The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-05-13
FREE SILL YER AND MEXICO.

PRICES AND WHAT THEY TEACH-AN
ARTICLE WITH OUR COMMENTS.
We find in recent issue Of the Chi
cago Times-Herald, (Gold-bug), the
following letter. We print it entire.
1t will be found interesting reading:
Chicago, April 23-To the editor:
For the good Of the workingmen OF
the United States. l would like to
take up a little of your valuable space
to explain to them few of the bene-
fits (?) Of the free coinage of silver as
it works in Mexico. In the first place,
Mexico coins both gold and silver, but
it's gold coin is at a premium of about
yer circulates and all prices are based
on silver. 1 will divide this subject
into two partS-frst. 'value of labor"
and second, value Of merchandise.
The following schedule is based on
facts as know them to exist.
Anne rican car painters in the Mexi-
can Central car shops in the City of
Mexico receive about So for day of
ten hours. l was personally &C
quaint ted with tirSt-class mouse and
sign painter there, who was glad to
get steady work at $3.50 day; S.
day is the average pay Of locomotive
engineers in tie City of Mexico.
Bookkeepers earn from $50 to 500
month. Clerks earn from $40 to $15 a
week. Some fine statesmen in the big
stores may get 500, but / doubt it.
Street Car drivers and conductors get
about Is cents day, but they are ma
tives. American carpen tiers get So to
a day. American bOiler-makerS
about $50 to $500 a month; and if an
a n frj N rIIn q m q n ia no n
make tracks for the United States as
fast as possible, no matter under
what circumS tanceS the accident hap
pened. Firemen make from $50 to $50
a month; brakemen on freight $50 to
sou (native); conductors get from $50
TO $175 month Section fOremen
(natives) get about 81. a day: labor
ers about IS cents. This about ex-
hausts the field. When the white
man is employed native common la
Dor brings from % cents to 81 day
for the best.
Now. under the head of value OF
merchandise I will give the cost of
living and clothing. The parties
where [ lived had flat of seven
rooms, for which they had paid $50 a
in Chicago Of corresponding merit.
costs 500 ton and is not used.
Gasoline costs $1.95 for five gallons.
Flour (domestic) cost $40 hundred
pounds; American, SIS. American
butter (made in Mexico but made as
we make it, so-called American)
brings Is cents pound the year
around. Potatoes sell for from to 6.
cents pound Sugar poor quality,
10 cents pound; coffee, 90 to 10 cents
a pound (raised there); dried prunes,
three pounds for dollar; vinegar five
tie. The cheapest ever bought lard
cents Il pound; strawberries, 10 cents
to 80 cents pound; oranges (raised
there). cheap at Is cents dozen;
chickens Qive). are worth from 40 to IS
cents; eggs, % to 81 cents a dozen;
milk, 16 cents quart.
Now, to board in a cheap Chinese
restaurant costs So for twenty-one.
meals; furnished rooms for single
men cannot be had for less than $40 a
month. The same room in Chicago
would not bring over 81 month.
As to wearing apparel, a straw hat
costs 81 in Mexico, felt hat S. to IS.
You can get silk hat for from 81 to
S., but such hat! You can get a
suit made from native cloth $40, but a
white man would not wear it. An
American tailor will charge you SIS,
and it will last you about three
| months. For good suit that will
give you any service you will pay $40
to 500. Mems shoes, made from ma