The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-08-13
BIC INCREASE IN
MEXICAN LIVING
" Gather Conditions and
Revolution is the Cause


Mexico Guy. AnS. 9.-N Neatner con
ditions coupled with the revolution
taking men from the fields and in
1errupting railway municatlons,
have caused a marked increase in the
cost Of living in Mexico. The meat
supply which came from the grazing
lands in thihua hua. Ceahuila and
parts Of Sonora has been cut off for
many months. and when 1t became
possible to ship cattle. 1t was found
that they had either scattered in the
hills or been killed b., the rebels for
food. The work of corraline and driv-
ing cattle is still perilous one, and
few men are availa BILE for the task
/ The cost Of meat has accordingly MS
en- to fully twice it's ordinary level.
Grain Question Serious.
The grain question is still more
serious. since it is upon the cereal Is
that the Vast majority Of the people
depend for SuStenance and since II is
/ therefore uDOn the poor that the bur
/ den falls most heavily. In many parts
Of the country the lands have been
allowed to lie fallow. This is partial
! ly due to the inability Of the land
! owners to oct WOrkmen. but 1t is al
50 due to the fact that many wealthy
/ land owners have rcSOrted to this
means TO force the poorer classes tC
| relinuuish their demands Tor a
/ division of lands. The corn crop OF
8, last year was one Of the best Mexi-
! co has known in many years, and
| there arc still large quantities OF
grain in the StOrehOuseS of the large
! land owners. This is being held foI
what is believed to be the inevitable
! further rise in the price Of that sta
! pie.
Pea Crop Failure.
The chick pea crop. which for years
has been one Of the richest outputs
| of the state Of Sonora is a failure
this wear. due in part to the weather
and in part to the activity Of tht
| Iauui Indians. The loss will run into
! millions. The governor Of the state
estimates his personal loss at half {
million pesos. The bean crop, another
staple will be poor where 1t has beer
| planted on account of early frost:
and heavy rains.
Early in July the valley land a
the northern extremity Of the plateau
which is known as the natIOnal gra
nary was flooded until in places the
water reached a depth Of two feet IL
the open country. The corn crop. cher
Just beginning to come up was ruin
ed and the wheat crop. some OF WhIcf
had not vet been harvested on ac
count Of the disturbed condition ant
discomfort among the men, was als'
lost. This was followed shortly b,
early frosts in the valley Of Mexico
and in the Sierra .IuareZ Then cam
a series OF hail storms which furthe
damaged the crops.
Governments -\ctiOn.
So grave has the situation becom
that the government has~been forces
to take cogniZanCe OF IT, Ih@ cit
council of Mexico City and the cham
Der of commerce are attempting t
reach a solution of the difficulty. TIL
method adopted under like circum
stances by the previous adminiStra
ton was for the government TO i'm
: port grain free Of duty from the Unit
ed States and Argentine. and sell
to the people from government dis
tributing stations at cost plus the ex
: penses of TRANSPORTATION. This methO
: has been fought SO far by two power
ful influences the l,~' owners an
the department OF the treasury. Man
influential persons whose crops hay
not been affected or who have graf
in store are bringing all their in
n fuence to bear. The treasury is lor
. and at the present time it is estimat
ed that the customs Will fall $500
d 900 short Of the revenue derived froI
g that source faSt Year. This. al q tim
| when the government is much n nee
|. of funds for the pacification of III
e country. is a strong argument. At be:
continued on Page eleven