Ambassador Thompson
to the Acting Secretary of
State.
American Embassy,
Mexico, March 20,
1906.
No. 13.]
Sir: I acknowledge the receipt of your dispatch
No. 103, of the 10th instant, to Mr. McCreery, with reference to the
order of the Mexican department of fomento forbidding, for a time, the
acquiring by foreigners of mining property in Sonora and Lower
California.
In reply I inclose herewith, with translations of each, copies of the
various official orders on the subject, including the one of the 28th of
last February, which revokes the former ones and instructs the various
mining agents in the territories named to continue to admit mining
applications of foreigners in accordance with the provisions of the law.
My reply to your dispatch No. 103 has been delayed because of the time
required in getting these copies of the official orders.
I respectfully refer the department to my dispatch No. 3, of the 12th
instant, in which I stated President Diaz’s views on the subject as set
forth by him personally to me in a conversation occurring in his private
home on the evening of the 8th instant. In that dispatch I ventured to
express the opinion that the President’s sentiments, as stated by him to
me, were not unjustifiable.
As the last paragraph of the dispatch to which this is a reply suggests,
this temporary prohibition of mining licenses was brought about by the
disturbed and insecure conditions in Sonora and Lower California. If
there is anything offensive in the wording of the orders, I am confident
from my talk with the President that it was in no sense so intended. At
the time the orders were issued through the department of fomento, the
minister, Don Blas Escontreia, was on his deathbed, dying a few days
later. The first secretary of the ministry was at that time absent on a
commission from his ministry to the west coast of the Republic, and the
orders were issued by a minor official temporarily in charge of the
office.
In the short period of time I have been here I have talked with many men
interested in the Sonora districts, and without exception
[Page 1143]
have found them to justify
the acts of the Government and any criticism that might have been made
by the officials of the Government because of the unfortunate
expressions made by some of the newspapers of our country and by men, or
friends of men, penetrating the Yaqui country in ways known to be
dangerous, for reasons suggested in my dispatch No. 3, of the 12th
instant, and who have, in one way or another, met with disappointments
or losses of life or property because of their indiscretions. With this
I inclose an interview occurring in the Mexican Record, of the 24th
instant, that in a way expresses the sentiments of the men with whom I
have talked on the subject in question.
In view of the intent and sentiments of President Diaz, as I have
outlined them in my dispatch No. 3, already referred to, and herein, I
will await further instructions from the department as to the
advisability of making representations to the Mexican Government, as
suggested in your dispatch No. 103, to which this is a reply.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure
1.—Translation.]
Mr. Alclasoro
to Mr. Algara.
(Private correspondence of the secretary of
fomento.)
Mr. Andres Aldasoro has the pleasure to pay his respects to his good
friend Licentiate José Algara, subsecretary for foreign affairs, and
to inclose copy of the decision he has requested, pronounced by the
President of the Republic, with respect to the acquisition of lands
by foreigners in Sonora and Lower California.
[Inclosure
2.—Translation.]
decisions of the department of
fomento.
Decisions of the department of fomento.—Mexico, December 15,
1905.
To the first section:
Having received frequent complaints from foreigners established
within the Free Zone of Sonora, in that they do not enjoy any
protection to devote themselves to their labors, the President of
the Republic has decided, that for the time being foreigners shall
not be permitted in the future to acquire any real estate in said
zone.
Signed by the subsecretary.
[Inclosure
3.—Translation.]
decisions of the department of
fomento.
Decisions of the department of fomento.—Second section.—Mexico,
December 16, 1905.
Instruct mining agents in the State of Sonora that owing to the
complaints of several foreigners to whom titles have been issued for
the exploitation of mines in said State, in that they do not enjoy
safety and protection, the President of the Republic has decided
that for the present and until new orders are given the mining
agents of Sonora shall not accept applications filed by foreigners
relating to the acquisiiton of mines in said State.
Signed by Subsecretary Puga.
[Page 1144]
[Inclosure
4—Translation.]
decisions of the department of
fomento.
Decisions of the department of fomento.—Third section.—Mexico,
December 26, 1905.
Owing to the fact that several foreigners who have been permitted to
acquire mines in the State of Sonora and the northern district of
Lower California, have complained in that they do not enjoy safety
and protection to work their property and having slandered the
jurisdictive authorities by saying that the latter do not impart
them any protection, the President of the Republic has decided that
for the time being the granting of said permits be held in suspense
with respect to the State and district referred.
The Chief Executive also decides that no deeds shall be given out to
foreigners who have already obtained the permit to acquire mines
within the frontier belt of 20 leagues, situated in said State of
Sonora and northern district of Lower “California; and he has also
ordered that the proceedings of all applications for permits filed
by foreigners, and which may be in course of procedure in the mining
agencies of said State and district be suspended.
Transmit the above to whom it may concern.
Signed by Subsecretary Puga.
[Inclosure
10.—Translation.]
decisions of the department of
fomento.
Decisions of the department of fomento.—Third section.—February 28,
1906.
Instruct the mining agents of the State of Sonora and territory of
Lower California that in view of the fact that the President of the
Republic was pleased to revoke his instruction of December 26 last,
ordering said agents not to accept any applications relating to
mines filed by foreigners, they may continue to admit said
applications in accordance with the provisons of the law.
