The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-10-23

me no leisure for anything else indeed.
/ sometimes wonder that Ry heoiln COZ
tinues so good as it does
well, 1 have the great hope that me
Republican, party will win the presloen-
tai election this year. and 90 not hesitate
to progn0sticafe, that on such a result De-
lung known. that without awaiting the
Inauguration of Major Mckinney the
mills. factories and commercial institli-
tons of the land will start up at once into
renewed prosperity, and nourishing bus:-
ness, to the consequent weil-being OF the
whole republic.
"You asked my opinion about silver IN
Mexico How i wish l had the tine 70
go into the subject with the necessary
statistics, but will have TO confine myself
simply 70 the following plain facts-facts
fron which any ordinay minded man can
make deductions.
Mexico IS theoretically himetaibc
country, but practically monometallic sill
YER You can have your silver and gold
bullion coined in the minis, paying the
coinage fee of about 4 per cent, more or
less, which coin is received at face value.
for all and every business transaction.
within the limits of the republic, but the
government does not obligate itself to
maintain the silver on parity with gold;
consequently, for the past twenty years
not a single gold coin has been seen in
ordinary circulation.
when silver fell below par in foreign
countries and gold gained premium
monometall.sm os silver set In. Will 1t
under like conditions do otherwise in the
United States?
.sThe gold coin is all exported. and can
be received in the United States at a loss
of 21a per cent, while Mexican silver dol
lars are worth there about 81 cents, in
American money. You would naturally
infer that under the change CT silver val
ues, the wage-earning class should enjoy
an increase of salaries, but such is not
the fact. On the contrary. have known
various mining districts in this state,
where good Mexican miners were former
" paid 500 per diem, when silver was
nearly at par, and who now work for SlJO
per day, in silver dollars, worth 81 cents.
At the same time should he purchase any
foreign goods he would have to pay gold
equivalent for the same.
if sold today, would not sell for 1 cent
more in silver dollars worth 81 cents,
than it cost me. and the rents they pro-
duee are the same in 52-cent dollars that
1 formerly received in gold dollars.
have seen comments on the prosperity
Of Mexico. Mexico is reasonably pros
porous, for the two following reasons:
From the protection given to manufae-
turing interests by the high tariff on i'm
portations from abroad; and the many
rich and undeveloped natural resources
of the country which has been the induc-
ing cause for the investment of much for
eign capital in this republic.
You may form an idea, Of the kind of
protection given by the Mexican tariff on
the following necessaries of life, and
which is a fair representation of the tariff
on other goods of commerce. excepting
mining machinery and lumber. which is
free: Tea, % cents per pound; coffee,
cents per pound; sugar, ~ cents per
pound; rice. 21a cents per pound; -four, 5
cents per pound; potatoes, / cent per
pound; ham, 10 cents per pound; bacon, 10
cents per pound; lard, 10 cents per ponud;
canned fruits, ST. cents per pound; butter
10 cents per pound; green fruits, l cent
per pound.
How would that kind of protection suit
our toilng farmers in catering to a home
market? 1 must remark, however that
the prosperity is more apparent than real.
The profit is to the few, and the masses
are miserably poor
''The products of the manufactures of
this coutry are sold at a point just little
less than the imported goods, to avoid for
eign competition. Hence we simply pay
gold prices or its equivalent for the native
manufactured goods. This is. in a sue
cinct form. the silver question in Mexico.
with kindest regards TO yourself and
family, 1 am, very cordially yours,
WILLIAM L. ZUBER."