Carl William Ackerman

“ A poor-rich nation is Mexico. Rich, because foreign intellect, foreign capital, foreign engineers and foreign business men developed her resources and made her so. Poor, because the revolutions have pestered the foreigners and Mexico in somewhat the same way that an army of Hessian flies destroys a wheat field. But to-day the revolutionists have discovered that the battle cry, Down with the foreigners who exploited us!—though it may win a revolution—does not help reconstruction. ”

“ One of the needs of Mexico is an efficient railroad system. A curious attempt at a refutation of this asservation of mine I have printed in the appendix of this volume. Here I reaffirm that for seven years practically no repairs have been made on any of the lines—either those owned by the government or those owned abroad and operated by the authorities. In Monterey there are the wrecks of four hundred freight cars, burned by General Villa as a sacrifice to his legions when they made their last march through the city. ”

“ But no machine or collection of machines can make money as fast as a wasteful Republic can spend it. I doubt whether one machine can make money fast enough to pay the salary of a general who, by chance, may be a governor, an inspector, and something else too. One man in Mexico is not necessarily made for one job.
Since the spring of 1917 there has been a change in the attitude of certain foreign investors toward the Carranza Government. There has been apparent an inclination to work with the officials. Canadian and American merchants have been again looking after Mexican business. ”

“ The pay rolls contain nearly one hundred and fifteen thousand names; but, according to conservative estimates, there are not fifty thousand soldiers in all the government's forces. The army of dead men is so great that this form of graft is considered as contraband of the revolution.
Generals are not the only ones who are becoming millionaires, measured in pesos. In Pachuca, the largest silver and gold mining city in the world to-day, one government official recently deposited, through an American firm, seventy-five thousand dollars in a New York City bank during seven months. ”

“ Many millions of dollars invested by foreigners are in the hands of the government. Since January first, 1917, to the time of this writing, for instance, the Mexican Government had taken, through so-called forced loans, thirty-seven million pesos in gold from the banks of Mexico City, Monterey, Vera Cruz and other cities.
In some cases the government has given receipts. In others the French, English, Canadian and American bankers and depositors have no records. The government has been compelled to take this step because of the financial crisis that faces the nation. ”

“ Whether Señor Carranza will adopt the same attitude toward foreigners that Don Porfirio did, and whether he will try to reconstruct Mexico with the assistance of outside brains, are questions which events alone can answer. Señor Carranza has the same opportunities. So far as the United States is concerned, one might judge from the former policy of President Wilson that he was willing to help the Republic get on its financial and reconstruction feet, even if the alignment of Mexico on the side of the Allies were a temporary burden. ”

“ Standing at the corner of Calle San Francisco and Avenida Juarez, looking toward Chapultepec Park one can see, on the right, the National Theatre, the so called White Elephant, with its incomplete marble walls glistening in the sunlight like a giant's heliograph. ”

“ The sentiment among the Mexican people, so far as one can judge, is one with the motto "I don't care!" The opinion of the Intellectuals, the influential leaders back of the government, and of some high officials, is different. These men are pro-Ally because they are pro-Democracy in Mexico and Europe,
One Sunday afternoon an American banker gave a party at his home in the suburbs. One of the chief members of President Carranza's cabinet was present. His reputation as a master of anecdote had grown into fame since his visit to the United States, where he had learned to speak English. ”

“ The revolution has turned many a church and palace inside out. Saunter through these places to-day and you will find church ornaments, silverware, jewels, Chinese silks, Japanese idols, church bells and bishops' gowns for sale. You can purchase pieces of the silk wall paper with which Emperor Maximilian covered the walls of the National Palace when he ruled the Mexican people. Some day Mexico will be a rich field for collectors. ”