The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-19

the Rio Grand have from time i'm
memorial been paid in MeXican money.
and. in all this fall in the value of the
Mexican dollar they have continued to
receive the same number of dollars
per month. That is to say, they got
from 50 to $l5 per month in 1870. when
Mexican money was worth $l.1O. and
are getting the same wages today in
the Mexican money. when it is worth
only - cents on the dollar and every
thing they buy on this side is priced
in American money.
lone more fact and I am through.
American ingenuity, pluck and capital.
with the assistance of improved ma.
chinery and methods, can now convert
mountains in Mexico into silver and
make profit in selling their bullion at
20 cents an ounce, and all they need is
an unlimited market to increase the
output of these mines to almost any
amount.
You must not forget the fact when
you hear tell of the prosperous cOndi-
tion Of free silver Mexico, that millions
and millions of foreign capital has
poured into the country in the pas:
full resources under the protecting hand
of Porflrio DiaZ, the greatest and most
conservative statesman of this age"
AT THE COST OF LABOR.
The principal factor in the recent
proseprity of Mexico is the cheapness
of labor. An American largely en-
gagged in manufacturing enterprises
there writes: "All over Mexico the
workingman gets today the same
wages in silver as he got when the sill
Yer dollar was at par. In one concern
in Mexico where ! employ 500 men We
are now paying just the same amount
in silver dollars as we did years ago.
though for our product We are getting
Just the same price in gold as we did
then. Now, though the workinman
only gets a dollar worth 53ia cents, in
place of the dollar that used to be
worth 100 cents. al! articles of com
mcrce have risen from 80 to 100 per
cent. Who gains by this! The capital
ist, Of course.
~ manufacturer, q coffee grower or
mine owner. teXcept a silver mine
oWnerJ can produce, an article for
which he gets paid ON Il gold parity.
but he pays his workmen in depreciat-
ed silver. or only about one-half he did
before. M wonder on such Il basis
Mexican industries are making rapid
strides. hut NJ whose expense? That of
the working class. The average daily
wages in Mexico today for unskilled la
Dor is & to 80 cents. and for skilled la
r.. =
Now. these Mexican workmen are by
no means an unhappy or discontented
class. ON the contrary. they live with
as much freedom from care as the birds
! Of the air They have no fears. no
hopes, no ambitions. Their wants are
| few: a cotton suit. II serai, a straw hat
| ana sandals for their wardrobe, maize
cakes and beans for their food, and an
| occasional spree on mescal or pulque,
with plenty Of tobacco. which he gets
dirt cheap-that is all.
"The Mexican workman as long as
he is punctually paid does not grumble
or kick. He asks himself no questions
as to what his employer makes Strikes
and labor combinations are unknown.
| The Mexican government would soon
put an end to what we see almost
daily occurring in this country. lie
never saves anything. so the accretion
of wealth does not trouble. him. and he
knows nothing about spring beds, por-
ter house steaks or pianos. As ! have
| said, he lives contentedly and uncon-
| cerned for the morrow rs "a bird, never
| looking forward and never looking
| backward, till the day comes when n"
| is. coffinless. wrapped in his cotton
suit and serape and laid to rest