The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-17

Amohicau Hclus bllVcrs uickoi, COpper
or paper money, which Of these sound
trips between the Laredos wss the
cheapest? Lot some of the "Coin" Har-
veys wrestle with that problem. Two
conclusions seem clear One is, tho
American nickel, like the American
silver, is as good as gold: tho other is,
the Mexican copper has gone down with
the Mexican silver.
There is sobering side to this study
of silver in silver country. The time
was when every one of these "eagle dol
lars" was worth 81. 10 at any bank
counter on tho border. John Il. Walls,
the American vice consul general at
Nueva Laredo remembers that time
very we'll. He was in business in Masa--
moros and deposited these Mexican dol
lars, getting $l.l0 credit for every one
of them. Captain r. Il. Tarver, the
editor of the Laredo News, who has liv I'd
on the border for moro than 40 years,
has seen the Mexican dollar pass for
81. 10 all over this region and as far in
to the United States as San Antonio
From value of 81. 10 this dollar drop
ped to As cents. 1t is worth today 51
cents. 1t was worth week ago SO
cents. But the Mexican laborer of today
receives just as many 81 cent dollars as
his father received ITO cent dollars. No
more, no less.
81 have known this country intimate
ly and continuously" said Captain
Tarver, ''and for 30 years there has
been no variation in the wages of herd
ers, of farm workers or of any class of
common labor. For different kinds OF
Mexican labor the range is 80 to SO q
month, and it has been that year after
year"
When the mail was opened at the
American consul generals Office today,
1t contained letter from the state de.
partment. Assistant Secretary of State
Rockhill wrote directing the consul gen.
eral to furnish as quickly as possible
statement showing the prices now and
In 1878 upon long list Of articles, such
as ginghams, -four, flannel, bacon and
things which enter into general con-
| sumption in American families. The
letter also called for statement of
wages paid labor of various kinds in
1878 and now. 1t is evident from the
character of the letter that it has been
sent to other consular offices in Mexico.
In 1873 the Mexican dollar was worth n
little more than 100 cents,s Now it is
worth 81 cents. The state department
wishes to show in comparison the prices
and the wages under the two conditions
Of silver at par and silver at 81 cents.
1t will not take long to compile the
statement Of wages. When finished,
that statement will show the wages Of
1878 and the wages of 1896 to be the
same in dollars, although the dollars
have changed in value.
"a comparison Of wages in this coun-
try is somewhat difficult to make" said
Vice Consul General Walls. "You cam
not say that, one class Of servants re-
ceives the same pay. Take the house
servants. One will receive more than
another. ! have good cook, to whom
1 pay $40 month, and another servant
who gets 50. There may be some house
servants of tried capacity who get 81 or
90 more than others. But for the same
kind Of service we pay the same in
Mexican money that'we did in 1878 aud
before that. On the railroads the laborer
receives the same as or little less than
tho rate which has prevailed for years.
On most of the haciendas the rate for
labor has been 3 reals, or 81 cents, q
day for years. Very little Of it is paid
in money. Every hacienda has its store.
The peon trades out his wages He rare
ly has anything coming to him. have
no idea that the comparison OF wages
now with what were paid for the same
kinds of labor in 1878, when silver dol
lars were worth 100 cents, will show
any increase. I"
Vice President Gabriel Morton Of the
Mexican National railroad system pass
ed through Laredo today. He has been
in the mountains near Asheville, n. c.,
and is on his way TO the City Of Mex
leo, hopeful that the United States will
adopt free coinage. He believes it will
be Of advantage to Mexico. His views
of this question Of free silver are OF
more than ordinary interest.
Wages, said Mr.. Morton in reply
to question, "have remained about
the same in Mexico for years. They
have not increased or decreased with the
fluctuations of silver. Everything is on
silver basis with us. We have no gold
in circulation We don't take gold into
consideration. Some gold is produced
i'm Mexico, but it is sent off out of the
country and sold as quickly as possible.
Silver is the money we know, and it is
only when we have TO meet some obli-
cation in gold outside Of the country
that we fee 5he difference in the value.
"About % years ago, continued Mr.
Morton, "the railroads in Mexico for q
time paid wages in gold. Silver was the
basis of exchange. 1t was worth or 3
cents more on dollar than gold. The
railroads received their exchange, :.
posted it in the banks and bought gold,
because it was the cheaper money in
which to pay employees. When sill
yer ceased TO be any more valuable than
gold, the railroads paid in silver. They