The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-15
MEXICO and SILVER
HOW THE WHITE METAL HAS IN.
CREASED RAILROAD EARNINGS.

Report of the Oflicials--T'resident Raoul
Says it is n Mistake to Denounce Mex
lean Dollars-Statement of Wages
Under Silver-Prosperity Abounds
Despite Gold Standard Denuncia-
tiors-Effect of Fall in Silver.
New York, September 0.-The report of
the Mexican National railroad FOR the
month OF August, just issued from the
presidents office here to-day, is n valua-
BILE contribution to the literature of the
silver question and is 4 cornphate refuta-
tionef many of the assertions and arcu-
meuts advanced by the ant-si1ver orators
in She present presidential campaign.
Thr comparative statement of the gros S
eanings of the Mexican National, which
operates over 1,00e miles of road, shows
that while many OF the Americas roads
have gone into receivers hands or passed
Sheir dividends, this Mexican trunk line
has actually incre ased its earnings over
last year more than 10 per cent, and this,
too, in the dul}est season of the wear.
Curiously enough, tho Mexican National
has been qedSed by gold orators as an
illustration of what will happen to
American reads if free silver prevails in
the United States, and correspondent Of
the ST. LOUIS Globe Democrat, now tray
cling in Mexico, devotes considerable
space to the side-lights of the subject
Before commenting further on the facts
of the case 1t IS perhaps better to intro
duce here the comparative statement Of
estimated gross earnings of the Mexican
National Furnished this afternoon to your
correspondent by President William G.
Raoul
For the fourth week of August, 1896,
the earnings were $135,4t5 as against
Sll3,2l' for,the same week last year, an
increase of So, 169 or over 10 per cent
For the four weeks of August. 1896, the
earnings were 1896, 115, as against 1915.
620 for the same period last year. an in
crease of Sjl ,0S6, or nearly II per cent.
The significance of this statement is not
so much in the gross earnings, but in the
increase rs compared with last wear of
over III per cent. and this III the dullest
period of the hard times, when American
roads are thankful if they can pay opera
ting expenses only
President Raoul is an ardent free silver
man and commented at some length to
statement III question as throwing much
light and actual data on the free silver
discussion now going on in The United
States.
II need hardly say to you that we are
delighted with the showing of our road. ;,
said Mr.. Raoul ''The gold campaign
orators are holding up Mexico MS a. silver
riden country and trying to make out
that her people are worse off than ever;
in fact, far below the condition of the
Americans. The August statement of
our road shows that these same orators
ARE talking through taeir hats. We are
enjoying full measure of prosperity,
while American roads are complaining
bitterly of the hard times, and oftentimes
passing their dividends. Indeed, some OF
them cannot escape receivers hands. II
is great mistake TO deprecate and de-
nounce the Mexican dollar. 1t should be
remembered that after the war of the re-
bellicn the Mexican dollar was worth 3
cents more than the American dollar.
1.-The fall of silver has proven god
send to Mexico and has not been the curse
that the gold campaign orators try to
make out In 1890, prior TO the closing
of the India minis, silver was high, and
hence 500 in gold would not buy any
more than 1870 Mexican silver dollars.
can exchange the 100 gold dollars received
in payment for exports and get double
che quantity of Mexican dollars. The up-
shot of all this has been practically to put
big bonus on exports, and one would
think 1T would have served to put an en-
barge on imports. Everybody made it n
point to rake and scrape together every
thing eXportabe in order to double his
money Business has been stimulated
right along and every line of commerce
has shown great activity ever since. In
stead OF imports falling off they continued
the same, despite the increased cost Of
articles; people made money and hence
could afford to pay the higher prices. The
effect of this was to keep up the govern
ment revenues and prevent them from
running behind and at the same time
give many luXuries to the richer classes.
1t is another great mistake to charge
that the wages of the Mexican workmen
are regulated by the price of silver. Cam
paign orators of the gold bugs say that
the falling price of silver has brought
about lower wages. This is not only un-
true, but actually absurd. The wages of
workmen in Mexico are regulated by the
law of supply and demand and are not in
the least affected by the price of silver.
las matter of fact wages are the
same to-day that they have always been.
The changing and approaching value of
the gold dollar has served to throw sand
in the eyes of the gold bug stump
speakers.
IF Mexican artisan is intelligent and
industrious he can make great deal
more than the ordinary workman in the
mines or the man that depends OH his
spade AMI muscle.
I'VE find it to the interest of our com