The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-23

when a Mexican gold dollar is taken out
NJ the recesses where IL is boarded, IL
will buy two Mexican silver dollars. al
though the two dollars were OF the same
value twenty-five years ago.
A North CarolInian. well known TO the
owner of the Charlotte On. CD Observer
now sojourning in Mexico. has writteh
that paper a most interesting letter con-
corning the affairs Of Mexico, ana we
take from it few extracts. This writer
says:
l hope. Mr.. Editor. that l am friend
to Mexico. l enjoy her climate, her bedu-
tiful mountains, her lovely valleys. Hhe
her people. their politeness-ior even heF
heggars are polite. | am glad she nos
a President like Diaz. and able ana ei-
ficient Federal and state governments.
/ am glad she Is seeing better tinies. ana
/ am certain that | am hoping all mat
the most ardent patriot of Mexico can
wish for the future OF his country ana
his countrymen when | express the nope
that Mexico and the Mexican may 1T SOME
day attain TO the same condition OF pros
perity and happiness as exist To-Day
In the United States, though. from Whal
l read in the papers Of the states, IL
would seem that starvation and distress
are reigning supreme there, and the only
remedy for these ills Is 10 have free sill
yer. as the prosperous people Ia meAlcl
have, live on beans and tortiilos, ana
each person in the United States throw
away twenty-odd dollars OF the
amount Of money per head that
they have. and. Ike free-silver
Mexicans. nave not quite five dollars.
The currency has been contracted IN
the United States. We have some TWEEN
~ dollars each. Give Us more money, or
we are ruined" is the cry one day; the
next it is: Look at MeXico she has
free silver! What prosperity. What elo-
rious living! What place for the poor
suffering people OF the United states!
Ana, To- when we look INTO
it. the Mexican has only about
one-hfth as much money as The
American. Queer logic indeed, and the
Ntxicaus and Americans living in Mexico
silently laugh as they read. And though
for the good OF Mexico. l hope Amer
leans Will continue TO invest their spare
money here, ] would advise the 5000
people In North Carolina TO ponder wen
and long, and perhaps 10 come here ana
| look, before they sell out at home ana
| come $500 miles looking for the road 10
wealth that leads to tropical Mexico.
This is what he says the poor people
| live on;
The every day ,liet Of the poorer classes
consists of bean tortillos-a kind OF cake.
made by soaking corn In hot water
G. uTrbling IL on fiat stone, ana then
| baking il on a stone or piece OF iron.
| A few vegetables and. when times are
| good. beef, goat and poultry is hashed up
| the tortillo rolled over II, and then COOK
| ed-all washed down by copious draushls
| of "pulque." which TO the Mexican Is as
essential TO health and happiness as corn
whisky is TO your. mountainous, or apple
| brandy and cider to the people OF eastern
| North Carolina.
Here are his observations upon the
general state OF the country:
| Now. Mr.. Editor, since | have been In
| Mexico / have been amused at reading
in papers published Throughout the
| United States, and some IN your
State, giving most glowing ac-
| counts of the prosperity or Mex
| leo and some going so far as 10 draw
| a comparison between the two countries
as regards prosperity, giving Mexico tho
| palm. Now, IL cannot be denied thai
| God has blessed this land with a glorious
| climate, where outdoor work can be
| done every day in the year; with a soil
| where water can be had. OF exceeding
fertility: and with people. the ones OF
| whom who work. work well; and are
| all saving and economical: but when one
| says that the masses OF the people here
! are i'm more prosperous condition ant
have more of the necessaries and com
forts of life than the same masses IN th'
United States. | am afraid he has bu
seen the brighter xide OF Mexico. and no
studied the laboring classes and then
| manner of living. Mexico has advanced
| much in material progress IN the pas
twenty years. Liberal concessions have
! been made to railroads. Americans am
Europeans have been and are stll in
| vesting large sums i'm her mines an'
coffee plantations although one, from
| reading certain papers in the United
States would hardly imagine there wa
any money there TO bring TO MeHico)
Her government is a stable. safe. ana con
servative one. economically administered
and not burdened with tremendous pen
sion lists, and. more than all. Win
reputation that lives on but little, throw
away nothing, and never speculatcs. Ah'
10 these the fact that though Mexico wa
civilized three hundred years ago SUI
to-day II IS an undeveloped country, VIII
neople of adventurous spirit from Americ
and Europe fockng thther, ana yo
have the cause of MeXico's better time
than formerly for we cannot call an
country prosperous. where one sees
many beggars as he does in Mexico no
only in the large cities, but even III III
,,,lloges and country and where the az
erage daily wages paid are thirty,nV
cents and the laborer feeding himself
| - .,-- .tfr,v-Gve cents that dali
wages are paid in are OF the silver 10
the gold value. That is, they are Wort
II IL cents Of the money American iaboi
ers are paid.
How do our laboring men Ike this
the result Of free silver?
The Last Ducls In America.
The last duel occurred an Aus ua'
countv. early Saturday morning Jun
IL tslf. "a