1 86 Statistical Motes on 



In sugar, Mexico holds but an insignificant place in the American 

 importation, which showed an annual average, during the past five 

 years, of 3,827,799,481 pounds, Cuba furnishing 46.5 per cent, and 

 Hawaii 7.9 per cent. 



We could expand very largely our sugar production and supply this 

 country with almost all of that product, but as sugar is produced in 

 Louisiana and as Hawaii is likely to belong to the United States 

 the protective policy of this country will not allow us to supply the 

 United States with that commodity on a large scale. 



Mexico is sending on an average every year, 1,400,000 pounds of 

 wool to the United States. In 1892 she exported but 190 pounds. 



The United States takes, annually, an average of 50,493,000 pounds 

 of goat skins, of which Mexico furnishes 3,007,000, or 5.9 per cent. 

 Of other hides and skins the United States imports 167, 993,000 pounds, 

 Mexico's share being 4.3 per cent. 



The cattle trade of Mexico with the United States increased consid- 

 erably under the liberal provisions of the Wilson Bill, which taxed cattle 

 with 20 per cent, ad valorem. The following statement shows how 

 large the increase of that trade was under that bill : 



CATTLE EXPORTED TO THE UNITED STATES. 



Years. Number. Gold Value. 



1892 1,438 $ 7,740 



1893 2,597 16,376 



1894 1,469 n,857 



1895 148,431 720,864 



1896.. 216,913 1,481,954 



(Fiscal years ended June 3oth.) 



Mexico has been for at least two years the most important source 

 of supply to the United States for cattle purchased abroad, Canada 

 furnishing, in 1896, cattle to the value of but $18,902, and the United 

 Kingdom $6,684. The cattle trade is one in which American, as well as 

 Mexican capital is embarked, but it will be considerably diminished 

 if not completely destroyed under the highly protective tariff. 



COINAGE. 



In the chapter on Mining I gave a concise statement of the silver and 

 gold coined in Mexico from the time of its discovery by the Spaniards 

 to the fiscal year ended June 30, 1896, and it appears from the same 

 that the total coinage of silver amounted to $3,398,664,400. 



According to the report of the Director of the Mint (page 347) 

 on the " Production of Precious Metals in the United States during 



