The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1896-09-19
TRAVELS IN MEXICO.
THIRD OF A SERIES OF r. =,
LIGHTS LETTERS.
"S"Ho VINO imagines That Frcc Silver
injuring Our Country Cuch, to
Read This - Not an Idle ye-km,,
Anywhere in the Republic.
copyrighted 1896 by Chicaso Press
Bureau)
THIRD LETTER.
chihuahua. AUG. 16. 1So

Hhu 81 Wdny attractions in this
quaint enterprising city, that | an
carrying here longes thsr | expected
that | may fully Investigate its in.
dustries.
The largest manufacturing plant in
Northern Mexico - chat Of The InGus-
Tlal Company @: Chihuahua. The
principal owner = Mr.. Enrique Creel,
the banker, WhOse very instructive In
terVleW | recorHed in my previous let
Ter. Mr. E. G. t'reel, his brother, is the
superintendent. The works were cs-
tabllshed by the erection of a small
1odndry ard machine shop, and en-
pioyed OF capital of $4,000. Later
Inc capltA was increased. and the pro
Its have been allowed to accumulate
until ncN the company has a capital of
$1oV,0Vs. Mr.. Creel very courteously
shoWfM me through the works in which
ne takes a pardonable pride. He in
lorIed me their employees are chiefly
nanlVes, to whom they pay the same
wages for the same work as to for
0aHners, and the scale of WAGES now
employed was molders, $500 to $500.
machinic.S, $500 to $500 per day of 10
hours.
IN the iolling MIL the employees from
foreman to iron handlers average "a "a
per day of IL hours per shift. Six
months ago they employed twenty for
elgners mostly Americans. Now thew
employ but three, as they find that the
Mexicans turn cut more work. because
they VIII bear rushing, which the
americans would not. Mr.. Creel said
ne preferred the Mexicans because thew
old not understand the art of comhin.
ing and coercing their employers as
did the Americans.
Inc weekly payroll of the Industri.
III 20. amounts to $4,000. The product
covers merchant bar iron, castings for
stoves, architectural work, castings for
smeiters and mines, and general mach
!ue WORK. The work Is of inferior fin
1sh, inartistic in design. and lacking
that attractive style our Americans
produce; but 1t may satisfy their trade. {
Inc thought presented to nv mind ,
was, with the competition of an Ameri-
can plant, under the direction of one
VINO was thoroughly conversant with c
lne business, 1t would be necessary to r
urn out better work or lose the trade 6
Deiieve there is grand opening at =
Mexico City, the commercial metro .
OILS Tor plant Of equal magnitude
0 De operated by American capital ),
md directed by American skill. )
MI. Creel told me that last spring a 5
arge contract was awarded in Mexico q
lily, to which foreign manufacturers o
eere invited and were present, but that U
ne Industrial Works secured the en- y
ne order amounting to upwards of a
IoV,ooo. This was made possible by n
no nigh rate of exchange which has ct
roved Of inestimable benefit to Mexican b.
1dustrtes, and shut all manufacturers a
Ut that operate in gold standard coun. tt
les. ''1A n
AS look into this question I can a
'me to no other conclusion that that W
" manufac!urers have not studied b,
us monetary question from the stand w
'int OF self-interest. That they do
u realize that through its operation =
e hlver-using nations are establish til
. new industries, covering every i'm eli
.rtant branch in those countries I'll
mere we have long monopolized their nj
.iuaole trade, and that new indus ha
les are being planted upon such a We
id foundation they can never be dis. hu
aged. Look at Japan. Never did Ia
untry develop their resources more wi
pidly' and never were our industries PEI
seriously threatened in our homo col
arKets, as by that nation operating VIII
on silver basis with their abun. I'm
~ cheap labor. Should we remain Oh,
a eold basis and double our present hel
III loarring transportation thew AM
'ulu yet nave an equal chance in our col
'rKels. Restore unlimited coinage Of wa
ser, ana we at once place them a soa
evel with our manufacturers IL there can
no tariff. Then by continuing the hay
IN OF today, or increase it If Won pre-
ase' we snail effectually shut them losi
OF our markets. II the committee of
{ Is now In South America looking the
new avenues Of trade will take I'm con
monetary question and study il beg
u a non-partisan standpoint. thew rep
reach the conclusion that thew can pait
omplish more by returning and ac- $40
intlng their brethren of the +r,. and
Sc OF the present paralysis of their We
mess. than can possibly be accom-. eacl
ned oy advertising their wares in plo,
ntries operating on a silver basis hou
MS statement is doubted let them and
committee to Mexico, where orr Al
lufacturers few years ago sold in e
republic very large part of the the
IS II consumed. Then we annually two
balance of trade against this ped
on OF some 5000 900. which has and
! gradually reduced until in 1894 the
9 was balance against year
OF over $1,000 900. Under amo,
. conditions is 1t surprising left
upwards of $3.50, OOO,O 900 Of facto
gn gold has found more profitable proc
Stment here. than at home? gut harry