Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1896-08-05
Wages in Silver Countries.

Shrewd politicians of the pop-demo type
are attempting to delude the wage-earner
with the prospect Of high wages with the
idea of catching his vote next September
for the free silver heresy. 1t is the opinion
of economists and the observation Of trav-
elers that in silver countries the wage
Garner is the last man to be benefited by
high prices.
Rev. +. Z. Clark, president of the
Christian Endeavor society, has been in
Mexico recently and here is what he says
of the condition there:
The Mexican papers are full of glorifica-
ton of the recent achievements OF their re-
public and ascribe her prosperity largely
to the free coinage of silver. But free sill
yer, after all, does not make terrestrial
paradise in every respect. The traveller is
reminded of that in many ways. The
Mexican cartwheel dollar melts away in a
surprising fashion when it comes to buying
what an American considers the necessaries
of life. For instance, when the colored
porter of the Pullman buffet car brings you
the bill of fare it almost takes away your
breath to see the prices charged for the
various comestibles. For instance, two
boiled eggs cost 80 cents, while three may
| be obtained for the moderate sum of 40
cents. Bread and butter is 20 cents, a
cup of tea or coffee costs the same price,
while sandwich may be had for no less
OF course, the eye of Bostonian would
seek the price of the succulent and nutri-
tious baked bean, and he is surprised to
find that it requires 40 centaves (cents) to
pay for the dish for which his municipality
is famed. A small bottle of Apolinaris
water costs 80 cents and other things are
in proportion. Desiring light lunch on
one occasion in the City of Mexico
bought small package OF sweet biscuit
about halt pound in all, which might have
cost Is cents in america" and was sur
prised that my bill amounted to 81 cents.
The silver OF prosperous Mexico has no,
as yet found its way to any great extent
into the pockets of the poor people. Wages
are evidently on the highest sort OF gold
basis. A number of my friends told me
that they pay their cooks about % montl
about one-quarter the price OF such labol
in the states. In the country districts al
able bodied man earns Sc (Mexican) {
month, ($S American) and his board
: while far days wage in city or countr,
. for laboring man is 80 cents Mexican.
Nowhere are beggars more numerous
or squalor and wretchedness more In eyI
dence than in prosperous Mexico. Th'
, railway stations are thronged with almos
naked children holding out grimy hands
while their pitiiul and monotonous wal
"Centavos, Centavos," reminds one of th'
"Backsbeesh, Backsheesh," of Syria ant
} Egypt. Indeed, the condition of the com
, mon people seems not one whit better thai
that of the fellahin Of Egypt or the Rariah
OF India.
An engineer in Guatemala and mem
Der of the brotherhood of locomotive engi
!. neers, writes a southern paper, the Chat
tanooga Times, as follows:
While the average engineer Of tn
United States makes 81 a day. we ar
paid $3.50 per day. When ! go to ex
change Gustemala silver for United State
, money to send to my family | am com
PEELED to pay from % to % II for ever
United States dollar that comes into m
Y possession. This Is on account Of siIyeI