industries, they buy
fresh meat and flock to the bakeries of
wheaton bread. Indeed, the increased
consumption Of wheat is one of the
signs Of the times In Mexico. 1t has
become an article Of necessity with
families in moderate circumstances, as
1t always has been with the people of
wealth; and these two classes are also
great consumers of meat. 1t may be
put down as a rule that while Mexico
is still country dependent primarily
upon corn and beans, all Mexicans who
can afford to do SO daily eat large
amount Of meat
1t cannot be expected that there will
be any market for fresh meats from the
United States, as cattle raising is
pursuit that is followed In nearly all
parts of Mexico. There is also a duty
of 10 cents Mexican the net kilo (about
2A cents in United States currency
per pound avoirdupois) on fresh meat.
In the capital and in some of the other
cities there are small butcher shops,
first started to cater to the trade of
American residents, which have facli-
ties for keeping meat several days on
ice. The industry of refrigerating beef,
as 1t is known In the United States is
practically unknown In Mexico. Lately
it has been said that one firm would
attempt 1t in Mexico city; but there
will be no shipping OF refrigerated beef
into Mexico while freight rates remain
as high as they are, or until the taste
of nearly all the meat eaters Is edu-
Gated not to demand meat just killed
There cannot, under present condi-
tions, be a great MAJ ket for canned
meats In Mexico. Their price puts
them wholly out of the reach Of the
masses Of the people, even If they ever
considered their purchase. Fresh meat
is still luxury with them, and they
live In a grazing country. Pork, far
more than beef or mutton, Is the poor
mans meat In Mexico, though this Is
more conspicuously the case in certain
regions than in others. Lard Is a lo-
cal product everywhere, on a small or
large scale, and forms one of the items
most actively bartered in the town
markets. 1t Is used by all classes in
everyday cooking and in the prepara-
ton of very large proportion of their
dishes, yet lard Is imported from the
United States in considerable quantity.
Mexico cannot be called a butter-con-
suming country, as bread is commonly
eaten without butter. Lard is Its sub
stitute to a great extent, where 1t has
substitute. Nevertheless the use of
butter is increasing among Mexicans
themselves and the foreign population,
especially the Americans, constitute a
growing demand for butter that does
not seem to be met by the starting of
small dairy farms near cities, mining
camps, etc. More than three-fourths Of
the butter imported comes from tho
United States, Spain and Denmark sup
plying nearly all the remainder. It Is
imported mainly In cans, but the impor-
tation of fresh butter in rolls from the
dairies in the lower Mississippi valley
region has been steadily Increasing.
The imports Of American cheese and
milk show constant gains, but In the
nature of things the market for these
products cannot greatly increase.