Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-08-13
correspondence baltimore sun.

differences in favor of free silver were |
. really attributable to the general poverty |
of the people, the ability and good faith |
shown by the administration of President |
Diaz, the peculiar operation of tariff laws |
and other Influences which would not
apply to free coinage in the United States.
We shall now proceed to consider the
facts reported from various, points in
Mexico by diplomatic and consular Off
GERS as to the standard of living among
the people, the prices of agricultural pro-
duce, the condition of manufactures and
the rates of wages in order to determine,
If possible, the actual results of free coin
age there.
Generally speaking" says the British
consul at Vera Cruz, "the demand in
! Mexico is for cheap goods rather than for
. superior goods" Foreigners" says Con-
sui Garden in the report quoted in former
article, CONSUME as n rule far more dutia-
BILE articles than Mexicans." In the spec
ial volume of United States consular re-
ports, Extension of Markets for Ameri-
can Flour" series of reports from the
consular officers in Mexico in 1894 bear
unvarying testimony to the fact that the
standard of living among the great bulk
of the population is low owing to poverty
and general backwardncss. According to
Vice-Consul Anderson, of Chihuahua,
"the standard of living among wealthy
people is very good, but with the poor or
peon Qaboring) class it is very p0or-in
fact, it is the extremes of luxury and alb
ject poverty" Vice-Consul Bielersherg,
of Matamors: "The only diet of the peo-
pie up to few years ago was corn and
black beans" Vice Consul de Gina, of
Mazatlan: "As great poverty prevails
throughout this district, the standard of
living is very low. y 1t is treat
for the poor laborer to eat piece of
bread" In January, 1894, according to
Consul General Crittenden, Mexican -four
was selling at from 6 to cents pound
Consul Huston, of Paso del Norte. near
the American line, reports: "The stand
ard of living In my consular district, ey-
cept among a small percentage of the
people, who constitute the better class, is
not high" Consul Sparks, of Piedras
Negras, also close to the Texan frontier,
says: THE low grade of flour is the
quality most used here" Consul Schae-
fer, of Vera Cruz: "The standard of liv-
ing in this consular district is not very
high. Fully three-fourths of the people
use corn instead of wheat flour and the
other fourth use medium grade of -four
made at interior points in Mexico.'
The production of flour in Mexico has
been mutiated by high duty on import.
ed flour. AT Saltilo, Consul Woessner
tells us, excellent wheat and -four are pro.
duced very cheaply, yet throughout MeXi
co, as we have seen. even in those portions
contiguous to the United States and pre-
sumably influenced to some extent nv orr
higher standard of living. the people nd
here to cheaper "staff of life." The fact
it must be conceded. is not Indicative OF
general prosperity and progress on a silye,
basis.
Official testimony MS to the prices nj
agricultural produce in Mexico, Will,
seeming to confirm the theory that til,
farmer would receive much more i,
nominal money on silver basis for wha,
be raises-a point which the opponepts n
free coinage conccde-and that therefore
the Mexican silver dollar has not the MIR
chasing power attributed to it, sets fortl
even more clearly the evil effects of n sil
yer standard in diyerting agricultural in
drstry from the raising of crops which ar
needed for consumption at home to thos
which can be exported and sold abrou,
for gold. In Mexico to-day there seems Il
T be scarcity of certain food products. n
indicated by their excessive cost, eve
after making due allowance for tbe Il,
probation of silver. and notwithstanding
the fact that they are protected by heay
duties, which ought to stimulate thc cu,t
walton of them The explanation is to h
found in the fact that Mexican nrricuI
ture finds it's greatest profit. its On fest n,
turns, in the raising of other products ia
which there is a greater demand ubrooI
and which, therefore, command biphe
prices in gold. For example, Mr.. Butle
secretary of the United States legation 4
the City of Mexico. under date of Marc
a, 1885, reports that a notably great in
petus has been given by the deprecia,io
of silver to the production of coffee. Sis,
grass and other fibres, vanilla beans. fin
woods, vegetable dyes, fruits, hides. tola
co and beans are other products that hay
felt this stimulus at the expense of stap
food supplies, such as wheat. Indian cor
and pork. Notwithstanding the great fc
tiity of the soil and its special adaptabi
ity to the growth of Indian corn, the pr,
duction is so restricted that Mexico hl
found it necessary on occasions of drougl
in certain localities to suspend the duty a
corn ip order to permit of its mpnrtatic
from the United States. But for the art
fetal stimulus given to other products ,
the expense of this great staple she wou
doubtless he able to supply any shortas
from her own granerics.
Inc latest official figures available shoy
ing tine range OF local prices for agricu
turai products IN Mexico currency al
those contained in n rppDrt nv Mr. Gnr1a