Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1897 — MEXICO A GOOD MART. [ARTICLE]

MEXICO A GOOD MART.

OUR SISTER REPUBLIC BUYS MOSTLY OF US. The United States Monopolizes 75 Per Cent of Mexican Trade—Cotton Goods and Steel Rails—A Little Good Advice for Canadians. Mexico Wants Onr Goads. From Washington comes the information that ourHrade relations with Mexico are reported by the bureau of American republics to have been better during the year 1896 than at any other time. The most notable feature is the fact that this country monopolizes Mexican trade to the extent of 75 per cent of all exportations, England coming next with 16 per cent. The imports from the United States, which in 1895 were but 45 per cent of the entire Mexican trade, have advanced to 52% per cent, representing in money $8,262,000. During the year of 1896 Mexico imported from the United States $45,176,358 worth of merchandise. Part of this was material for public works, but much is represented by luxuries, such as carriages, jewelry, fancy goods, liquors and fancy groceries. The consumption of cotton cloth is also reported to be greatly on the increase. The home factories have been running full blast and during the past year have turned out 260,000,000 yards; but this was insufficient and there was imported in addition 60,000,000 yards. A vast amount of American steel rails have been sent to Mexico. According to the figures collected by Director Smith of the bureau of American republics, fails to the amount of $1,064,000 were imported. The total increase of imports of iron amounted to $1,965,582, or 70 per cent more than the previous year.

Gives Advice to Canadians. Lord Aberdeen, Governor General of Canada, was banqueted at the National Club in Toronto by a representative company. The speech of the evening was delivered by Edward Blake, member of the British House of Commons. Mr. Blake replied to the toast of “Canada and the Empire.” He spoke of the advantages of cultivating imperial trade. Concerning Canada’s relations with the United States he urged that the true interests of both countries would be best served by largely extended trade relations. “We must be either friends or foes,” he said, “and it is in the highest interest of Canada and of the empire that we should be friends.” On the question of defense, admitting the horrible supposition of war between England and the States, he pointed out that it would be for England mainly a naval war, while Canada would have to stand the brunt of the attack; and looking at the resources of the United States he feared Canadian valor would not prevent a hostile military occupation.

New Grand Army Colony. Gen. Faul Van dor Voort, at one time grand commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and one of the promoters of the Grand Army of the Republic colony in Texas, writes to Galveston from Demings Bridge, Tex., that he hns closed a deal with John E. and “Shanghai” Pierce, the cattle kings, for land for a colony, and at least 1,000 colonists will move in soon after the beginning of the new year. The undertaking is fashioned after that at Fitzgerald, Ga.