Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1895-08-29
SILVER IN MEXICO.
HOW THE LAsoRER is ROBBED eY
THE CHEAP DOLLAR,

Merely 70 rietancc, and Living L. Made
Higher by Free silver.
Some things would seem to be so GER
tain that il is waste of time to argue
about them. Among these is tho condi.
tion of the people Of Mexico, which ev-
eryhody knows is in every respect in
forior to that Of the people of the United
States. Yet the silveritcs have cheek
enough to hraEonly claim that the Mex
leans are moro prosperous than we are,
Tho following letter, recently published
in tho New York Sun. shows tho real
facts rs to Moxioo's alleged prosperity:
MENIco, July 0, 1928.
Tho fight over tho financial question
now On in tho United States is watched
with eagernoSs and interest by mine
owners hero, Whenever the United
States throws open her minis to the FREQ
and unlimited coinage of silver tho
mining property of Mexico will be Gu
HANGED III value III tho Same proportion
rs that in Colorado, though experience
has shown that tile salary Of tho lahorer
will be tho same ut least 40 far ms Mex.
leo is concerned. Tho dividend of tho
stakeholder will alone he increased.
Tho average Of wages ranges from isI
to 90 cents day in tho cities and haci.
endas or plantations OF Mexico, and in
tho remote mining districts 1t is n little
moro, All laborers have to find" them.
selves in Mexico, On all plantations
there arc stores owned by tho landlord.
What is usually earned by labor ON tho
land is always spent with the owner of it,
Tho question naturally arises, espe-
oially after ono has hoard the promises Of
tho silver men ON tho floors Of congress,
Why have wages not risen In Moxioop
Why, even on silver basis, arc they so
much lower than tho lowest pnid in tho
Unitod Statnsg II must he remembered,
too, that tho wages paid here are in u
deprecated coin, worth only half IN
much as tho same amount received for
labor in tho United States.
On all sides ono hears the answer that
tho silver basis in Mexico is not respon-
sihlo for tho low wages, This Is partially
truo, but still wages have not Increased
or made any advance under tho FREQ
coinage OF silver The chief argument
of the silver mon IN the States seems to
be that wages will advance and that
tho volume of currency will be- largely
inflated.
Nothing which has boon promised by
tho silver men has como TO pass here
Wnges are lower and living higher
Since silver has decreased IN value to
about ono.half, everything produced In
this country which completes with the
markets of the world has Increased pro-
portionately The only products which
have remained Mt nominally tho old
figure arc those which arc not grown for
export and which do not come in con-
tact with similar products grown in
countries which havo sound currency
Even coffee which liz ono of tho staple
products. has risen to such point ns to
practically bo beyond tho roach of tho
poon and tho laborcr, while tho only
beef over W roach Of tho peon Is that
which is cut from tho dead animals aft
er the bull fight,
Butter IL 40 dear IA to mako IL u lux
ury to nll classes, and IL IN ordered In
restaurants NJ dainties are, Beor. which
Is standard drink here, soils for 10
contS gllss, and tho only liquor which
is to be had by tho laboring classes Is u
native drink called "pulquo, II milk
like looking beverage which produces
some Of the results Of tho malt product
without possessing any of its virtues.
When these facts aro pointed out to
tho silver man from tho States, ho ut
once says that such u condition Of things
could not exist there; that labor Ia too
woll organized to permit such u state OF
affairs 10 last, Tho politician ~ well NJ
the mborcr knows that there can be no
fictitious value in labor. and moreover.
that less thnn per cent OF the great
mass Of labor in the United States IL or
ganizod. Tho low wages hero arc not
confined alone TO what may be termed
tho lnboring class, but MI salaries arc
proportionatoly small The best Of clerks
In tho stores get from $50 10 800
month. Tho most expert bookkeepers
can seldom get more than from 500 10
800 II month. Yet in this class of life
tho clothes they wear, the food they eat,
arc bought at gold prices, While hia
salary is higher, yet tho bookkeeper'j
necessities are so much the greater.
Argue as they will, there can DO bit
ono result from silver basis in the
United States, which should be made
clear TO all who arc dependent for their
living upon their labor II IN that wages
would not be perceptibly increased, and
that the purchasing power Of those
wages would DO diminished almost half.
Rents have been steadily advancing
here, aud they would BIO put up in any
country which depreciates its money.
Whenever the United States goes upon II
silver basis, the earning power of her
laborers, artisans and clerks will be cut
almost in two, while the clothes they
wear, tho houses they live in, the food
they eat, will BIO increased almost dou-
BILE. Seeing the condition OF the toiler
and the peasant here, in country upon
silver basis, ii can be but the ono
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