Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1896-09-03
Mr.. Wells Statements Contro-
verted-Testimony From
Railroad Men.

taxes, as much public and private In.
debtedness. as much railway freight and
passenger fare ss it ever did; and where
consequently farm produce and land
will bring the same prices as they for
merly did. The standard OF value not
having been arti6cially enhanced, fixed
charges as debts and taxes, are not en-
HANGED and the same amount of produce
and labor will pay them"
Justice CLARK further shows that the
loss to the people Of our southern states
last year by the decentralization of silver
was, on cotton alone $2l0,0OO,OOO. And
the northwestern wheat growers are
mulcted in the same proportion. But
iu Mexico he found the agricultural
interests thriving, as is testified TO by the
continually expanding local traffic Of
their railways-the best possible test Of
internal prosperity.
After speaking OF the wonderful build
ing up and expansion OF Mexican manu-
features and Of their products, he finally
winds up by saying:
"But q careful investigation such as
that made some time ago BY the careful
and intelligent consular representative
OF Great Britain at this capital shows
the Mexican silver dollar does practically
the same work today as formerly"
Vinton P. Stafford, superintendent of
the Northern Mexican railway residing
at Escalon, Mex, says:
'Silver has not fallen in Mexico. We
can buy just as much with silver DOL
lar in our country 90 We ever did. When
the Mexican dollar was worth dollar in
gold, We could buy bushel Of wheat
with it IN the United States and that
same dollar which is now worth So cents
in gold will buy bushel Of wheat. I
have been in Mexico six years and can
get just az much coffee, sugar, shoes,
ETC., for 81 as could SIX years ago. The
fact is, believe that the American gold
dollar is worth more IN that country and
not that silver has deprecated IN this.
Prices in Mexico are still up to the
standard they we're twenty years ago,
but the Mexican dollar buys just as
much as it did then.
II believe that il the United States
had not gone to the gold standard wheat
would etill be selling for dollar
bushel. Flour sells here at $8 barrel
% it did when came to Mexico. A
common laborer gets here from 60 cents
to 81 so per day. Mechanics from $50
to 8175 per month; engineers. $500 to
$3.50 per month; conductors, $50; clerks
and stenoRraphers, 500 to S175, mine
carpenters 81 to $8 per day."
Mr.. Stafford is republican but would
vote for Bryan and silver il he had .
chance. Why does Mr.. Wells want to
"hold up" such dollar as that?
Again, b. V. Temple, general manager
Of the Mexican Central Railway com.
psny, says over bis own signature:
'Those who speak scornfully Of the
condition OF the lsboring GLASSES do 90 in
exemplidcstion Of their own gross igno-
rance. There is work for everyone that
wants it at wages to enable them to
supply all necessary wants. We have no
strikes such az are constantly disturbing
commerce in the United States. Such q
thing az Ooxey's army is never dreamed
Of. Business failures in Mexico are al
most unknown. Our banks are paying
IA to II per cent dividends per annum.
Manufacturing enterprises whose profits
are known are paying from 10 to 20 per
cent, and private concerns whose affairs
are concealed are known to be prosper
GUS. Wages are good. Carpenters and
1oiners are paid from 81 to 81 per day;
brick masons from 81 to 50; farm
lsborers less than in the United States,
but have some compensatlng advantages.
Wheat is worth $l.85 per bushel, cotton
l8 cents per pound. beef cat:le $50 to S35
per head, butter IS cents per pound.
eggs 25 cents per dozen. bacon im-
ported) 60 cents, native 30 cents, beef
steak 18 cents per pound, white sugar II
cents, native brown cents" Mr.. Temple
further says "Mexico's prosperity is to
very great extent due to the fact that
she is on silver basis'
Mr.. Wells is fond of quoting railroad
men hence I have taken some pains to
crafty him with the above.
Dozens Of other examples might be
given exempllfying and proving Mexlco's
present prosperity and the value of her
53-cent dollar to her. The Mexican
Herald is never tired Of pointing out
how their infant manufactures and
growing home industries are protected
by gold premium OF nearly 80 per cent.
In recent issue it said:
'.It is not for the present interest OF
Mexico that the United States should
abandon the gold basis. That huge mar
-ket to the north Of US is paying our
coffee, tobacco, henequen and other
plantars 00 nor cent premium affOr0inp