The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-11
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REVIVED INDUSTRY
IS SEEN IN MEXICO
- -
Conditions Sound at Bottom,
but More Stability Is
Needed.
INVESTORS AT CAPITAL
Great Influx of Foreigners
Gives Prospect Of Speedy
Development.
INVESTORS AT CAPITAL

THAT Mexico Is on the eve Of an In
Aus,rial revival, and that the country is
IN the position of business that has
hsen rlsmanaged but which Is fuhda-
mentally sound are statements made by
the Guaranty Trust Company OF New
York in a message to American business
mon now being distributed in pamphlet
Sorm. This booklet. entitled Trading
with Mexico To-day" sets forth in detail
the commercial conditions existing In
Mexico to-day as collated on the spot
nv their own trained observer.
Exhaustive data concerning the posi-
ble markets for all classes of merchan-
disc are contained in this booklet. which
q should be to the advantage of all
American exporters to read. Humboldt.
according to the author. was fully justi-
fad in calling Mexico "the greatest
treasure house In the world" 1t Is
polnted out in substantiation that her
soil is capable of producing all tho cereal
crops and 80 per cent Of the known
fruits of the world. that her vast tracts
of timber include many varieties of
hardwoods and dyewoods. that her sub
stratum contains every known mineral
and that her great petroleum fields pro-
duced in 1918 more than 100000 bar
rels Of oil.
In a trip made during April and May,
1919. from the Texas border to Vera
Cruz to ascertain general business con-
ditions, an Investigator found in Mex
leo City and in other points, great
many Indications that Mexico--provid-
ed there is no really serious political
dsturbance-is on the eve of an indus
trial revival.
Influx of Foreigners.
Among the visitors to the capital at
that time were manufacturers, bankers
and engineers from the United States
and Canada, from nearly all the coun-
tries Of Europe, and from Japan. seek
ing orders and opportunities for invest
ment. There were delegations from New
York. Philadelphia, Chicago, San An
tonic and Dallas. There was a party
from Oklahoma interested In oil prop
critics, and among the Japanese groups
was one interested in the newly dis
covered oil deposits in the Gulf of
California and another studying the iron
ore deposits in the States Of Durango and
colima. Then there were mining engi-
neers from San Francisco and a group
Of Norwegian capitalists from Chris
tlania.
AS a result of the recent tour OF a
large party OF Mississippi Valley busi-
ness men throughout Mexico. the Chi
cago Association of Commerce has
opened an office in Mexico City, and the
American Chamber of Commerce of
Mexico has formed a New York
auxiliary.
In 1918, after nearly nine years OF
revolution and with the railroad system
badly dilapidated. with rebel activities
necessitating the carrying of armed
guards on all trains. and with thousands
OF cars and locomotives in the repair
shops. Mexico was still able to export
products to the value Of s183,s52.125
american money!. of which the United
States share was $175,0S7,150. Imports
into Mexico were ss2.2s5.017 (American
money!. Of which s70.576.314 came from
the United States.
The American farmer depends chiefly
on the Mexican henequen (sisaD fbre
for his binding Irvine, and the exports
from Yucatan to the United States Of
this fibre In 1918 were valued at more
than sS0,00o,00o.
Chance for Tropical Products.
For rubber. coffee and other tropical
products Mexico is a very important
source OF supply to the United States.
out that business is only fraction OF
what 1t might be. There are vast ranges
suitable for cattle and sheep. Mexico
ought to export wheat and corn instead
Of importing them. 1t has more land
suitable for sugar cane than Cuba, but
ITS production Of sugar has fallen to less
than 100000 tons annually. while Cuba s
production has risen to 5000, 900 tons
year.
Mexico is in the position OF a business
That has been mismanaged but is funda-
mentally sound. An expressive indiSa-
uon OF the economic vitality and rSBil-
iency of Mexico is afforded by the fact
mat last year, in face of the ruin and
prostratlon wrought by the revolution.
her total revenues were greater than in
any other similar period in her history.
The transportation of commodities on
the railways under Government control
IN Mexico S,116 miles, or about half
me total mileage OF the country fur
nishes good indication Of the condi-
tons.
For the year ended June 30, 1918,
tnese Government operated lines carried
tOSsO6 metric tons of forestry products,
i'23I44l metric tons of agricultural
products, 216,443 metric tons of animals
ana animal products, 1.953,105 metric
IONS OF inorganic products, such, as coal
and coke, lime, cement minerals, petro-
leum, &C., and 572,475 metric tons OF