The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-17
ALL TuRN no 1FExIoo.

The Chicago Record has sent a corps
of correspondents into Mexico to as
certain the true situation in regard to
the effect of free silver on business
and wages in that country. Mr.. Trum-
bull White, one of the Records cores
pondents, in his initial letter to his pa
per quotes a resident of the country as
saying:
Il don't want to do anyone an injus-
tice, but 1 must say that those Of US
who live in this neighborhood and have
seen the work that has been done by
most of the men who have come down
here to get facts bearing on the pres
ent campaign. have come to the con-
clusion that they came with opinions
ready formed looking for things to YER
ify them. We have seen so many in
accurate tables of wages and of prices,
made for purposes of comparison, that
we have come to believe that the in
tention has been to secure campaign
literature rather than a fair report on
the conditions as they are"
The gentleman quoted then proceeds
to say that freight engineers and con-
ductors are making from 5000 to S225
per month in Mexican silver which
buys for them as much of everything
except American money as it did when
silver was at par. Asked if these men
did not buy imported goods at high
prices, with duty added. he re-
Piled:
Yes. they do buy imported shoes
for their best, and some other things,
too, from imported stocks. But in
stead of being from the United tates
most Of these things are from France,
England and Germany, and are so
good-better than they can get any
| where else-that it is real economy to
buy them. This applies to suits of
clothes, and such things. Except for
the very cheapest ready-made clothing,
| suits are as cheap in Mexico as they
are in the United States, and often
cheaper"
Continuing he said: Most of the
price comparisons have been remarka-
bly, misleading, and they could have
little weight on the question under dis
cussion if the people who read them
| knew the other conditions and circum-
| stances. The writer's have chosen
| American goods. goods seldom used and
| little wanted by the NIexicans for the
| comparisons, and have omitted alto
| gether the things that in Mexico are
| considered the necessities of life. It is
because of this that the tables are
worthless as showing the cost of liv-
| ing in the republic
Carpenters, the correspondent is in
formed, get 81 a day in the City Of
Mexico and are busy all the time.
! Mr.. P. B. Chisem, a leather manufac-
turer of Guaymas, expressed the opin-
ion that it would be better for Mexico
| that theUnftedStates should remain on
a gold basis. He is quoted as follows:
'I am engaged extensively in the
manufacture of leather at Guaymas,
and have just closed a big Iether con
tract with Japan. I make large ship
ments to England, and receive gold for
/ them.
What wages do I pay? Well, my
| employees can live much better in Mex
leo on their salaries than any of your
labOring men can live on the wages
they receive. pay my skilled labor
ers IS and 81 a day, and the common
labor $40 a month. A person can live
well at Guaymas on $40 a month. One
hundred fine oysters cost 25 cents, sew
en- pounds of fresh fish 10 cents and a
large green turtle to make rich soup
for several hundred persons costs only
50 cents. A carpenter in Guaymas re-
ceives So a day and a blacksmith So. so.
A skilled, sober and industrious work
man receives better pay in Mexico
than he can get in the United States.
Sonora is the most prosperous state
in Mexico. There are no paupers in So
nora Her people have money or they
are at work. There is a constant de-
mand for labor, often for more than
can be obtained and at times we have
| difficulty in getting house servants be-
cause absolutely no one is idle.''
Although serving their government