Page:Mexico, California and Arizona - 1900.djvu/547

 Rh that they had much military experience and toughness, acquired in their many years of revolutionary strife."

Speaking of books, I know of none manifesting a more enlightened and friendly spirit towards the Mexicans, though severe in certain ways, than David A. Wells's brief "Study of Mexico." It is a pleasure, after the usual vagueness on the financial question, to find one so competent to handle it thoroughly. He proposes the one practical solution for drawing Mexico out of its almost insuperable difficulties, namely, that the United States should guarantee for a time a low interest upon its national debt. The plan, however strange, is based upon grounds of self-interest as well as duty. The truth is, the evils of Mexico move in a vicious circle, all mutually accelerating one another. A disturbed state of society both checked production and made necessary a large army to maintain order. An increased army means heavier taxes, while the ability to earn them has diminished. The difficulty of raising money induces the government to put on the screws, and use undue parsimony towards the public servants. This leads to smuggling and official corruption that deplete by the wholesale the already scanty revenue, throttles what little productive industry yet remained, and kindles again the blaze of revolution. Partly through these causes, and partly as a tradition from the old Spanish domination, Mexico is cursed with the worst system of extortionate imposts known to modern times. Tribute is levied not only on all the coasts and frontiers, but at the borders of every State, and again at the gates of every town and village. No real prosperity can be looked for till this is got rid of, and an enlightened system of taxation put in its place. But in the mean time the country needs the money, and how is this to be done? Where is the requisite point of