ECONOMIC CONDITION OF MEXICO. 



171 



succeed except under specially favourable circumstances. Even in the provinces 

 where the soil is already appropriated, European settlers, expecting a relatively 

 high rate of wages, could never attempt to compete with the pure or half-caste 

 Indians who are satisfied with the lowest pay, and who, often crushed under the 

 burden of their debts, have to work almost gratuitously as veritable serfs. The 

 Mexican territory, already divided into great landed estates, has scarcely any 

 room for small holders, the very class which elsewhere supplies the bulk of the 

 colonists. Hence, with rare exceptions, such as that of the French settlement in 

 Jicaltepec, the various attempts, made either by the government or by private 

 persons, to colonise the country by Italians or other foreign labourers have failed, 



Fig. 71. — Density of thk Popxjlatiox ix Mexico. 

 Scale 1 : 30,030,000. 



Inhabitants to the Square IMile. 



□ 

 to 10. 



10 to 20. 

 O Fedenl district, 780 to the square mile. 



40. 40 to fiO 



and upwards. 



o Towns of ever 50,000 inhabitants. 



620 Miles. 



and the settlers have, after a time, all been dispersed, leaving the ground to the 

 natives. In 1888 the twenty " colonies " in the republic had a collective popula- 

 tion of only 6,319, and of these 1,411 were Mexicans. Recently an American 

 company has been formed to introdvice negro settlers into the southern provinces, 

 while in another direction certain Chinese speculators propose to found colonies of 

 their fellow-countrymen. But if agricultural interests fail to attract many immi- 

 grants, foreigners are drawn to Mexico in yearly increasing numbers by the 

 inducements of trade and the industries. The construction of railways, telegraphs, 

 and factories of all kinds has brought thousands of mechanics, engineers, and other 



