The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-11-05
MtXlCAR BUSINESS SITUATION
Foreign Trade Active But Mining
 ParaIyZed.

tore4gn Trade Active But Mining
 ParaIyzed.
 To the many in the United States Eho think of Mexico as a land in which all business is paralyzed and the home of a people who do little else than fight among themselves, a recent re- port from United States Consul Gen er&<d Arnold Shanklin, statione5 at Mexico City, to the Department of Commerce at Washington, stating that Mexico's foreign trade last year was valued at S253, 100000, United States currency, will come as a dis tinct surprise.
 MT. Shanklfn does not paint the situation as bright or very hopeful, but probably not nearly so gloomy as many in this country have come to think Of course, conditions are worse in the Southern Republic now than when the year began The pres ent trouble, he points out, really be- gan as early as February, 1912, and continued to increase throughout the year, causing business depression Many of the large mines were forced to close down for lack either labor or OE railroad transportation for one In view of these conditions the surprise win be that anything like the amount of foreign business was done in 1912, when 1t exceeded that of the year be- fore by nearly S1O,OoO,ooO. The 1912 imports into Mexico were valued at $e3, 900, 900, and the exports at $780, 100000.
 Quite as interesting as the figures themselves Is the fact brought out by MT. Shank1fn that the United States, in spite of the suspected il-feeling of the Medcans, bought more from Mex foo and sold more to Mexico than all the rest of the world put together.
 -&rL4 L4--4S Sz1an&fin, 'Hgnow a decrease of moro than $e, ,O0o, 900 in Mex1cos gold ex- ports, the expor&s of silver and other prodz1c&s show a really remarkable in- crea90 under the circumstances The increase in the value of vegetable pro- conditions existing throughout the x4ohest agricultural regions, is ac- counted for by the greatly improved price of heneQuen, which is the prin- cfpa1 export of Yucatan. That sec ton was not greatly affected by the zexo1uftona<y disturbances.
 The budget statement of the Min 1ster of Finance for the fiscal year 1910-1A" MT. Shanklin continues, ~Rhowu that great progress has been made In the cultivation and produc- ton O6 wheat in Mexico; so much so that it is estimated that the produc- ton for the present year will equal the demands of the home market. Present conditions, however, do not point to the fufnl1ment of this hope.
 The exceptionally rich State of Morelos was constantly harassed by bandits last year, and the agricultural interests were the greatest sufferers This naturally seriously affected the sugar industry which has reached q higher development in that State than in any other section of the republic Such sugar factories in the State of Vera Cruz as were not molested by the rebels gave good results. The con- tinued serious political disturbances during the last two years have made the gathering of statistics exceeding Iy difficult, but it is estimated that the total amount of sugar manufac- tured in the country during the crop year 1911-12 was 167,258 tons, a slight increase over that of 191O-11.
 MT. Shank1in says the guayule rub Der crop has been one of the greatest sufferers from the revolutionary dis turbances, the value of the exports for 1s11-12. as compared with the prev ious fiscal year, showing a loss of nearly $1,000,o00.
 'SThe production of silver observes MT. Shanklin, fin 1911-12 was larger in both quantity and value than that of any other year during the period covered This increased production coincideS with the rise in silver values, although if normal conditions had prevailed throughout the country the increase would doubtless have been greater Probably one of the great est factors in the rise of silver has been the increased demand from India and China China in particular, on account of it's rapidity changing poIi- uca1 and economic conditions, is be- coming an important market for sil- yer, and the demand from that coun- try will doubtless serve to maintain the present high prices of silver for some time to come.
 For the other minerals the follow ing figures Of exports during 1911-12 are approximately correct also for production, as those products find lit tie demand in the home market: Cop per, 5S, ,421 tons, valued at SIS, ,285- 192s copper ore, 121, Al tons, valued at $S,465, 744; lead, 116.75S tons, valued at $S,oO9,O61; lead ore, 21 tonss valued at SIP; zinc ore, 42,257 tons. valued at $441,s47. Copper ex- ports showed an increase over the preceding fiscal year of $3,6O0,OOo. The differences in the values of the other items as compared with the previous year were insignificant"
 FOR CHILDREN THERE IS