112 MEXICO - MISCElrlvANEOUS 



2. Population. — According to the latest census (1910) the population 

 of the Mexican Republic had risen to 15,160,369, or to 7 or 6 inhabitants 

 per square km. It is, thus, the most densely populated of all the Latin- 

 American republics; in 1910 it had only 13,607,259 inhabitants; in the 

 following ten years therefore the population increased by 1,553,110, thus 

 by II. 4 %. In 1910-11 79,484 emigrants entered the country. 



Approximatel)^ 20 % of the people are of the white race, 43 % are 

 half castes and 37 ",1, Indians. When Mexico was only a colony, the white 

 race was a privileged class, but since it has been a republic, there is com- 

 plete equality for all, whites, half castes and Indians. Yet, from the 

 social point of view, the ruling class are the whites and half breeds, the 

 middle classes consist of the same with a small admixture of Indians 

 and the lowest class chiefly consists of half breeds and Indians. The latter, 

 though possessing excellent qualities, have not progressed in civilisation, 

 partly from want of instruction, and partly from their drinking habits. 



3. The Bases of tlie National Economy : Mines and Agriculture. — 

 We have already spoken of the great mineral wealth of the country, which, 

 however, is not so great as that to be obtained by agriculture. 



We shall see farther on that agriculture is as 5'et in an undeveloped con- 

 dition, in comparison with vvhat it should be. Notwithstanding this, the 

 annual production is from 350 to 400 millions of pesos (i) . The Mexican 

 sub-soil contains the greatest varieties of minerals. A few figures will give 

 an idea of its treasures. 



In 1910, there were in the whole territory 31,155 mines; of these 1,871 

 were of gold ; 5,968 of silver; 9,425 of both gold and silver, 3,213 of gold, 

 silver and copper ; i ,874 of silver and copper. 



Mexico is, par excellence the land of silver ; it is, as Humboldt said, " a 

 silver slab which the Creator let fall on our globe". It has been calculated 

 that the yield of silver, from its first extraction up to 1910, was about 

 150 ,000,0:. o kgs. In 1911-12 the amount was valued at 89,664,665 pesos. 

 Since the enormous fall in value of this metal in 1894, year bj^ year the 

 output of gold has increased through the employment of modern methods, 

 such as hydro-electric machinery etc. In 1911-12 the value of the gold 

 produced was 48,686,965 pesos. 



In 191 1-12 the total mineral production of Mexico was valued at 

 209,781,343 pesos. 



The state of Hidalgo with the famous mines of Pachuca and Real 

 del Monte takes the first place as a silver producer. Durango possesses 

 the celebrated sih"er mines of San Dimas, El Pilar etc.... Chilurahua has 

 always been considered the State richest in mineral wealth. 



For gold, the most important vStates are Sonora, Lower California, and 

 Guerrero. The most important gold mines are those of Dos Estrellas and 

 Bolero. 



(i) The legal value of the Mexican peso, smcaihe. monetary reform of 1905, is frs. 2.58. 

 During the second half of 1913, its value fell to fr. 1.80, in consequence of the disturbed 

 state of the country. 



