The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1896-10-16

think that it is nearly correct. United
States money passes freely at the hotels
or business houses and they would allow
you, when I was iu Mexico, S1.s5 of
Mexican money for 81 Of ours, whether
the same was in silver or bill, for our
money all goesfor gold there. OF course
the poor class do not know anything
about our money and will not take it,
but all business houses do and at the
rate OF nearly two to one.
The rich are very prosperous and 1
think it is due to the cheap labor, for
they can produce crops and mine silver
for one-fourth the cost in the United
States. Silver is very plentiful, and I
saw railing around the altar at the
old church 'sGuadelupe" of solid silver
which weighed 26 tons, and at the old
cemetery, on the mountain back OF the
church, there are tons OF silver made
into monuments. 'ailings, caskets, etc.
For man to li3e there as we live is
very exr.nsi, Z and I will give you the
cost ,f i meal that I got on the train:
eggs, 40 cents, pint Of beer, 40 cents,
water is poor) cup of coffee, 20 cents,
cold ham, so cents, chicken, Sl.00.
Flour is worth $500 per hundred, and
the poor never use it. Domestic butter
IS to 40 cents, imported, Is cents, corn
meal to 81 cents per pound. Coffee
raising is becoming quite an industry
in certain parts of Mexico and foreign
capital is developing thousands Of acres
of wild mountainous land, and believe
this to be one of the best money making
investments in Mexico, for the reason
that very little care is necessary after
the coffee trees are once planted and
the work is all done by Mexican cheap
labor and paid for in cheap silver. The
coffee is sold in New York for gold.
There is no gold in circulation in
Mexico. If you have $1,000 or $4,000 to
invest know of no place where you
can make as much money as in Mexico
raising coffee. You can hire ten men
there cheaper than you can hire one
American miner here. When I see
you I will give you more detailed ac-
count of Mexico and its people and if
there is any doubt in your mind as to
the. truth of my statements I will refer
you to the American minister, H. b.
Ransom, or Chas. Shafer. consul at
Vera Cruz, or Isham Bros, City OF
Mexico, for most Of my information was
obtained from these parties. Most of
the Mexicans do not like the Ameri-
cans. Some of them have vivid re.
membrance of General Scott's visit
some years ago but they are fast get
ting over their hatred, which is due
chiefly to the influence OF President
Daiz. who is a brainy and progressive
man and who is adopting the modern
idea of government and trade with
other nations. The manner of farming
is very crude. You have no doubt
seen the pictures in the bible of a mar
plowing with a pair of steers with {
pole between them and cross piece a
the end of the pole. This is the kinc
of plow in use in Mexico. In conclus
ion will say these are some OF the con
: ditions in Mexico and whether it would
be different under gold standard
cannot say, but free silver certainl.
does not make the laboring man pros
porous in Mexico, but the rich canno
help but get richer. Trusting tina
: this rambling letter may enlighten yo1
somewhat [ am, Yours truly,
JOHN A. WILLIAMS.
Milkbank, S. D., Oct. 6, 1896.