184 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[January 1, 1914. 



HOW IT LOOKS TO AN AMERICAN IN MEXICO. 



(The letter (iriiited below comes from an American n'lto has 

 been a resident of Mexico for twenty-Ave years and is familiar 

 -Mth all phases of the Mexican situation.) 



I AM not afraid of the future of rubber growing in Me.xico. As 

 to prices — at low figures the Amazons cannot compete. Also 

 when the British growers, with their capacity for organization 

 and the capital back of them, get through dumping their present 

 large surplus into the market, prices will take on a different 

 aspect — perhaps not very high prices, but profitable ones. We 

 can afford to wait a while. If there is no market for Castilloa — 

 well and good; then it's Para, and so much the better. 



Now about Mexico. If there is any one thing the average 

 decent Anglo-Sa.xon likes, it is fair play — a good sporting sense 

 of a square deal all around and no grudge if knocked out. Isn't 

 that so? Now, then, what do we see? Those of us foreigners 

 who have lived here in Mexico for anywhere from ten to twenty- 

 five years are keenly alive to what we consider defects of char- 

 acter in the individual, and also in society and in the Mexican 

 Government. There are certain elements pretty general all over 

 Spanisii America which we are far from sympathizing with, yet 

 there is so much to be said on the other hand that life has been 

 pleasant in these countries. They are an impulsive, generous, 

 kind hearted people — passionate it is true, but just as passionate 

 in their demonstrations of friendship as of the reverse ; not as 

 well balanced as we of colder blood, but who is to judge of these 

 racial differences and be sure that it is a just judgment? 



I return to my query — now what do we see? Three years of 

 revolution — cruel internecine troubles because of which foreigners 

 have in many cases suffered much in their possessions. And a 

 few lives have been lost^not many among foreigners — least of 

 all among Americans; nevertheless some. During all this time 

 what did the government of the United States do? Nothing 

 worthy of the name — either in behalf of its own citizens or for 

 those of other nationalities, whom, under the Monroe doctrine — 

 an infamous doctrine in the light of modern conditions — it was 

 morally bound to protect. We did not exactly want interven- 

 tion, i. e.. an armed invasion : but we did look for a far different 

 policy from the United States than that carried out during the 

 three years in question. We at many times during this period — 

 when suffering loss, anxiety, and actual attack or assault by ban- 

 dits or bands of revolutionists — felt bitter enough against Mexico 

 and things Mexican, bitter enough, I repeat, to suit the ideas of 

 the most ardent Jingo. Yet at this juncture, how do you account 

 fur the feeling of 95 per cent, of all the Americans and 100 per 

 cent, of all other foreigners in Mexico at this time — that General 

 Huerta is right and the United States wrong? Answer that if 

 you can. You in the States can't, and I can — that's the difference. 

 We know the facts, and you don't. 



It is a very long story, and I can't go into it at this writing. 

 Briefly summarized it is something like this : Madero stood for 

 constitutional government and made a monstrous failure. He 

 surrounded himself with iniquitous persons and millions of money 

 ran out of the national treasury like water, with no account of 

 where it went. He refused to resign, declared if deposed he would 

 retire to the Southern Sierras and stir up a greater revolution 

 than ever. He was assassinated — that's the word. By whom and 

 at whose instance, individually or collectively, has never been 

 disclosed — but it makes no difference in the main as affecting 

 things as they are (not what they ought to be — that's another 

 story). The result was General Huerta's ascent to power, as 

 Provisional President under the law and constitution of Mexico — 

 despite the United States' failure to recognize him. Had the 

 United States recognized him long ago, peace would have been 

 established just that much sooner, and there would have been a 

 chance for a successful fair election. These are the impregnable 

 facts, and every intelligent foreigner realizes them. 



\Ve all think Gamboa wrote the only reply he could have 

 written and maintain any shred of national dignity. Now here is 

 another feature that disgusts every foreigner resident in the coun- 

 try, and Americans almost to a man. During the three years 

 nothing has been done in defense of foreigners by the United 

 States. Our complaints were treated, to all appearances at least, 

 so far as any material evidence was concerned, with indifference. 

 Intervention too costly a thing to think of ! Neither government 

 nor people of the United States — so much taken up with their own 

 money making — and that's the truth — gave a rap for us. 



Well, we were pretty sick of the vaunted power of the United 

 States, which neither protected its citizens nor did its duty by 

 other foreigners under the obligation of that detestable "doc- 

 trine" so much discussed of late. Suddenly, when things are 

 enormously improved under Huerta's military management of 

 affairs, a queer "Envoy" idea is incubated and he comes to 

 Mexico to tell Huerta to get out and to arrange an impossible 

 armistice with brigands and rebels (Think of it!); to hold a 

 free election — also to tell Americans to leave the country in a 

 third-class passage, or pay their own way. Doubtless many poor 

 devils have been glad to accept his advice. What they are 

 going to do for a living when they get to the States perhaps 

 President Wilson can tell them— I can't. Outside of Chihuahua, 

 Sonora and thereabouts, practically no Americans are leaving. It 

 is not easy to throw up a $3(X) job, or carry off in your pocket a 

 railway, a mine, a plantation or any other possession worth hold- 

 ing on to — not to mention a paying commercial business. It's 

 silly — that's all there is to it. 



Let us hope it will all come out well in the end. Yet I can 

 tell you, as against the opinions of a Cabinet Officer and a lot 

 of Congressmen and Senators whose opinions about Mexico I 

 have absolutely no respect for, that the overwhelming opinion 

 of Americans in Mexico is all for Huerta and that Gamboa's 

 reply was correct. Simply fair play — a decent sporting sense 

 of give and take, and no rubbing it in with bribes of promises 

 to ask American bankers to supply money for Mexico. Briefly 

 then, during all the past three years we have been neglected by 

 our government. The United States did not give a copper for us 

 or our interests. Now, when the United States national dignity 

 feels hurt at a very clear and correct reply to certain overtures, 

 there is a great uproar. Well, it savors of a certain kind of self- 

 ishness and we here in Mexico don't like it. Merely fair play is 

 all we ask. 



INDIA-RUBBER GOODS IN COMMERCE. 



EXPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES. 



OFMCIAL statement of values of exports of manufactures 

 of india-rubber and gutta-percha from the United States 

 for the month of September, 1913, and for the first nine months 

 of five calendar years: 



Belting, Boots All 



Months. Packing and Other Total. 



and Hose. Shoes. Rubber. 



September, 1913 $211,342 $126,903 $680,400 $1,018,645 



January-August 1,680,443 856,050 5,865,815 8,402,308 



Total, 1913 $1,891,785 $982,953 $6,546,215 $9,420,953 



Total, 1912 1,888.433 1,014,688 6,016,371 8.919,492 



Total, 1911 1,701.441 1,349,380 5,402.984 8,453,805 



Total, 1910 1,592,594 1,664,215 4,258,968 7,515,777 



Total, 1909 1,301,497 1,127,806 3,059,146 5,488,449 



The above heading, "All Other Rubber," for the month of Sep- 

 tember, 1913, and the first nine months of the three calendar 

 years, includes the following details relating to tires : 



For All 



Months. Automobiles. Other. Total. 



September, 1913 $321,815 $42,153 $363,968 



January-August 2,922,200 387,515 3,309,715 



Total, 1913 $3,244,015 $429,668 $3,673,683 



Total, 1912 2,533.635 443,443 2,977,078 



Total, 1911 1,941,773 437,201 2,378,974 



