The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-12-24
Dr.. Victor A. Rendon Before the
Commercial Congress
=rem Thursdays Daily.

-rm 'hursoay's Daily.
Charleston s. c., December To-
American cooperation In Mexico's
reconstruction was urged upon the
members OF the Southern Commercial
congress here today by DR.. Victor A
Rendon OF Yucatan, who said the pco-
pie Of Mexico desire the help OF the
American people IN rsconstructins
the country and restoring the pros
perity which IT'S yart resources entitlc
Il to enjoy" DR. Rendon Is general at
tCrnsy for the commission appointed
by the government Cf Yucatan to reg
ulate the sisal hemp market OF that
state, where three fourths OF the en-
tire population are engaged directly
or indirectly In the sisal hemp In
dustry. The commissions main object
has been to break up the monopoly oI
the henequen, or sisal hemp. marke;
which Dr.. Rendon said had been in
existence for the past twelve years In
the interest of the International
Harvester company aud the Plymouth
Cordage company OF Massachusetts
and which he declared had restrained
the people OF Yucatan from enjoying
economic independence.
The Southern Bankers.
II was through capital from south
ern bankers and business men that
the government commission in Yucca
tan had been able to fight the monop-
oily. and aside from thanking south
erners for their assistance, DR.. Rem
don said that this aid was a concrete
illustration Of the way in which the
American people could help Mexico
now that the revolution was happily
nearing a Triumphant termination"
Some of those whose exploitation
Of Mexico has been carried on at the
expense OF the poor people," he said
"our American corporations, but,
am pleased TO say they are few com
pared with the thouSands CT your
COuntrymen who have come amongst
us with the purpose to devote them
selves to the earning Of an honest
livelihood. These latter have been
welcomed by Mexico.
In Mexico we find that those for
eigners whose explorations are Diet
rimcntal TO the common welfare Of
the nation are, usually, guilty of like
practices In their own countries We
find. too, that frequently they have
had to deal with an outraged public
sentiment In their native lands, and
that laws had been enacted TO curt
their Objectionable activities"
Situation in Yucatan.
As TO the situation in Yucatan, DR.
Rendon said many of the farmers
were bound hand and foot to the
agents of the International Harvester
company and the Plymouth Cordage
company by virtue. OF mortgages
which had been given on their crops
TO secure loans bearing 10 per cent
interest, sometimes more" II was In
view OF these conditions that the
heneQuen growers had agreed to sell
their product through the regulating
commission that Lad been created by
the Legislature Tor safeguarding their
interests. DR.. Rendon was one OF those
sent to the United States to establish
Independent markets for the Yucatan
product, and on the day that formal
recognition was accorded to the pres =
ent government in Mexico. he secured
the signatures OF New Orleans bank
ers to a loan contract providing for
the advancement of maximum OF
$l0.000,000 to the sisal hemp COM
mission OH warehouse receipts COW
ering the product stored at New Or
leans or other United States ports
Through this arrangement an indie
pendent line of steamers was now in
operation between New Orleans and
Yucatan and. he sad, we are now
selling henequen at one price TO all
thus putting the independent twine
manufacturers of the Ulited States
on an equal footing with the big cor
porations which heretofore were In
control of the market
The speaker pointed out that the
commission was not stock company
and could neither declare nor pa
dividend. 1T is simply state insti-
tuition created Dy the legislature fol
the sole purpose of protecting the
agricultural interests OF our state. In
conclusion, let me say that hope that
what ! have said will stimulate the
spirit of cordial cooperation between
the people of the United States ana
those OF her nCighboring countries"
From THURSDAYS CaI,v.
BY the federal census bulletin of the
manufacturing industries of SILVIA
ter, marked dropping off in indus
tries of that city, is noticeable, and In
comparison, Mankato's record shows
up very favorably indeed. The report
covers period of five years, from
1909 to 1914. In that length of tim.
the number of manufacturing estab-