298 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



try, is numerically the greatest, and comprises the great producers ; 

 and because the great producers, the great consumers and tax-pay- 

 ers for all taxes ultimately fall upon consumption and so are the 

 ones most interested in the promotion and maintenance of good gov- 

 ernment. A tax policy, however, which would compel the land-owners 

 to cut up and sell their immense holdings, especially if they are un- 

 willing to develop them, would be the first step toward the creation 

 of such a middle class. But it is not unlikely that Mexico would have 

 to go through one more revolution, and that the worst one she has yet 

 experienced, before any such result could be accomplished. At pres- 

 ent, furthermore, there is no evidence that the mass of the Mexican 

 people, who would be most benefited by any wise scheme for the parti- 

 tion of the great estates and for tax reform, feel any interest whatever 

 in the matter, or would vigorously support any leader of the upper 

 class that might desire to take the initiative in promoting such changes. 

 And herein is the greatest discouragement to every one who wishes 

 well for the country. 



The Federal budget, in respect to expenditures for the fiscal year 

 1886-'87, as reported by President Diaz to the Mexican Chamber of 

 Deputies, was as follows : 



Congress $1 ,052,144 



Executive Department 49,251 



Judiciary 434,892 



Ministry of Foreign Affairs 419,828 



Ministry of Interior 3,539,364 



Ministry of Justice 1,333,696 



Ministry of Public Works 4,71 1,771 



Ministry of Finance 12,004,270 



Ministry of "War and Navy 12,464,500 



Total $36,009,716 



The estimates of receipts were uncertain. It was hoped, if busi- 

 ness recovered, that they would reach 833,000,000 ; and the Govern- 

 ment promised to try and restrict the national expenditures to this 

 amount. 



As for the sources of national revenue, the customs are understood 

 to yield about one half ; taxes on sales and stamps, some 85,000,000 ; 

 post-oifices and telegraph lines, 8650,000 ; lotteries, 8800,000 ; while 

 the receipts from taxes levied by the States (mainly on sales also) 

 amount to from 88,000,000 to 810,000,000, or about one half the 

 receipts from customs. 



In respect to the foreign commerce of Mexico, a report on the 

 " Commercial Relations of the United States," issued by the United 

 States Department of State in 1883, says : " Owing to the system, or, 

 rather, to the lack of system, in regard to the collection and publica- 

 tion of customs returns by the national Government, it is impossible 

 for our consuls in Mexico to supply any trustworthy statistics concern- 



