Omaha daily bee., 1914-04-28
Investments in Mexico
Americans Own More
Than the Natives.

report recently issued by American Consul
Letcher at Chihuahua placed the value OF American
owned property in Mexico at so57OO0oDo while that
owned by MeNieans Themselves is valued t7s Ooc00
Property owned by British subjects who rank sec
ond 70 Americans in Mexican holdings 1921 10000
The British holdings estimated far higher by the
south American Journal. which put the British In
vestments in Mexico December 81, 1913 at
S7s05SOcO.
The figures given in Consul Letcher's report are
based on tables prepared by william H. searnon a
mining engineer formerly OF Chihuahua, who
piled his estimates from government and reports
directories La Mexique. the Mexican Yearbook
and all the most reliable available It is con.
sdered the most nearly accurate estimate for 1912.
and foreign holdings hardly likely to have in
creased In the troublous times since then
The Mexican government controls some Of the
railroads. and on these lines the government holds
some 5Oh Of the stock OF the securities of
privately owned lines American capital holds by far
the largest amount with the English coming second
Investments in oil have been Increasingly large
since the revolutions began. perhaps because Tampico
and Tuxpam the principal oil districts. near the
coast and until recently we're fairly safe on &C.
count Of the proximity OF American warshps DR..
James Douglas, who is OF the highest mining
authorities in the United States and knows more
about the mining situation in Mexico than probably
anyone else estimates that altogether about LOO or
LOO mines under foreign control of which Amer-
cans control 81 per Mexico leads the world in
the production Of silver only to the United
States in copper, and fifth in gold and lead
Americans are said to hold In their hands about
three-fourths Of the Mexican copper output and al
most all of the lead
General Scott Refused Dictatorship.
t. When General Scott raised the Star and Stripes
over the halls Of the Montezumas in ls4 number Of
citizens OF wealth and prominence offered to back him
up II he would consent to remain and the
try. They wished for peace and security for life and
property and the American commander considered
the master hand for both Practically It an offer
of the Mexican dictatorship. The incident as told by
General Scott back in 1853. concerned five Mexican
citizens who made the offer privately supplernenng
the offer with bonus of Sl0Oo0oo which was to be
placed TO the generals credit in New or London
banks They supposed" said General Scott ~ they
| could obtain my service could retain 1900 to
iSooo men whose terms of enlistment about to
! expire and that could easily obtain 10000 men
| from home. The hope that II would Immediately
cause annexation. They offered me 100000 as q
bonus with a salary OF S25oCOO per annum. and five
responsible individuals to become security. They ex-
pected that annexation would be brought about in a
few years II not that could organize the finances
and straishten out the complex affairs Of that
ernment.
ut was understood that nearly a majority of con-
gress was in favor Of annexation and that II was
only necessary to publish pronunciamento secure
the object We possessed all the fortresses all
arms of the country, their cannon foundries and
powder manufactures and had possession OF their
ports OF entry, and might easily have held them in
our possession n this arrangement had gone into
effect published pronunciamento would have
brought congress right to and with These
1900 Americans holding the fortresses of the country
all Mexico could not have disturbed We might
have been there this day II 1t been necessary
IT loved my distant home. I not in favor OF
! the annexation of Mexico to my country. Mexico
has about 100000 Inhabitants and out OF these eight
millions there not more than 100000 who OF
pure European blood. The Indians and mixed races
constitute about 100000 They are exceedingly in
ferior to our AS a lover Of my country was
| opposed TO mixing up that race with our own. This
the first objection my part to this proposition
May plead little love of home. which gave
me the preference for the soil of my country and
its institutional / back to die under those in
stitutions and here I am