The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-10-12

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This Is Not a Report by ..piutocrat,.n
CHICAGO, OCT 1.-THE committee OF
the Trades and Labor Assembly sent 10
Mexico by that organization 80 inves-
tigate the condition OF the laboring
Glasses of that country has scturned 10
Chicago and submitted It's report at the
meeting of the assembly this afternoon.
The report was adopted by an almost
unanimous vote. only two members
speaking In opposition to 1t.
The delegates claimed, in submitting
their report, that they carried out their
mission in an unbiased and non-parti-
san manner, and they simply pictured
the low state OF the working classes as
1t, was, without reference to political :
questions. There were many ejacula-
tIons OF establishment at thGS pltlable
pictures presented, and the motion to
adopt the report called forth but little,
debate. The report is very lengthy and
the following is q portion of 1t:
The first stop made by your commit
tee was at Ell Paso. Texas, where we in
vestlgated the wages paid and condi-
tlons OF the American laborers, From
that point we crossed to the city of Jua-
rez, but two miles from Ell Paso. At
this place a complete change met the
eye-everything assuming a Mexican
air-and We realized chat the time had
arrived when the real duties OF our
mission began. We took observations
of the people as to their appearance,
mode Of living, social conditions, wages
paid and prices OF commodities. and were
surprised at the contrast as compared
with conditions, &C., in FL Paso.
| The two peoples. as to their habits,
tastes, customs and modes of llfe,i are
such that a comparison is unnatural
Life IS regarded from very different
standpoints. as they live under different
| conditions, inasmuch as the Mexican la
| borer Is apparently content with the
| four bare walls OF his ten-foot-squares
| adobe hut, with nothing inside but the
ground 10 sleep upon, shawl or blan-
| kat to cover or wrap himself up In.
| dish Of tortllles Corn pan-cakes) and
| frejoles (beans) for his frugal meal, and (
in large number OF cases, q little pig,
dog and a chicken or two OF the game
cock order. sharing his scant quarters
while the American laborer across the
| line has all the comforts and many of
the Injuries OF life.
| Wages In MeXico-eXcept to skilled
! and steady mechanics-always foreign
ers-are very low. On railroads, engi- s
nters (Americans) on passenger train,
! receive $40 per month. while the fire.
men (McXicans) receive 81 S5 per day:
| freight engineers tAmerlcln) $3.50 per (
month; flremen (MeXican) 81 so to 81 Is !
per day; passenger conductors (Ameri-
cans) $50 per month. brakemen (MeSl-
CAM 81 80 per day; freight conductors
| (American) 5000 per month, brakemcn
| tMeXican> s57 TO S63 per month; Pull
man conductors $50 per month (Amerl- X
can money! and the porter $50 per z
| month (American money! with IS per
month extra for being able TO speak
| Spanish. The national soldiers Cor reg
ular army of Mexico. called rurales, and !;
who are all ex-bandits, receive 81 per-
day. In broom factory near the depot
at Jimenes. the men are paid so cents, 4
women and children IS to 3Ik cents per
day. In the cotton mills, cotionseed oil Z
mills and soap factory at Torrenn, men :
are paid 3Iis TO 80 cents, women and y
children 25 cents per day. a carcador
| (public carrier) has a rate OF 12|i cents !.
per hour. but you can hire him for from
20 TO 3i4= cents Per day.
Very Poorly Paid.
At Leon, where nearly all the leather 4
goods In Mexico are manufactured, the B
peon gets his leather cut for shoes, har;-
ness or other goods 10 be made By him
and takes the materials to his hut. where
the whole family assists him, the same !,
as in the sweat shops of Chicago. For
making shoes he receives 81 and upward Y
per dozen pairs; oil the other leather
goods he receives 5T1s to 80 cents per day
for his laborS, working as long as day
| Hight lasts averaging twelve to fourteen.
| hours per day. Common laborers can
be hired for is TO 20 cents per day. IlouseSe
servants male or female, receive 50 10
So per month and board themselves. ln5
or near cities poems live In adobe houses
and pay a rental OF 50 year for the
| ground that the house stands upon.
| When leaving this for another, locatlon,ss
| al llt"lmprovements" the pcon has made
10 TO the landlord, or owner. OF the land,
WIN pay iu FliNtH NHohShS' OH shS
| land. ssr
A mans chief article of dress is his 7
6nmbrero, often costing as much as Ss5 u
/ (which Is bought on the ins;allmentsj 81
plaM), WHILE the balance OF his clothing
| would make crazy guilt turn green
with envy. owing to It's variety OF culors !
and assortment of patches, making IL a
hnrd problem to solve as 60 which Is the
original garment and which the patch.
No stockings are worn by either sex. and z
only about onc-third wear sandals,
which are made from n piece OF sole
Heather and tied 10 the foot with straps.
These sandals cost from l. 10 20 cents
per pair. The average cost OF the ne
ccssitles OF life for pcon family.or i've X
Is % cents per day, and clothing Tor the \
same costs about so per year.
The days work In Mexico runs from
ten 10 fourteen hours. The bakers work
twenty hours and workmen whoAtakr 4
| work 10 their homes work as long as h
| they please. The Mexican lnborer0 worksls N
easy rs compared with the gAmcrlcane q
laborcr. except the carrier who bears
| enormous burdens OH his back all day.
without manircstinE fatigue. The ques-5
tiOn OF shorter hours In Mexico ia a long \
ways OF. FOR II country IN which laborG5
Ia 80 cheap md plentiful thnt II 5ls OFF,
fcred ns En irducemens TO bring capital
In. aud Its tolIrr6 win I've compelled 20
work as many hours as they are iphysl-it
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