Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 61, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 March 1920 — MEXICO NEEDS SMALL COINS [ARTICLE]

MEXICO NEEDS SMALL COINS

Money Changers Make Profits Because Mints Cannot Meet the Demand. MUST MAKE YOUR OWN CHANGE Almost Impossible to Buy Merchandise In Small Quantities Unless You Have Exact Change—Taxicab System Is Well Regulated. I II — San Antonio, Tex.—Money, taxicabs, flowers, fruits, dirt and trade embargoes—these are certain to attract the attention of travelers from the United States in Mexico. Mexico is now on a wholly metallic basis, so far as money is concerned. This condition has been forced through a long series of worthless issues of paper money by various revolutionary factions prior to the inauguration es Carranza as president There is an abundance of native gold and silver out of which to coin money. All coins above 10-centavp pieces are

of silver or gold. Inability of mints to meet the demand has created a shortage of change. This shortage has been taken advantage of by money changers all over the republic. It is almost impossible to buy merchandise in large or small quantities unless you are able to make your own change. From 2to 5 per cent is commonly charged by money changers for converting 10 or 20 peso pieces Into silver of small denominations. This shortage was made more acute about two years ago through the’'withdrawal from circulation of the old Mexican silver peso. This was caused by the advance in the price of silver, which made the peso worth approximately 50 per cent more than its face value as bullion. The new Mexican silver coins do not contain as high a percentage of silver as these old peso pieces. It is hard to conceive of a cigar store refusing to sell one cigar because one has not the exact change, but that Is the case all over Mexico. One also encounters difficulty in buying food while traveling, for the reason that food merchants at the stations are unable to make change readily. Often a meal may cost $2 because of this scarcity of change. . We in the states might learn something from the well-regulated taxicab system of Mexico City. I arrived in the capital at 3a. m. My baggage was carried to a taxicab by a licensed and numbered cargadore. These cargadores insist upon showing travelers their numbers, in compliance with the law, and it is wise for any stranger traveling in Mexico to note the number carefully. Most of the cargadores, however, can be relied upon to handle your baggage with care and perfect safety. Once your baggage Is deposited in a taxicab, a policeman is on hand to note the chauffeur’s license, the number of passengers and destination. The policeman gives the passenger a slip with these facts recorded, which should be retained in case the service is found to be faulty., Taxicab rates are plainly posted in the cars.

Fruita and Flowers Plentiful. Along the route to Mexico City I found the towns dirty, but the flower and fruit stands sumptuously stocked. Prices for fruit and flowers are so ri. dlculously low in comparison with prices in the states that one is tempted to lay in a ridiculous oversupply. One can buy a bouquet of. roses as big around as a bushel basket for 60 cents American money. I found considerable dissatisfaction throughout Mexico with the embargo against Mexican citrus fruit. Large quantities of oranges, limes and lemons are raised in Mexico. The quality of„ this fruit is excellent The excuse for the embargo Is that the germ of a blight that is fatal to citrus fruits might be brought into the United States if markets were opened to the Mexicans. lam told, however, on reliable authority, that this danger Is more Imaginary than real. I found strong sentiment everywhere for the lifting of the embargo and a Similar embargo against cotton. ,