138 Statistical Iftotes on 



of wealth, upon them lies the whole burden of such expenses ; that is, 

 we are a nation of from twelve to fifteen millions of inhabitants, with 

 a very large territory and a large coast on both oceans, requiring army, 

 revenue, light-house, and police service, and other expensive institu- 

 tions proportionate to such extent and population, when the portion 

 which contribute to such expenses is only about one-fourth or one-third 

 of the same. 



It is a very difficult task to give a complete and correct statement 

 of the revenues and expenses of the Mexican Government prior to the 

 year 1867. The disturbed condition of the country made it often 

 quite impossible to keep any account at all : such was the case especially 

 from 1858 to 1860, as during that period the City of Mexico and a 

 large part of the country was occupied by the Church party under 

 Miramon, and from 1863 to 1867 by the French Intervention. Be- 

 sides that cause it was a very difficult matter for us to keep a correct 

 account of public receipts and expenses, in some way for lack of a good 

 system of book-keeping. To make a statement of the revenues and 

 expenses of the Mexican Government since the independence of the 

 country from Spain, I had to rely upon the reports made by Secretaries 

 of the Treasury, which are, however, lacking for many years, and which 

 contain rather an estimate than an account of the revenues and ex- 

 penses, and I have made in that way the statement which I append 

 under No. i, which embraces the revenues and expenses from the year 

 1808, the last of the Spanish rule in Mexico, to the year 1867. 



The forming of accounts was under the charge of the Federal 

 Treasury of Mexico, and the Treasury kept its accounts with a very 

 defective system of book-keeping, which prevented them from being 

 correct. To remedy that difficulty, after the restoration of the Repub- 

 lic in 1867, a bureau of accounts was established in the Treasury De- 

 partment, but its accounts were seldom correct, because it did not 

 have the necessary detailed data to make a complete account, and, as 

 could be expected, the results in the accounts of both bureaus differ 

 widely. 



In 1880 the Federal Treasury was reorganized with a large number 

 of clerks with a view to keep a full and correct account of public 

 moneys, and from that year until 1888 their accounts began to be 

 better than before. In 1888 the system was still remodelled and im- 

 proved, and since then that office has been able to keep correct and 

 complete accounts of our public revenues and expenses. 



I also append a statement No. 2 of the revenues and expenses 

 of the Mexican Treasury from July i, 1867, to June 30, 1888. The 

 first thirteen years in that statement are taken from the data furnished 

 by the Bureau of Accounts of our Treasury Department. The account 

 of the year 1879-1880 was taken from the account of the Federal 



