The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-16

BY poking a hole into the ground with a
stick. dropping the corn into II, and the
seed is covered by the peon in stepping
from hole to hole ON these immense
tracts of land the natives. or poems, have
lived for centuries, and are forced TO buy
all their necessities OF life at the hac.en-
dado's 0and owners) truck store. on
the hacienda the peOn gets from IL 10 y
cents per day Tor his work. and hut to
live in, II he builds II himself. The peon
gets no money except on feast days and
for religious offerings BY this system no
Is always IN debt 10 the haciendado. This
form OF slavery has been forbidden by
law for a number OF years, but two-thlrds
OF the poems do not know II, as they can
neither read nor write, ana their masters
take good care not TO teach them this
fact
organized labor IS unknown here,
which is consider ed a great blessing. But
that country to-day that has the best sys-
tenn Of trade organizations. and the great-
est number OF unions per capita OF its
population Is the foremost in wealth, pro-
erosion. and the happiness OF its people.
CAME UPON SCORES OF BEGGARS.
THE cry is raised that there are no
poor-hOuses in Mexico. but that Is no In
dlcation Of the absence OF poverty. as
your committee can fully testify without
fear Of contradiction. as the voice OF the
mondicant supplicating almost rang our
ears all thi n the country In the
cities OF IAt uNttH0 tfil 'tttldJN'A'f WIN
populations of 5000 and 1900 respectively.
we failed 10 get butter and potatoes on
the tables OF the best hotels. On inquiry
we were informed that II we paid 81
pound for butter II would be purchased
and kept for orr exclusive use
your committee would caution Ameri-
can Workingmen against going 10 Mexico
without sufficient funds 10 bring them
back, or 10 have employment secured be-
fore going there. or they VIII be OBLIGED
to subsist on cactus and the sap or the
tequila plant while doing the country.
On asking an American. who was con-
Quoting prosperous business I'm one OF
the cities which your committee visited.
why IL was that the Foreigners all seemed
10 be making money, no mater wnat pus-
mess they were engaged in, ne, win cnar-
acteristic Yankee frankness. replied; Inc
labofer here Is different from the laporer
I'm the States. Here labor IS cheap ana We
have no brains 20 contend Wlth
"The mission intrlsted 70 your commit
tee rs O. peculiar one. We were sent 10
study the social and financial CONDITIONS
OF a FAR away people We are PLAIN toll-
ers Injured 10 the hard knocks OF tne
factory end workshop. and none are bet,
tor qualified to investigate or 10 feel ana
svmpathize with the workers or another
country than mon from our rank
THE AMERICAN WORklNbhAN n
PRINCE.
'VVe did not go loaded with credentials,
10 be- NultfitlIfl UN tho i'NA"l 49,
or vet as scholars 10 describe Inc mohu-
monts OF historic interest. or 70 have our
pootlc fancies inspired by the landscape
ana azure skies. or build up wasted en-
erei.s I'M the heal'hful air Of that south
crn cline. but 10 20 among the common
poonle. who are OF our own class. ana
study conditions from that standpoint.
Hence this epistlc docs not abound III
high-soundng platitudes on the subiimc
and beautiful OF that country, but on
facts that still exist and are ready 20
sneak for themselves 10 those who VIII
20 ana seek as We have done; ana should
thov do so. they will feel as we DO, that
tho American wOrkngman Is prince
compared 20 the wOrkingmau OF Mexico
That In this country All stand equai IN So
ciaf and political lie. and In That po-
litical rignt they should exercise Win
caro- the faithful discharge OF their duties,
unoreiudlced and unbiased. by supporting
such principles as viii do the greatest
GOOD 10 the greatest number. irrespectiv'
~ nartv politics or the machinery or eitn-
or marty who may manipulate conditions
and measures for personal GAIN 70 'he
da.rifneut OF tho whole People.
"P. J. MAS
PATRICK F.NRIGHT.
"Committec.