Graham guardian., 1896-10-02
FACTS AND FIGURES.

To those who imagine that the
price of labor and living in Mex
leo possess significance for us, here
in the United States, the statement
of Hon. Thomas T. Crittenden, our
consul general in Mexico, will be
of the very greatest interest. For
our part, we have always contend
ed that no significance attaches
that labor is paid in Mexico, as
elsewhere, by the rule of supply
and demand, that poor wages and
poor living In Mexico prove moth
ing as against the silver standard,
any more than poor wages and
poor living in Italy, Germany and
Spain, prove something as against
the gold standard. We regard all
these statistics as worthless and
irrelevant, and so does Mr.. Crit
tenden, we assume, when he says
that sit is impossible to institute a
comparison between the people Of
the United States and those of this
country. Any such attempt would
be futile; they are wholly different
in habit of thought and mode of
life. Their ambitions are diverse,
and their education and tendencies
are dissimilar. There is no COM
mon plane of comparison. Mexico
must be measured by Mexican
standards"
Nevertheless the matter is Of in
terest to thousands, and we there
fore take pleasure in reproducing
Mr.. Crittenden's statement. Com
ing from such distinguished
source-from o gentleman who is
not only in position to speak
with authority, but incapable of
speaking otherwise than truly-it
will, we should think, put an end
to the silly and ignorant PROPOSE
tions that have been scattered
about so fuently of late, and en-
able intelligent and impartial men
to acquaint themselves, with the
real facts of the situation. We
shall anticipate but one feature of
Crittenden statement; leaving our
readers to examine the whole
document and draw conclusions
for themselves. The PAr, how
ever, has so often,and so positive.
ly stated that one can get as much
LIVING in Mexico out of a Mexican
silver dollar as in New York or
Washington out of gold dollar,
that we think it due to ourselves
to quote this confirmation of Mr..
CrittendeD:
Gas to the cost of living in Mex
leo, l find it in many respects
much cheaper than in the United
States. The manner of life made
possible and even necessary by
the climatic conditions simplifies
the problem. Fuel, for instance,
so considerable an item of expense
in the north, is an unimportant
feature here. l doubt if many
families spend so much as SIS per
year each for their charcoal. The
average expense for fuel for the
better classes is about S1.25 per
week. The use of fires for heat
ing alone is almost unknown.
Meats and fatty foods of whatever
kind, heavy woolen clothing, and
other items, ABSOLUTELY indespensi-
BILE to life and comfort in northern
climates, are not needed here; on
the contrary, they are even detri.
mental to health. In general /
find living in the City of Mexico
about as reasonable as at my home
in Kansas City. There are many
articles that enter into home con-
sumption that are much higher,
especially those not grown or pro-
duced in Mexics but when these
are considered the costs average
quite well. Servants are much |
cheaper, and when good ones are
obtained they are as servicable and |
more contented, seldom leaving
the premises, and never complain
ing of the work. Hotel and board
ing house rates ars about the same
In Mexican money as they are in
the United States in American
coin. / have heard tourists say