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Show IN MEXICO. Regarding possible . openings for Americans in Mexico State of Du-rungo, Du-rungo, Consul Charles M. Freeman, ot Darango City, writes: Tho individual holdings of farming lands In the State of Durango' aro Immense. Some haciendas contain a million or more acres. Tho tendency is to lessen the amount of land held lu single tracts. This tendency has had the effect of Increasing land values, and land which ten years ago could be bought for 25 cents American Ameri-can currency per acre is today worth upward of $1, with tho price steadily advancing. A number of plans for placing colonies from the United States aro being worked out. I know of no better investment in this state than farming lands. On account of the large holdings, a man with small capital is at a disadvantage, but one with capital at demand, or a combination com-bination of small capitalists, investing in good land is bound to sec that capital increase.. Agriculture In Durango Du-rango is in its Infancy. Tho man with progressive ideas, one capable of carrying them to completion, is bound to make farming pay and reap an abundant reward. In mercantile lines here, as elsewhere else-where In Mexico, the principal business busi-ness Is in the hands of foreigners. The hardware business Is In the hands of Germans; the French control the dry' goods trade, and Spaniards the grocery business. In my opinion, few openings exist for Americans in the mercantile line, although It Is possible that an alert commission house with good connections In tho United States might' do well. There is little call for mechanics and none for clerks or common laborers la-borers to come here from the United States. They can not, as a rule, corn- pete with the native Mexicans. The native laborer lives on little; the clerks are natives of Germany, France or Spain. An excoptlon may be noted, however, In the line of skilled railway employes. Nearly all-of the engineers, engin-eers, conductors, master mechanics, station agents, and chief officers ot Mexican Tallroads are from tho United Unit-ed States. Finally, for the man who can afford af-ford to come to Mexico to study the language, the conditions, the laws, and who Is satisfied to wait his opportunity, op-portunity, openings exist here far pnead of anything in the older settled parts of tho United States. It is an old country compared with some parts of our own, but undeveloped. in many ways it Is a land of opportunity, but tho man capable of seizing the opportunity op-portunity here could probably make a success at homo. |