Rocky Ford enterprise., 1896-10-15
CONDITIONS IN mexlco.
Tho Chicago Labor Assembiy's Commi,te &c
Report,

| NrpOrt.
Chicago. Oct. l1.-Thc committee of
the Trades and baI.or Assembly. sent TO
Mexico by that organization '.to investi-
gate the condition of the laborins classes
or that country" has returned to Chicago.
and submitted Its report at the meeting
of the assembly this afternoon.
The report was adopted by an almost
unanimous vote, only two members
speaking in opposition to 1t.
The delegates claimed in submitting
their report. that they carried ont their
mission in an unbiased and non-partisan
manner. and they simply pictured the low
state Of the working classes as 1t was
without reference TO political questions
There We're many calculations Of aston-
ishmcnt at the pitiable pictures presented.
and the motion to adopt the report called
forth but little debate. The report says
In part:
"Thc two peoples. as to their habits.
tastes. customs and modes Of life, are
such that comparison is unnatural. Life
is regarded from very different stand
points, as they live under different coll
dltions, inasmuch as the Mexican laborcr
Is apparently contentcd with the four
bare walls OF his tcn-foot square adobe
hut. with nothing inside but the bare
ground to sleep on. a shawl or blanket To
wrap himself In, a dish Of tortillas corn
pancakcs) and frigiles (beans) for his
frugal meal. and In a large number of
cases, little pig. dog and chicken or
two of the game cock order sharing his
scant quarters. while the American labor
er across the line had all the comforts of
home and many of the luxurlcs Of life.
Wages in Mexico, except to skilled
and steady mechanics-always foreigners
are very low. On railroads engineers
(.Americam on passenger trains receive
$3.50 per month"; while the firemen Mex
icans) receive Sl.S5 per day: freight en-
G.neers (Amerlcam $3.50 per month. fire
men (AIeXicam S1.50 TO S1.75 per day:
passenger conductors (American) S160
per month. brakemen (AIeNicam S1.n
per day: freight conductors american,
5000 per month. brakcmen (MeNican) SOL
TO SG3 per month; Pullman conductors
$50 per month american money!, and
the poriers sos per month (American
money! with 81 per month extra for be-
ing able TO talk Spanish. The national
soldiers Irregular army of MeXico). called
rurales. and who are all ey-bandits. re-
ceive 81 day. In n broom factory, near
the depot at Jimencz, the men are paid
80 cents, women and children % to BIG
cents per day In the cotton mills. seed
oil mills and soap factories ut Torreon.
men are paid 4Iia to 30 cents, women
and children 81 cents per day. A CARA
dor public carrier, has rate OF 12lA
cents per hour. but you can hire him for
from % to 37h. cents per day.
"Your commission would caution Amer
lean workmen against going to Mexico
without sufficient funds to bring them
back or to have employment secured be-
fore going there or they will be obliged
to subslst on cactus and the sap Of the
TeQuila plant while doing the country.
On asking an American who was coll
ducting prosperous business in one of
the cities. which your commission visited.
why |, was that the foreigners all seemed
to be making money, no matter what
business they were engaged In. he. with
characteristic Yankee frankness, replied:
.The laborer here is different from the
laborer in the states. Here labor is cheap
and we have no brains to contend with. "