The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-23
SOUNDS PRAISE OF
 MEXICO AS HOME Calhoun County Man Now
 Lives in TampicO FERTILITY OF THE SOIL
  ". H. Davis Says Americans Are Welcomed Down There Because r They Are Doing so Much
 to Develop Country
FERTILITY OF THE SOIL

". H. Davis of Tampico Mexico, a na- tive of Calhoun county, Alabama, is spending the summer in Birmingham with relatives MT Davis spoke most inter- estingly yesterday to a. representative or The Age-Herald regarding present condi- tions and future prospects of old Mexico.
 In regard to the Mexican revolution, MT. Davis said that there was no disturbance in the section of the country where he was. "All of the fighting was in the and mineral region. Tampico is on the eastern coast, only five miles from me gulf, and was completely outside the range of hostilities. There was no dis order of any kind with us, and we hardly realized that a revolution was in progress. The only time that we became in the least degree alarmed was when we thought that the United States was about to interfere in Mexican affairs, for the American knew that if a part were taken by their country they would have to leave Mexico. This feeling of uneasiness was removed as soon as 1t became understood lthat the United States would not take a hand in the trouble We think that tho revolution is completely over, and that there will be no further danger. The election of a president in December is expected to go off as quietly as if nothing had happened
 I MT. Davis was particularly enthusiastic about the agricultural possibilities of Mex ico 'I have lived in four states said he, Alabama, Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma, 1 and I prefer the land in Mexico to any in either of those states. In fact I would not give 10 acres of Mexican black land for a whole section of Oklahoma land. l Mexico has the advantage of Oklahoma because labor is much cheaper there. Mex to $1 Mexican money. And the Mexican labor is good. Some people have an idea that the peons are worthless, but that impression is wrong. There is no better or more tractable worker than the Mex | ican. He has to be tanSht how to blow, for the Mexican knows nothing except to cut the grass from the land with a machet, or long knife, and then dig holes in the ground and drop in the grains of corn. The Mexicans are glad to have the Americans come into the country. because they have raised wages, and " ork willingly
 Another advantage that Mexico has over the states in the matter of getting profits from agriculture is that stock is cheaper there than here. For $50 to SeU one can buy a horse that would cost here s20o.
 "rhe land is the Pamico valley. in which Tampico is situated, is extremely fertile. It is black land from four to six feet deep, and will grow anything that the tropics will. The ol\nges raised In Mexico are as fine as thtEe of Florida and California, and there Is never danger of frost. Grapefruit also grows, as do all citrus fruits, in abundance. A great deal of sugar is raised in the Tampico district, and there are two large sugar refineries located in the city. Crops can be planted at any time of the year, but tne usual time for planting is in the fall, which Is the time of greatest rainfall. The crops are then ready for market in January, February and March. Grass is abundant, and as grazing country this part of Mexico is unsurpassed.
 1 tIamplco IS a city or aDOut JO,oOO, ana is a city of a large volume of business. The chief businesses are in the hands of Americans, who have developed not only 1 the agriculture of Mexico but the oil and sugar refining business as well. I do not know the exact number of Americans in the Tampico district. It Is customary for the Americans to hold a Fourth of July celebration every year, and at that cele- l bration in 1910 there were 5000 Americans present From this number an estimate of the number in the city can be made. There are people from every state in the union, and quite a number of Alabamians | in the district. In Orange Hill colony, where Americans reside, tliere is every Inconvenience of the modern American city. Two newspapers are published in English in Tampieo.
 | "rhe climate is the most delightful that l | have ever experienced. The average l Temperature is about 75 degrees, and a
 winter temperature of 52 degrees. Num- bers of Americans from all over the coun- try come to that part of Mexico to winter land for relief from many complaints.
 Mr. Davis will return to Mexico in Oc-