The Citizen Matias Romero to The Citizen Mariano Gomez, President of the Mining Board, Present, March 17, 1868

Appointment of a board for the reform of the imposts on the products of the mines.

DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY AND PUBLIC CREDIT—SECTION 5.

Now that peace has been re-established in the republic, the President deems that the occasion has arrived for considering the subject of the improvement of the situation of the producing classes, and of providing such means as may be desirable for the encouragement of all branches of the public wealth.

One of those that requires, without doubt, the most particularly the care and protection of the government, is that of mining. It appears that nature has sought to make Mexico essentially a mining country, and there is every reason to believe that this important branch of the public wealth is scarcely yet explored. The government sincerely desires to encourage the mining interest by all the means that may be in its power, and especially that the system of contributions that now weighs upon it—and that many consider as an obstacle to its progress—shall be revised. It would certainly appear that the present system of imposts, which with such frequency press not upon the profits but upon the capital employed in that branch, is susceptible of improvement.

The President has observed with pleasure the earnestness with which the mining States have begun to promote this question, which is of a vital importance for the republic; and this has contributed to lead to the belief that the time has arrived to give attention to it.

As the great importance of the affair does not admit that it shall be decided precipitately, and without hearing the persons most directly interested in it, the citizen President has desired that there should be formed a mining board, composed of yourself and of Messrs. José Antonio Muchariaz, José M. Godoy, Ismael Castelazo, Augustin Tamora, Miguel Bustamente, and Antonio del Castillo, for the attentive examination of the present state of mining in the republic, and especially of the system of imposts which now weigh upon it, reporting to the government all the measures that may be believed desirable for the encouragement and development of this branch, and proposing a system of imposts that, while it shall not be an obstacle to the mining interest, shall not deprive the treasury of the revenues that are now actually received from this source.

The President also desires that, if it shall be possible, you will occupy yourselves with proposing to the government such reforms in the ordinances of the mints and assay offices as shall be considered desirable in view of the modern advancements in the sciences.

The President, desiring to give a direct participation in this important work of improvement to the persons most directly interested in it, that by their experience and special knowledge may contribute the most efficaciously to attain the result proposed, has thought proper to direct that this department shall invite the miners of the States of Guanajuato, Zaeateeas, Mexico, San Luis Potosi, Sinaloa, Sonora. Jalisco, Durango, Chihuahua, Michoacan, Guerrero, Oajaca, Puebla, and Vera Cruz, to send to the mining board a representative for each one of those States, who shall be accredited to the supreme government by the governor of the State by whom he is sent, name a person resident in this city to represent them.

The representatives of the mining States will have a voice and vote in the mining board, but will not receive any salary from the federal treasury.

To the end of giving time for the most distant States to accredit their representatives to the mining board, the President desires that the board shall be installed on the 1st of May proximo.

I repeat to you the assurances of my very distinguished consideration.