The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-10-12
1T IS MADE PUBLIC
>hicago's Labor Assembly Has In-
vestigsltd Afiirs in Mexico.
CONDITIONS AS THEY ARE
The Wages Paid In Different Parts
OF the Gountry-Advantages and
Disadvantages, and Other
important Things.

chicago, OCT. 1.-Tne committee OF
the Trade and Labor assembly sent
to Mexico by that organization ITO In
vestigate the condition of the laboring
classes Of that country" has returned
10 Chicago and submitted its report at
the meeting of the assembly this aft
ernoon. The report Is In part as fol-
lows:
"The first stop made by the COM
mittee was at FL Paso. Tex. where
We Investigated the wages paid and
the condition OF the American laborers.
From that point We crossed 10 the
city Of Jaurez. but two miles from FL
Paso At this place complete change
met the eye-everything assuming a
Mexican air-and we realized that the
time had arrived when the real duties
OF our mission began. We took OBJ
servations Of the people as to their ap-
pearance mode OF living. social condi-
tions. wages paid and prices Of COM
modities and were surprised at the con-
trast as compared with conditions we
left In FL Paso.
"The two peoples, as TO their habits.
tastes, customs and modes of life, are
such that q comparison Is unnatural.
Life is regarded from very different
standpoints. as they live under differ
ent conditions. inasmuch as the Mexi-
can laborer Is apparently contented
with the four bare walls of his ten
foot square adobe hut with nothing
inside but the ground to sleep on. a
shawl or blanket to cover or wrap him
self up In. dish Of tortillas (corn pan
cakes) and frijoles (beans) for his
frugal meal. and In large number Of
cases. a little pig, a dog and chicken
or two Of the game cock order sharing
his scant quarters, while the American
laborer across the line has all the COM
forts OF home and many OF the luxuries
Wages In Mexico. except the skilled
and steady mechanics-always foreign
ers-are not very low On railroads.
engineers (American) on passenger
trains receive s2l0 per month. while
the flremen (Mexicans) receive s1S5
per day: freight engineers (Ameri-
cans). $3.50 per month; firemen (Mexl-
CAM, si.50 to N.75 per day: passenger
conductors (American). $3.50 per month;
brakemen (Mexican), $3.50 per day:
freight conductors (American). $500
per month; brakemen (Mexlcan). s67
to s63 per month: Pullman conductors.
$50 per month (American money!, and
the porters s2s per month (American
being able to talk Spanish. The ma
tional soldiers Irregular army Of Mexico
called rurales. and who are all ex-
bandits) receive 81 per day.
in a broom factory near the depot
at Jimenez. the men are paid so cents.
women and children 25 to 37Is cents
per day. In the cotton mills, seed oil
mills and soap factories at Torreon
men are paid AN to 80 cents. women
and children 25 cents per day. A car
cador (public carrier) has rate Of
12ia cents per hour. but you can hire
for from 25 to 37h per day. At Leon.
where nearly all the leather goods In
Mexico are manufactured. the peon
gets his leather cut for shoes or other
goods to be made by him and takes
the material to his hut, where the
whole family assist him. the same as
In the sweat shop OF Chicago. For
making shoes he receives 81 and up
ward per dozen pairs; on the other
goods he receives 37is to 80 cents per
day for his labors. working as long as
daylight lasts, averaging from twelve
to fourteen hours per day.
Common laborers can be hired for
from IS to 20 cents per day. House
servants. male or female. receive 81 to
s5 per month and board themselves.
In or near cities poems live In adobe
houses and pay rental of 81 year
for the ground that the hut stands on
When leaving this for another loca-
ton all improvements the people have
made go to the landlord or owner OF
the land. who pays no taxes whatever
on the land"
Continuing. the report says: THE
II. - r.
cften costing as much as s35 (which
is bought on the instalment plan).
while the balance Of his clothing would
make a crazy quilt turn green with
envy, owing to its variety of colors
and assortment OF patches. making 1t
e. hard problem TO solve as to which Is
the original garment and which the
patch. No stockings are worn by eth
er sex and only about one-third wear
| fandals, which are made from a piece
of sole leather and tied to the foot
with straps. These sandals cost from
| " to 20 cents per pair. The average
cost Of the necessities OF life for peon
| family OF five Is Is cents a day and
clothing for the same costs $40 per
year.
"The days work In Mexico runs
from 10 to IA hours. The bakers work
| 20 hours and workmen who take work
10 their homes work as many hours
as they please. The Mexican laborer's
work Is easy as compared with the
| American laborer except the carriers,
| who bear enormous burdens on their
backs all day without fatigue.
"The question OF shorter hours In
| Mexico Is a long way of. A country
| In which labor Is so cheap and plenti-
| full II Is offered as an inducement to
bring foreign capital In. and its toll
| ers will be compelled to work as many
| hours as they are physically able.
| Thanks TO organized labor. or the
American workingman would be in
the same condition to-day as his Mexi-
can brother.
THE haciendas Tor plantatlons) are
owned by the very rich and cover an
area OF from 10 TO 100 square miles
| Farming and agricultural implements
are very primitive The plow Is a
crooked stick or beam and scratc hes
the ground to a depth OF three or four
Inches. This plow' Is drawn by two
oxen and the harness is a broad strap
or rope passing over the forehead in
stead OF the shoulders Of the oxen.
/ Planting is done by poklng a hole into
the ground with stick dropping the
| corn into Il and the seed = covered by
the peon in stepping from hole 10 hole.
/ on these Immense tracts OF land the
natives or poems have lived for GEN.