The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-13
SATELLITES MEXICAN REPUBLIC UNDERGOING RAPID CHANGE


is something like ssI5.oco.ooo. ana this
VIII probably be added TO by the dam
ages demanded on account of the out
RACES OF the recent revolutions
Mexican Trnde. n
1 had talk last night with one OF
the leading fnancicrs as TO Mexican
trade with the United States and its
possible Increase through our tariff
reduction. This man says that tho
new tariff will send many Mexican
articles which are now going to Eu-
rope to tho United States, Said he:
Our foreign commerce has been
steadily increasing. and within ten
years wo will double our exports This
Is especially so as to our trade with
your country. We sold you s224.0o0.-
900 worth of goods in 1912. and our
total exports that year were s29S.000-
600. So you SEQ you now take tho
most OF what we sell. You will take
even moro in the future.
What arc tho chances for American
capital" I asked
AS soon as matters become settled
and they are bound TO become settled
within a short time-the opportunities
for successful Investment Will be very
great. 1t is now twenty-five years
since your people began TO send largo
sums to Mexico, and you now have in
vestments amounting to many. many
millions OF dollars. You have largo
interests In all Of our Industrial under
takings. You own the most of our
mines and enormous quantities OF land
The right to acquire land is unlimited,
ana thcro are extensive tracts await
ing the capitalist 1 believe that tho
large estates will soon havo to bo
divided. They will DO laid out in small
holdings and will be sold on advanta-
Ecous terms.
There are many opportunities herd
along manufacturing lines" this man
continued Mexico needs many articles
which shc does not produce and which
could DO protected by the tariff Our
cotton mills are making great strides.
and at no distant date we shall be cx-
porting cotton cloth. We are now pro-
ducing all the sugar we need and wo
/ have surplus for expectation. There
/ is no reason why wo should not mako
our own iron and steel and expect
/ that the steel industry Will DO one OF
/ our big business of tho, future"
! How about your mines?"
Mining Is one of our largest bust
ncsscs. and IT is only at its beginning.
/ We have vast tracts OF undeveloped
/ territory. and our mines are steadily
Increasing In number and output Our
1 production OF silver last year was tho
largest TO date. II was worth $4,000
| 900
The gold production was over s4s.-
! 100000. and during that Same year we
! produced 10000 tons Of copper ore and
/ 10000 tons OF lead. Every ono knows
how the petroleum product is growing
/ The yield last year was moro than
100000 tong. and II Will be 1000 900
tons moro this year. All Of our in
dustries are receiving a great impetus
by the use OF electricity We have n
large number OF water powers. and
these are being harncssed and turned
TO industrial account In various ways"
MeIlco's New Electric Power Plants.
In connection with electricity wan,
| 10 give you a conversation l had with
Colonel Eduardo Hay some time ago
Colonel Hay is civil engineer BY nro
fcssion. and he Is Interested In lnrEe
works In many parts OF the ranublic
lie was educated in tho United States.
and he speaks English az we'll as do
In thiking or tho possibilities OF Mex
leo he tells mo that there are millions
OF american capital awaiting gutter
cohdi,iohs 70 come here He has nov
on his books eighty different projects
which he has been asked 10 invcsu-
gate during tho past three months
these embrace hydraulic power p!ants
electric railroads and irrigation and
colonization companies Many Of them
viii be pushed as soon rs the present
troubles ere over Among other things.
Colonel Hay said:
Electricity promises to be one Of the
greatest Acids OF investment OF tho
Mexico OF the future. This country ia
admirably adapted TO such "A develop
ment We have here a high plateau
which slopes stecply down on both
sides to the sea. giving us many rivers
with abundant water power. This is
so both on the Atlantic and Pacific
sides OF Mexico. l know OF one river
| which has 7000-foot fall, forming a
series of descents each OF which can
be utilized. There are other rivers and
streams of large size which will do
velop power and for which concessions
could be easily gotten.
las 1t Is now, we have one power
plant within ninety miles OF Mexico
city which furnishes 100000 horse
power. That plant Is now supplying
tho capital. The Falls of Juanacatlan
have been harnessed and thore arc
other powers on government rivers
which could be easily developed
"All that IL necessary Is to make out
your plans and lay them before the au-
thorities. depositing $4,000 in gold as
bond for carrying them out That ia
the basis upon which all CONCESSIONS
are granted in Mexico, and such con-
cessions can be acquired by the for
eigner just as we'll as by the native.
The deposits of earnest money bear in
tercst at per cent and thoy are ro
turned when the works are completed
The government must, Of course. an
prove or the working plans before the
concessions are granted"
FRANK G. CARPENTER