Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-09-04
Wages in Mexico.

Wages in Mexico.
ing into Mexico by the thousands
into the mills, mines, railways, plan
tations, and improvements in public
works, buildings, public work, ire
cation works, and all kinds of engin-
eering and mechanical enterprises.
The gold press tells us that wages in
Mexico are on starvation basis. If
this is true, why are Americans going
to Mexico? Why are Americans leav-
ing the United States-under this
glorious present gold Standard
and going to Mexico unless they are
able to better their condition there
by? The fact is, as the Penny Press
is informed, that wages and labor
opportunities for skilled American
workmen are better in Mexico than
in the United States. The native In
dian, without knowledge and skill
gets low wages because that is all he
is worth, But the workman of ex.
perience, energy, knowledge and
skill gets good wages and opportuni-
ty for position.
This is shown by the following dis
cussion of Mexican wages by the
Mexican Herald of August 10th.
Locomotive engineers, from $3.50 to
$3.50 per month.
| Locomotive firemen, from S75 to
500 per month.
Passenger conductors, $3.50 per
month.
Freight conductors, from s125 to
5000 per month.
Freight brakemen, from 1886 to s75
per month.
Telegraph operators, from $50 to
$3.50 per month.
Switchmen, $3.50 per day.
Shop machinists, So so to $4.75 per
day.
Carpenters, from $35 to $3.50 per
day.
Blacksmiths, from SO. so to $3.50 per
day.
Boiler makers, from "a to So per
day.
Station Agents, from $50 to 5000.
Division superintendent, $3.50 per
month.
Train masters, $l75 per month.
Stationary engineer, in mines, or
employed on large plantations, from
$3.50 to $3.50 per day with expenses,
and from So. so to $5 per day without
expenses
AS to the remuneration received by
the lower classes, it should be taken
into account that out of population
of approximately 100000 people,
over one-fourth, or approximately A.
O00.0 600, 900 are made up of our Indian
or peon class. The manner of life of
these people, due to their habits and
made possible by climatic conditions
is such that they are satisfied and
contented with a remuneration which
in northern country where the con-
dltions of climate are different, would
be insufficient for their maintainance.
Meats and fatty substances of all
kinds, heavy clothing, we'll construc-
ed houses, fuel and many other things
Which are absolute necessities to the
laborer in cold countries, are not ev-
en- luxuries here, and of them, partic.
ularly those of diet, are here posi-
lively detrimental to health,
Below is given a scale of wages gen
orally paid for the performance of
of what may be classified as unskil-
led labor.
Section men, SO cents per day.
| Section foremen, from 81 to $3.50
per day.
Day laborers in the City of Mexico,
from 37t to 67a cents per day,
| Day laborers in the interior cities
and in the country, from 90 to 50 cts.
An important fact to be taken into
consideration in estimating our In-
dian population, who are hewers of
wood and drawers OF water in this
country, is that large proportion of
the farming is done on shares and
that in many cases India IS, in addi-
ton to wages paid them for labor
performed directly for the hacienda,
as we'll as their share of the crops
raised, are given small piece of land
withoutrent for their yn usel Speak
ing generally, the entire corn crop of
the republic, which Is the 1uost i'm
portant crop, is raised on shares with
the Indians. They are furnished
with the land, seed and the work an
lmals, and receive one-half the CROP"
| Day labor in the Minnesota har.
vest field this year is only 81 per day;
and farm labor by the month the
year round is only $l2 month, or 4C
cents day. This is for intelligent
Scandinavian, German, American
and British farm labor. The Mexic.
an peon, or Indian farm hand, gets
30 to As cents a day in Mexico, which
is MS mnch as the colored plantation
hand gets in many of the southern
states. There is no doubt the northern
farm hand is cheaper at 81 per day
or $12 per month, than the Indian
peon at rs to As cents per day. 1t il
doubtful if the Minnesota farme,
would pay the native Mexican peol
20 to 30 cents day if he could get 6
good American at 81. Energy, skill
and efficiency considered, the native
farm hand in Mexico gets better wa.
ges than the American farm hand in
the United States. Minneapolis
Penny Press.
Jerry M Risk TTnitad Statao Com