Material Mexico [pp. 319-329]

MA TERIAL MEXICO.
cially the mining, of the country. Herdsmen received five dollars
per month and agricultural laborers seven pence per day. Wages
have slightly risen since then, but, unfortunately, so have the
prices of food and clothing. M(exico as It Was and Is, by Brantz
Mayer, was written in I84I-2 by the secretary of the American
Legation. lie sought especially to collect data from authentic
sources upon commerce, agriculture, manufactures, coinage,
mines, church and general government. He is obliged to
add: "In many instances J have only been enabled to present
estimates." Two recent writers, Thomas A. Janvier* and David
A. Wells,t have been similarly engaged. They have produced
useful but differing compilations. In many instances they have
been able only to present estimates. During our stay in the City
of Mexico we examined all the book-stores and endeavored to
enlist the interest of kind friends there for the procurement of
statistical publications upon material Mexico. The result was two
books-one, Atlas Metodico, by Antonio Garcia Cubas, from the
title-page of which it is apparent that there is a Geographical and
Statistical Society; but this atlas contains only local geographical information and maps, with two pages of questions for teachers and students. The other book was Annuario Universal, editor Philomena Mata, and the issue for I886 was the eighth annual
publication. It is a well-printed duodecimo, two columns to the
page, a thousand pages solid nonpareil; and the total of the statistics in it occupies less than four pages. The custom-house
claims the rest.
Partly from observation and partly out of authorities selected
from various groups-in an effort to keep clear of partisans against
Mexico-and with the understanding that in statistics estimates
must be employed often in lieu of ascertained facts, I venture to
offer some brief considerations.
" For the commission was to be extended no farther than barter and obtaining gold."
In that sentence, written by Bernal Diaz, is compressed the
whole story of the Spanish invasion of Mexico, its scope, its
motive, its object. The part that religion played in it is acknowledged by the same unquestionable witness with like candor.
When Cortez was ready to set out upon the expedition he caused
to be made a standard of gold and velvet, with the royal arms
and a cross embroidered thereon, and a Latin motto the meaning
* The Mexzcan Guide. By Thomas A. Janvier. Scribners.
t A Study of Mexico. By David A. Wells, LL.D., D.C.R. Appleton.
VOL. XLV. —21
I 887.]
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