The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-07-31
WAGES IN MEXICO"

From the Minneapolis Penny Press.
Immediately following the Memphis
"goldbug" convention, the Tribune of
this city, quoting some declarations made
by Mr. Carlisle, with reference to the fact
that "silver countries" today were not as
attention to the fact that wages in Mex
leo" were fair sample OF the wages paid
in silver countries.
In two "syndicate' letters written by
gentlemen who have visited Mexico, the
statement was made that the people of
that country were practically in starv
ing condition, that they are hardly above
serfs, and their wages were so inferior
to those received by workingmen of gold
countries" that the editor Of the Tribune
felt compelled to hold the statement up as
horrifying example of what this country
would come to, were it forced to a sill
yer basis as contemplated by the advo-
Gates Of free coinage.
Every proposition made by the Tribune
was false. Mexico is not in starving
condition, but has survived the panic and
hard times of the last two years, better
even than the United States. The wages
of the laborers of Mexico are much lower
than those paid in the United States, but
not inferior to the majority Of foreign ma
tons, every one of which are upon a
gold basis" BY comparison Of statis-
tics and other facts herewith introduced,
we shall undertake to prove the above as
sertion, and to demonstrate that the pur-
pose of the Tribune was simply to cast a
slur upon the advocates of free coinage
There is not an advocate of the free COIN
age of silver in the United States, who
does not stand as firmly for the free coin
age of gold as for silver, and the editor of
the Tribune knows it.
That the United States is the favorite
to 1892, with reference to energy, pro-
duct wealth and education, is declared to
be true by Mr.. Mulhall of London. It there
fore follows logically that, in comparing
the condition of any other country with
that of the United States, every possible
condition which conduces to prosperity,
wealth and higher wages must be taken
into consideration. One Of the greatest
means conducting to the ends indicated, is
the facility of rapid transportation and
quick intercourse among the people con-
shutting that nation.
In the United States there are 49, 900
miles of railroad, and by far the greater
portion of it located among eighty per
cent of the population. The means of
transportation is of the highest quality,
and the topography of the country makes
interchange of the product of one portion
of the country with that of another, easy
and rapid.
On the other hand the rugged condition
of Spain, large portions OF Italy, the
Scandinavian Peninsula, and in fact,
Switzerland, Scotland and Ireland, as we'll
as Mexico, raise up barriers against this
means of civilization and indispensable
agent of increase Of wealth and activity
which becomes almost insurmountable.
We make the broad proposition that the
Union, as well as the Scandinavian Pen
insula, and the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, are chargeable quite
as much to the fact that every one of
those nations are upon "gold basis as
that Mexican wages are chargeable to a
silver basis.
In order to demonstrate the proof Of
these declarations we shall cite the wages
of laborers and artisans in Italy, France,
Germany, the United Kingdom and in
other nations Of the Latin Union.
Mexico has been upon "a silver basis,
to very large extent for more than four
hundred years, and yet the condition Of
her workmen of every class is an
hundred per cent better today than it was
a quarter of a century ago.
Great Britain has been upon gold
basis since 1885," and yet the common
laborer of the United Kingdom is scarcely
paid better than the laborer of Mexico.
France, Italy, Austria and Belgium have
been on gold basis" for more than
twenty years, and yet the average wages
paid to their laboring men do not reach
the average paid by Mexico.
Let us produce some facts.
The average wages paid for dayQabor
throughout the United Kingdom, accord
ing to Mulhall, reaches 81 cents per diem.
That of France As cents; Germany 80
cents; Austria So cents Russia % cents;
Italy 10 cents; Belgium Sc cents; the Scan
dinavian peninsula Is cents; Spain and
Portugal 20 cents; Mexico So cents; while
the average wages paid in the United
States for common laborers," five years
ago, reached about slips, but for the last
three years have not averaged $1.10.
The average wages paid printers per
week in Great Britain amounts to So
France IS; Belgium $4.75; Germany S.
Italy 81 and the United States $3.50, and
yet every one of these countries are upon
"a gold basis" and have been for period
covering from twenty to eighty years.
In Mexico the average wages paid to
printers is about $3.50 per week-a price
that exceeds the average of Great Britain
France, Belgium, Germany and Italy by
nearly 81.
The average wages paid to painters in