The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-29
CLOTHED IN
CRAZY QUILTS.
The Laborers of Mexico
and Their Poverty.
RIDICULOUS WAGES PAID.
Compared With the Laborer In
This Country.
RIDICULOUS WAGES PAID.
Report of the Trades and labor Assem-.
bIy's Committee-No Poorhouses In Mex
leo, but Poverty observation-disclosures
Manufacturers Grow Rich There's the
Laborer Remains Poor.


manufacturers Grow Rich There, the
Laborer Remains Poor.
The Mexican laborer is apparently
content with the four bare walls OF his
10 foot square adobe hat, with nothing
inside but the ground to sleep on, a
shawl or blanket TO cover or wrap him
self up in, dish CT tortilles (corn pam
cales) and frejoles (beans) for his frugal
meal, and in large number Of cases a
little pig, a dog and chicken or two
OF the gamecock order sharing his scant
quarters, while the American laborer
across the line has all the comforts Of
home and many Of the luxuries of life.
Wages in Mexico, except TO skilled
and steady mechanics-always foreign
ers-are very low. On railroads engi-
neers (Americans) On passenger trains
receive $2lO Per month, while the fire.
men (Moxicans) receive $l.S5 per day;
freight engineers (Americans), $3.50 per
month; iiremen (Mexicans), S1.50 to
$l.75 per day; passenger conductors
(Americans), $160 per month; brake
men (Mexicans). 81. so per day; freight
conductors (Americans), 5000 per
month; brakemen (Mexicans), $57 to
$63 per month; Pullman conductors,
$50 per month (American money!, and
the porters S3S per month american
money!, with So per month extra for
being able 10 talk Spanish. The national
soldiers (or regular army Of Mexico.
called rurales, and who are all ex'ban-
dts receive 81 per day.
In broom factory near the depot, at
Jiminez, the men are paid 80 cents,
women and children % TO 371s cents
per day. In the cotton mills. cottonseed
oil mills and soap factory at Torreon
men arc paid 3715 90 90 cents, and
women and children 20 cents per day.
A carcador (public carrier) has rate Of
12b cents per hour, but you can hire
him for from 90 to 271a cents per day.
At Leon. where nearly all the leather
goods in Mexico are manufactured, the
peon gets his leather cut for shoes, har-
ness or other goods to be made by him
and takes the material TO his hut, where
the whole family assists him, the same
as in the sweatshops of Chicago. For
making shoes he receives 81 and upward
per dozen pairs. On the other leather
goods he receives 81 u TO 90 cents per
day for his labor, working as long as
daylight lasts, averaging IL to IA hours
per day.
Common laborers can be hired for Is
TO 90 cents per day. House servants,
male or female, receive S3 to 50 per
month and board themselves. In or near
cities poems live in adobe houses and
pay rental of $3 year for the ground
that the house stands on. When leaving
this for another location, all improve
ments" tho peon has made go to the
landlord or owner of the land, who pays
no taxes whatever on tho land. A mans
chief article of dress is his sombrero,
often costing as much as $50 (Which is
bought ON the installment plan), while
the balance of his clothing would make
a crazy quilt turn green with envy, ow-
ing to it's variety of colors and assort-
ment Of patches, making it hard prob
lem to solve as to which is the original
garment and which the patch. No stock
ings are worn by either sex, and only
about one third wear sandals, which are
made from piece of sole leather and
tied TO the feet with straps. These sam
dals cost from 12 to 90 cents per pair.
The average cost of the necessities Of
life for "a peon family Of five is 20 cents
per day, and clothing for the same costs
about $50 per year
The days work in Mexico runs from
10 to Ia hours. The bakers work 20
hours, and workmen who take work to
thoir homes work as many hours as they
please The Mexican laborer's work is
easy compared with tho American la
borer, except the carrier, who bears
enormous burdens on his back all day
without manifesting fatigue. The ques-
tion of shorter hours TO Mexico is u long
way off for country in which labor is
so cheap and plentiful that it is offered
as an inducement to bring foreign'capi-
tai in, and its toilers will be compelled
TO work as many hours as they are phys
ically able, and thanks to organized Ia
Dor or the American workiugman would
be in the same condition today as his
Mexican brother. Tho haciendas, or
plantations, are owned by tho very rich
and cover an area Of from 10 to 100
square miles. Farming and agricultural
implements ore very primitive. The
plow is a crooked stick or beam and
scratches the ground to a depth of three
or four inches. This plow is drawn
by two oxen, and the harness is n broad
strap or rope passing over tho forehead
instead Of tho shoulders of the oxen.
Planting is done by poking a hole IN
the ground with a stick. dropping the
corn into IL, and the seed is covered by
the pcon in stepping from hole 20 hole.
On these immense tracts Of land the
natives, or poems, have lived for GEN.
turies and are forced TO buy all their
necessities Of life at the haciendado's
(landowner's) truck store. On the
hacienda the pcon gets from 1S to 20
couts n day for his work. and "A hut 10