Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-27
LABORAND WAGES IN MEXICO
The State Department is After Accurate In
formation.
How the People Fare Under q Free
Coinage Monetary
System.

The State Department is seeking light on
the financial question r1ainly in regard
to the conditions of life and labor in silver
countries. So far as known the inquiries
of the department are mainly confined to
Mexico as the most available source of In
formation. The various consular officers
Of the United States in that country are
said to have received letters from Mr..
Rockhill, assistant secretary of state. in
regard to this subject. A letter received
by the consul general at Nueva Laredo,
Mexico, from Assistant Secretary Rock
hill may be accepted as a fair index Of
those supposed to have been sent by the
State Department to other consular officers
in Mexico.
The consul general at Nueva Laredo is
directed to furnish as quickly as possible
a statement showing the prices now and in
1888 upon a long list of articles, such as
g.nghams, flour, flannel, bacon end things
which enter into general consumption in
American families. The letter also called
for a statement of wages paid labor Of
various kinds in 1873 and now.
In 1873 the Mexican dollar Was worth a
little more than 100 cents Now 1t Is
quoted at 81 cents.
A Comparison Desired.
The State Department wishes to show in
comparison the prices and the wages under
the two conditions of silver at par and
silver at 81 cents. II will not take long
to compile the statement OF wages. When
finished that statement will show the
wages Of 1873 and the wages of 1896 to
be the same in dollars, although the dollars
have changed In value.
In a recent conversation in regard to the
condition Of labor in Mexico under the
silver standard Mr.. Wales, United States
vice consul general at Nueva Laredo. is
credited with having made the following
statement:
High Wages Scarce.
"a comparison of wages in this country,
Mexico, is somewhat difficult to make.
You cannot say that one class Of servants
receive the same pay. Take the house SER
wants. One will receive more than another.
1 have good cook to whom 1 pay $40 a
month"; and another servant who gets s..
There may be some house servants of tried
capacity who get 81 or s. more than others.
But for the same kind of service we pay
the same in Mexican money that we did in
1873, and before that. On the railroads the
laborer receives the same as or little less
than the rate which has prevailed for
years. On most of the haciendas the rate
for labor has been three reals or 81 1-2
cents. a day for years. Very little Of it is
paid in money. Every hacienda has its
store. The peon trades out his wages. He
rarely has anything coming to him. l have
no idea that the comparison Of wages ow
with what were paid for the same kinds of
labor In 1873, when silver dollars were
worth 100 cents. will show any Increase"
Low Dollar Values.
Capt. E. r. Tarver, the editor of the La
redo News, who has lived on the border
for more than forty years, has seen the
Mexican dollar pass for s1.1O all over that
region, and as far into the United States
as San Antonio. From a value of $1.10 this
dollar dropped to 4S cents. 1t is worth to-
day 81 cents. 1t was worth week ago 53
cents. But the Mexican laborer of today, it
is said, receives just as many 5l-cent dol
lars as his father received 11O-cent dollars.
No more, no less.
Il have known this country intimat ely
and continuously" said Capt. Tarver, ";.nd
for thirty years there has been no varia-
ton in the wages of herders, of farm work
ers. or of any class of common labor. For
different kinds of Mexican labor the range
is 50 to S15 a month, and it has been that
year after year.