Most observers agree that these foreign activities had not only profited the foreigners, but that they had greatly benefited the Mexicans themselves.
The enterprise of Americans had disclosed enormous riches, had given hundreds of thousands employment at very high wages, had built up new Mexican towns on modern American lines, had extended the American railway system over a large part of the land, and had developed street railways, electric lighting, and other modern necessities in all sections of the Republic.

The opening up of Mexican oil resources was perhaps the most typical of these achievements, as it was certainly the most adventurous.

Americans had created this, perhaps the greatest of Mexican industries, and in 1913, these Americans owned nearly 80 per cent.

of Mexican oil.

Their success had persuaded several Englishmen, the best known of whom was Lord Cowdray, to enter this same field.