The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-08-22

New York World has been misled about
the effect of silver monometallism N
Mexico
No one can doubt the sincerity of the
World, no one can question it's democ-
racy nor fail to recognize the enormous
power of a newspaper with over three
quarters of a million circulation, for good
or evil; none will deny the immense ser
vice you have done to humanity by your
relentless war on trusts and monopoles
and your exposure of crime, and that you
are wavering on the great question of the
day, eager to get at and impart the truth,
is evident to every reader, but that your
great influence will be swung into line be-
fore the close Of the campaign in support
of the democratic nominee and platform
is here predicted.
Mexican Dollar at Home and Abroad.
True, Mexico is today on a free silver
basis, but instead of misery and depres-
sion, she presents to the world a condi-
ton of conspicuous prosperity unprece-
dented in her history
Her silver dollar is worth but So cents
in gold standard countries but that same
silver dollar is worth 100 cents at home,
and buys as much Of the native products
of her soil as ever it did.
What has been the effect of the gold
standard countries treating MeXico's dol
lar as bullion and refusing to receive it
except at bullion value (53 cents) today?
1t has increased her exports and decreas-
ed her imports. 1t has placed her on a
basis of industrial independence. 1t has
resulted in an influx of foreign capital
to develop her immense interior resources
1t has caused manufacturing, mercantile
and other industrial enterprises to spring
up all over the country, who have given
employment to thousands of hitherto idle
workmen and afforded them an oppOrtun-
ity to raise themselves from the level Ct
a common Mexican peon and make me-
chanics, machinists, engineers and skilled
artisans out Of themselves, and it has af-
forded Mexico an opportunity to produce
on her own soil such articles as these
gold standard countries refuse to sell her,
except at an enormous premium of So TO
100 per cent. and she is silently taking ad-
vantage of it,
Has Mexico been clamoring for a recog-
milton of an International metal ratio with
other countries? No. She quietly goes
on in her march of progress and sells
these gold standard countries more of her
products than ever and buys less of theirs
and all this on silver bass. Her mines
are being opened. Shelters and mills IRE
being erected to market her lead, iron,
copper, silver and gold and her already
great railroad system is being expanded
to connect the Atlantic with the Pacific.
Even such wealthy and shrewd Ameri-
can corporations as the great Calumet
and Hecla' mining company, with their
$45 OO0. 900. controlled by an English syndi-
cate, after paying dividends of a like
amount, are now seeking to invest the
bulk of this enormous capital in Mexico.
Cost of Living.
Does the New York World call this a
picture of misery and despair?
Now, as to prices of living, rent, ETC..
under the silver standard. A first-class
hotel room can be had at the Jardin,
Iturbide or Guardiola, three of the lead
ing hotels of the city, at $3.50 per day,
and meals at their respective restaurants
at $3.50 per day or 81 per day by the
month. Cabs of which there are three
classes, the first, blue sign, 81 per hour;
the second, red, at IS cents per hour; and
the third, yellow, at so cents per hour,
and everybody here who has got more
sense than money takes a yellow bird
and pays so cents per hour as per tariff
rates, conspicuously posted in every cab.
Sugar, flour. corn, milk, eggs, meat,
coffee and all similar articles produced
in Mexico cost about the same as In New
York. dollar for dollar. Sugar, for in
stance. costs cents a pound. On canned