People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1895 — A Silver Standard Country. [ARTICLE]

A Silver Standard Country.

Mexico has never been held in high esteem by the proud sons of thp greater republic lying to the north of it, and even now the gold bugs of the United States ridicule it as being a silver standard country. Whatever we may say of Mex ico, its commoil people are, in their way, more prosperous than are the common people of the greater republic. We do not claim that they are so far advanced, or that they have the luxuries we have, but they are not struggling with death-rate taxes; their homes are not weighted down with mortgages, and the sheriff is a terror only to evil doers; his pockets are not full of executions to take the property of the hapless debtor, for the hapless debtor is not there, he lives on this side of the Rio Grande and under the Stars and Stripes. The government is not running across the ocean to beg the Rothchilds to prop up its tottering treasury, and permit it to keep a little gold. We give below a portion of the annual message of Pres. Diaz, recently delivered to the Mexican congress. It would be weil to preserve it for comparison with that of the great fisherman to be delivered to our congress next December: In regard to the finance department, I am happy to say that the economic development that commenced about a year ago is maintained, there being a vigorous improvement in almost all branches of our national wealth, as well as in condition of the treasury. Both our exports and imports continue to increase at a remarkable rate, and the same can be said of the local trade of the country, as evidenced by figures of customs, collections and receipts. During the fiscal year to J une 30 last the Customs receipts amounted to over $20,000,000, and those of the stamp office to $15,500,000. The increase that

had been obtained in the first two months of the current fiscal vear in the two sources of revenue mentioned, induces the government to believe that the normal income on which the treasury can count will be suflicently ample to cover all requirements of expenditure of the budget for the year, in spite of the reduction of 50 per cent made in postal rates. The liquidation of the old debt in its entirety from the colonial regime to 1882, and of claims and credits subsequent to the latter; conversation of part of the public debt presented for collection and payment of balances, and. finally, reduction to a common basis of numerous classes of subvention bonds given to railway and other companies, are now all but completed and have produced results that constitute a most convincing proof of the excellent credit enjoyed by our national securities, owing to the unwavering and scrupulous determination of the republic to redeem its pecuniary obligations throughout the prolonged financial crisis, which, happily, seems now to be at an end. With the object of carrying into effect the operations of financial liquidation and conversion of the entire debt, even including a few claims that were not presented within the prescribed term, said term has been extended to the 31st of October next, in the assurance that by then the floating debt will be extinguished and all accounts that we have inherited from our predecessors will be closed. I earnestly recommend to the chamber of deputies a bill for the abolition of interstate dues throughout the republic. A reform is demanded by the agricultural industries, which need a wider field for their products and business men insist on greater freedom of action. This proposal, which affects the vital interests of the country, is certain to meet with a cordial reception at your hands, especially in view of unusually prosperous circumstances of the Republic at the present moment for effecting so important a reform.—Progressive Farmer.