Some
information about the Porfiriato
U.S. Secretary of State Elihu Root, 1910:
It has seemed to me that of all the men now living, General Porfirio Diaz, of Mexico, was best worth seeing. Whether one considers the adventurous, daring, chivalric incidents of his early career; whether one considers the vast work of government which his wisdom and courage and commanding character accomplished; whether one considers his singularly attractive personality, no one lives to-day that I would rather see than President Diaz. If I were a poet I would write poetic eulogies. If I were a musician I would compose triumphal marches. If I were a Mexican I should feel that the steadfast loyalty of a lifetime could not be too much in return for the blessings that he had brought to my country. As I am neither poet, musician nor Mexican, but only an American who loves justice and liberty and hopes to see their reign among mankind progress and strengthen and become perpetual, I look to Porfirio Diaz, the President of Mexico, as one of the great men to be held up for the hero-worship of mankind.
| 1877 | 1910 | |
| miles of track | 0 | 15,000 |
| silver production | 1.3m pounds | 4m pounds |
| copper production | 6.5 tons | 52 tons |
| gold | 1.5m pesos | 40m (1888) |
| total value of imports and exports | 50m pesos | 488m pesos |
| shipping costs for a sample package | $67 | $3 |
| foreign investment | c$40m | $3b |
BUT ALSO:
infant mortality rate, 1893, per thousand: London 114, Boston, 120, Mexico City 323
corn production lower 1910 than 1810--in 1810, estimated 2 lbs. corn/day/person; in 1910, 1 lb. corn/day/person
1895 life expectancy--30 years (in US: 50); illiteracy rate 80% (though down from 85%, 1877); work week 7 days, 11-12 hours/day
1910--50% of houses in Mexico City unfit for human occupation, 16% of population homeless
1885--20% of population owns land, usually some part of communal landholdings; in 1910, about 2% does; 3% of properties owned cover 58% of Mexico
85% of mining companies are American-owned, as well as most banks and industries