Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-10-15
wor.ingmsn in Fres-sllvsr Mexico.

n l. ne WorkiDBintn bi iuiB country WuO
desire an object lesson of the results of
silver as the basis Of a governments
financial system, have but to look upon
the other side OF tile Rio Grande.
There they can see free silver coin
age country Mexico silver dol
lars, containing more coin silver than
the American silver dollar, can be pur-
chased in this country at tifty.five
cents piece.
Recently the Chicago Trades and
Labor Assembly sent to Mexico
committee composed of P. j. Mas
and Patrick Enright, to investigate
the condition of workingmen in that
country Their report has Just been
made public, and in its opening para
graph calls particular attention to
the prospertuses sent out from Mexico,
inviting capitalists to invest there, in
which stress is laid on the low rate of
wages, the contented disposition of the
poems, and the absence of labor organi
cations. The committee found no facts
to contradict these circulars; in fact,
they wers shocked to learn that human
beings would live as do the Mexican
poems, who, they said, were virtually
slaves. These conditions were found
to exist Immediately upon crossing the
river. The contrast was found in the
American city of Ell Paso. on the
Texas side Of the Rio Grande. Here
are the facts as to wages, reported by
the committee:
Wages in Mexico. except to skilled
and steady mechanics always foreign
ers- are veiy low. On railroads en-.
| gineers tAmericans) on passenger
trains receive S2l0 per month, while
the firemen tMexicans) receive 81. So
per day; freight engineers tAmeri-
cans), $3.50 per month; firemen (Mexi-
CAM, Sl.50 to 81. rs per day; pas
senger conductors (Americans), SLIGO
per month; brakemen tMexican), 81. so
per day; freight conductors tAmeri-
cam, 5000 per month; brakemen tMexi-
CAM, S57 to SOB per month; Pullman
conductors, $50 per month american
money!, and the porter $50 per month
| american money!, with So per month
extra for being able TO talk Spanish.
The national soldiers Tor regular
| army of Mexico, called rurales. and
who are all ex-bandits, receive 81 per
day. In broom factory near the depot
at Jimenez the men are paid so cents,
women and children 20 to 371a cents
per day.
In the cotton mills, cotton seed oil
mills and soap factory ut Torreon men
are paid 371s to so cents, women and
children % cents per day. A carcalor
public carrier) has rate OF 12la cents
per hour, but you can hire him for
from 20 to 371s cents per day.
| At Leon, where nearly all the leather
goods in Mexico are manufactured, the
peon gets his leather cut for shoes,
harness or other goods TO be made by
him and takes the material to his
Eouse, where the whole family assist
him the same as in the sweat shops OF
Chicago.
For making shoes he receives 81 and
upward per dozen pairs; on the Other
leather goods he receives BIB to sc
cents per day for his labors, working
as long as daylight lasts, averaging
twelve to fourteen hours per day. Com
mon laborers can be hired for Is to 81
cents per day. House servants, male
or female, receive 50 to So per month
and board themselves.
In or near cities poems live in adob,
houses and pay rental of So a yea
for the ground that the houss stands
on. When leaving this for another
location all Improvement" the peoi
has made go to the landlord or owne
of the land, who pays no taxes what
ever on the land.
A mans chief article of dress is hi
sombrero, often costing as much as SIS
(which is bought on the instalmen
planl, which the balance of his cloth
ing would make a crazy quilt turl
l green with envy, owing to its variet
of colors and assortment of patches
making it e hard problem to solve a
+ to which is the original garment an
which the patch.
No stockings are worn by either sex
= and only about one-third wear sandals
7 which are made from piece of sol
leather and tied to the foot with straps
These sandals cost from II to 20 cent
, per pair.
The average cost of the necessities G
3 life for peon family Of five is 81 cent
per day and clothing for the same cost
about $40 per year.
4 The days work in Mexico runs fror
n ten to fourteen hours. The bakers wor
q twenty hours, and workmeu who tax
work to their homes work as man
hours rs they please.
y Another paragraph, showing the COS
!, of procuring articles of food that al
o far from being considered Injuries i
o this country, is as follows:
J In the cities of Zacatecas and Guans
I. juato, with populations of 10000 an
& 10000 respectively, We failad to q
. butter and potatoes on the tables
the best hotels. On inquiry we wei
+ informed that il we paid 81 ponn
o for butter it would be purchased an
u Kept for our exclusive use.
" The conclusion that the committt
8 arrived at is thus forcibly set forth;
/, That the American workingman is
prince compared to the workingman
Mexico that in this country all star
. equal in social and political life an
y in that political right they shoul
IL exercise with care the faithful di
d charge of their duties, unprejudice
@ and unbiased, by supporting sue
N principles as will 10 the greatest goo
= to the greatest number, irrespective
party politics or the machinery Of eth,
IS party who may manipulate condition
q and measures for personal gain TO Il
" detriment of the whole people.
r So much for Mexico, with its silvr
/ financial system. The picture is not
.t campaign contribution, drawn for p
- Eft,,l otTa,t tut /, tha ro,,,II - -.