Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-07-01
BACKGROUND OF MEXICAN ORA

BACKGROUND OF MEXICAN ORA
Mexico is an unknown land to many
persons who have, nevertheless, alb
sorbed it's recent exciting history as
If it were a movie play. But so far
only the pilot" has attracted atten-
ton; correct information about the
scenery" and the atmosphere" of
the thrilling drama which may lead
this nation into war has been gener-
ally overlooked.
Therefore it is news to most per-
sons that the total available morgan
lied military force of Mexico is reck-
oned by military experts to be close
to 100000. Statsticians make the
estimate by taking certain percent
age of he total population. But army
experts state hat in any such calcula-
ton, only so to rs per cent of the
"availabes" are "effectives."
The total of the various "armies"
belonging to the republic south of the
Rio Grande is difficult to estimate.
According to the latest figures CON-
piled, the war strength" consisting
of "peace strength and reserves, "
amounts to 86,742. What has been
done to increase this number in the
last half year has probably brought
the total number of the men having
some military training to over 1885,
900.
Mexico does not pretend to support
a navy. Her fleet" at last accounts,
was composed of two third-lass cruis-
ers and five gunboats, and five tor
pedo boats.
The are of Mexico is 1855 square
miles, or between two and three
times that of our largest state, Texas.
The agricultural sections belong to
the mos fertile on the globe, and the
climate is such that in parts where
irrigation is practiced, two crops can
be raised in a season.
1t is for it's gold and silver pro-
.duction that Mexico excites attention
among the naions The country is a
treasury of precious ores. 1t is said
to have produced almost one-half Of
the worlds silver in the last 400
years. Sonora, Chihuahua, and Du-
range, names which appear so often
in news columns, re the richest of
the ore7bearing states. In spite of her
marvellous natural resources, Mexi-
cos credit has for some time been in
a chaotic condition. The country car
ries a national debt of over $255,O00,-
900. While her revenue for 1914 was
$64,544,000, her expenditures were
$7O,296,0OO. Her exports Q913) were
valued at $15O,2O2,SOS, and her i'm
ports at 1885, 1863.
Economists say that these fgurN;
would be enormously changed to the
great advantage of the country if the
government were organized in a way
to promote her agricultural and III.
dustrial activities.
Mexico has something over 10000
miles of railroads, but cheap fuel IS
the country's most serious need. Her
petroleum output, however, ranks next
to that Of the United Staes and Rus
STA, blu recent Controversies over the
concessions to American and British
capitalists have prevented it's use for
the general development of other re-
sources.
According to the census of 1870, 10
per cent of the population were pure
white, 43 per cent of mixed bloods,
and 80 per cent were Indians.
The republic of Mexico consists of
q states, two territories and one fed
eral district. The state governments
are like the federal--divided into
three parts, the executive, legislative,
and judicial. Governors and legsla-
tors are supposed to be elected by
the people, and the judiciary is ap-
pointed.