Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-08-25
Prosperity in Mexico.

prosperity IN MeXlc0.
The condition of Mexico under the
silver standard has been so grossly
misrepresented by the pro-gold press
as to warrant if not necessitate the
reproduction of what Justice Walter
Clark says upon the subject in his
article in the March number of the
Arena. Justice Walter Clark is a
member of the supreme court of
North Carolina, and he wrote his ar
ticle for the Arena after an extensive
trip of investigation in Mexico. He
says:
AT Ell Paso we changed our United
States money into Mexican, receiv-
ing nearly two dollars for one. AS a
few years back the Mexican dollar
was at par with the American dollar,
this striking fact must be noticed
Either the American dollar must
have appreciated, in which.case debt
ors, both public and private, and all
taxpayers have been forced to pay
double what they should-an enor-
nous robbery of the many for the
benefit of the few, of the wealth pro-
ducers for the emolument of the
wealth consumers; or else the Mexi-
can or silver dollar has deprecated
one-half. If it were the latter, then
the prices of all things depending
upon competition would be doubled.
On the contrary, we find in Mexico,
that the prices of everything remain
at the same level as ten or fifteen
years ago. Cotton is 13 cents per
pound, wheat 81 per bushel and some
times a little more. Railroad pas
senger fares remain 2 and cents per
mile as formerly, and hotel rates the
same. This is true also of all articles
sold in the open market. There is a
slight rise in the value of real estate
and the price of labor, the latter,
heretofore, and even yet, being very
low for the lack of sufficient demand,
due to the increased prosperity of the
country and the opening up of new
industries. Decidedly, then, there
has been no depreciation in the value
of the silver dollar.
Turn to the United States. There
cotton is Z cents per pound, wheat
and corn 30 cents or less per bushe1,
and other produce likewise brings
half the price of a few years back,
while the repeated cuts in the wages
of labor and oft-recurring strikes
caused thereby prove beyond contro-
yersy the doubling of the standard of
value, the dollar. 1t takes in Mexico
the same quantity of produce to buy
dollar as formerly, while in the U n
tied States it takes double the guam
tity of produce, and nearly double
chase it. Decidedly. it is the dollar
in the United States which has been
enhanced in value. *** That silver
least NAV be seen RIGHT here in May,e
co, and throughout the fifty millions
of peonle living on This hem;snhara
sonth of the Rio Grande in ali what
countries the silver dollar will nov &c
mnch tases as mnch nuhlic ~ ry ,r ;s
yate indehtedness as m,,nh roi,rpa i
| freipht and nassenoar fare as = aUar
| did and WHARF coneennantiu for,,,
produce and land will hr1ng tho CANE
prices thew formerly did Tha Stand.
ard of yali1e not hay;no baa,o ortiG.
ciallv enhanced. fired cbaraos as
debts and taxes are NOT anSon'ood S
and the same amonnt If nrodn"a ~,
labor will nav them In The Gln;tod
States every farmer who last Voc,
sold cotton at = cents or wheat -,
corn at So cents or less was cnntrihnt Il.
ing inst one-half the valna If bic oro.
duce or labor will nav them In The
United States eyerv farmer who 10 Of
wear sold cotton al y cents or wheat
or coin at 80 cents or lass WAS con
tributine lust one-half the vaIne n
his produce to The fnrther enrich
| 1nent of those already rich The val
ne of cotton is IL cents and nnwards
and of wheat ri IN and inward,
measured nv the valne of the Goila,
when the bulk Of nrIvata and nnbiic
| indebtness was created and whan nf
| fetal salaries and most other Govern
! mental expenses were repnlafed
4 1t is we'll to consider the effect q,
Mexico of her wiser course of lertint
the standard of value remain as !
naturally was. In The first place he
farm and other products are RAISED
on the silver basis and ,re sold in tn,
United States on a gold basis COTE
for instance. is raised at q cost of
cents a pound in silver and is sold !,
San Francisco at ~ is cents in cold
equal to 41 cents in silver Thi
makes the raising of these art icla
for EXPORT very profituble Then tn
railroads charge at the same rate n
. formerly for Freight and nassany.r
q. e., 2or3 cents Der mile for 6as
seneersl with the resuit that The nee nee
pie can ship freight and travel a
} about half the cost 6measurino i,
produce) as in the Tinted Sta+as
:, The railroads are prosperous and he
coming more so each year. In Mex
r az only ona ro;Iroad 10 =, 49,. =, ~,