Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-21
THE BURDENS
Which Free Silver imposes on the PeopI'
OF mexico.

The following letter to the n. Y. Mai
and Express from the city of Mexico Il
of interest to all who have heard tn
extravaganza claims in that country:
City of Mexico, Sept. 1.-The blight
ing effect of deprecated currency IL
the affairs of government can be seer
at glance in the capital city of tn,
United States of Mexico. AS the coli
Of the country falls in value, the reven
ues shrink and taxes must be increase
to meet the expense Of administering
the nations affairs. While the purchas
ing power of money decreases, wages
remain at the same standard. the cos
Of all necessaries of life keeps pace witt
the rising taxes, and so men in everj
walk of life see the value of their la bon
contracted as measured by the purchas
ing power Of the deprecated money
Here is a simple object lesson:
AS the coinage of the nation lost its
value year by year the Diaz govern
ment was compelled, in order to obtain
revenue, To keep increasing the duties
on all imports and by internal revenue
taxation. When the dollar was OF
standard value the duty on leather was
30 cents pound. now it is 60 cents.
The duty on ingram carpets was 30
cents kilogram. rs pounds, now 1t
Is % cents. The duty on yarn or wool
was 80 cents kilogram, now it is 81 IS.
The duty on common wood bedsteads
was cents kilogram, now it is 20
cents. The tariff on all liquors was
doubled so as To make the deprecated
revenue equal the old standard of sound
money receipts. The clothing of WOODEN
cloth used by the well-to-do is now
taxed $3.50 kilogram, or almost 81 80
a pound. Linen wear for men is 81 a
kilo, cheese ) cents pound lard J
cents pound. 1T is 50 with every arti-
cal whether il be beer. opium, COZ
liver oil. liniments, soap. buttons, cot
ton cloth, coffee. underwear. canned
goods. furniture, pencils. paper. hats.
muslins. potatoes, or anything that e. II
be named. As the tax went up the
pure hasing power of the dollar for i'm
ports went down until all the articles
named have passed the reach Of the
mechanic. clerk, small tradesman o.
laborer. As Mexico does not manufac-
lure for its peoples wants only the
rich can pay the tax. and so, with in
fIfdHklS iHFGdlsti3''ilr tilt liliIpi - III
Of life do not increase as
the lahorer or mechanic cannot pay
gold prices for imports in the base coin
he receives.
The man who could pay % cents for r
collar when his dollar was worth -
cents is now asked TO pay 30 cents.
when his dollar is worth % cents. TIC
laborer or mechanic who could thu
purchase an undershlrt for IS cents
would now have to pay $50 but, OF
course, he doesn't. As the dollar lost
half it's value the wages did not go -.
and So there had to be economy OF con-
sumption in domestic and imported
goods. thus depressing all branches %
trade. Internal revenue taxation had
80 be increased to meet the cut in t,Iz
value Of the money. Where there was
A tax Of a cent and a half when money
was good and trade unbridIed ii is now
~ and cents on the dollar. As a r.
suit the poor are getting poorer eve. y
day, the capacity OF their dollar to pu--
chase grows less and less, and that is
the reason why you see carpenters.
masons, bricklayers and laborers wal
ing the streets of this imperial city oil
the republic on Sunday with sandals
on their feet. stockingless and Wearir
patched cotton or shoddy wooden clot,l-
ing that an American hodcarrier WOE d
not go TO work in. With the value 90
labor cut in half is it any wonder that
a white shirt is n luxury. that one third
of the women are barefooted. and that
the cheap laborer is half-clad, even in
the poorest material? If it were TO;
that the average Mexican artisan ana
laborer can live on corn. beans, ohio :,
chilli. bit of beef now and then. ard
a glass of pluque, the misery of tn2
people would challenge the attention cf
the world. 1t is hoped that the special
silver commissioner now here, when he
returns TO the United States. will tel
how the workingman is housed with his
family in one or two rooms. mostly
earthen floors. uncarpeted and un-
furnished, except for a cheap chair ov
two, sometimes a cot and occasionally
a table. 4 common kerosene lamp, the
commonest. will cost him a dollar. 50
as a rule he uses a tallow dip. 1t is
fortunate for him that the climate does
not require a fire. and that a bit of
charcoal will cook his simple meal.
Every avenue OF commerce is shaklcd
by the desperate efforts of the govern
ment to keep out of bankruptcy. In
Zacatecas | saw all the machinery ~.
by horse and mule power. Coal is so
scarce that wood is burned To run tse
locomotives on the greatest railroad. |
asked a manufacturer why he didn't
use gasoline and an engine. The ans
Wer was plain, specific and eloquent
Gasoline in the United States is fro m
IL to Is cents a gallon. 1t is not manu-
featured here. When it is purchased
in the deprecated dollar. the duty paid
and transportation rates settled, it
costs As cents a gallon delivered. Thc
deprecated dollar and the tariff stalk
in every avenue of trade. by increasing
the cost of production. decrease TIE
power Of consumption. handicap the
development of industries and so re-
duce the wealth. producing power of
the nation.
More eloquent yet of the Astounding
poverty of the workman has been the
inability of employers to get negroes to
settle here, or Cinnamon to go into any
line of business, except in running the
restaurants along the line of the rail-
roads, where they charge a dollar for
hurried meal. The Chinaman does.l' t
want the cheap money for his laun-
1