The income of the Mexican church is not quite so much, but not far off.
Baron Humboldt has expressed a hope that, at some future day, the Mexicans will turn their attention to producing articles of real intrinsic value, and not those which are merely a sign to represent it.
He tells us, quite feelingly, how the Peace of Amiens stopped the working of the iron-mines that had been opened when they could get no iron from abroad; for, when trade was reopened, people preferred buying in Europe probably a better article at one-third the price.

He even hopes an enlightened government will encourage (that is, protect) more useful industries.

This was written fifty years ago, though.

If an enlightened government will give people some security for life and property, and make reasonable laws, and execute them,--leaving men of business to find out for themselves how it suits them to employ their capital, it seems probable that the balance between articles of real value and articles of imaginary value will adjust itself, perhaps better than an enlightened government could do it.

The Mexican government has, unfortunately, followed Humboldt's advice in some respects.