The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-09-26
Mrxlco CRY, Sept. 4. 1896.

MExlco CRY, Sept 4. 1896.
W. R. Hearst, The Journal:
Your request for information as to the con-
dition of commercial, industrial and social
affairs in Mexico is similar to many other
inquiries from citizens of the United States
which | receive in my capacity of Consul
General. II is impossible to institute a COM
parison between the people of the United
States and those of this country. Any such
attempt would be futile; they are wholly diff
ferent in habits of thought and in mode of
life. Their ambitions are diverse and their
education and tendencies are dissimilar.
There is no common plane of comparison.
Mexico must be measured by Mexican stand
ards. Erroneous conclusions would be reached
were we to apply the English. French, Ger
man or American systems of COMPARISON
Viewed from any standpoint, the country has
made marvellous strides in the last ten years.
Its growth in commercial, industrial and edu-
eational directions cannot be realized by one
unacquainted with the former conditions.
From being nation that depended largely on
outside sources for supplies, it has risen to n
point where its exports are in the nelghbor-
hood of three times its imports. The balance
of trade last year was, in round numbers,
nearly $50, ,OO0,O0 gold in favor of Mexico.
Old industries have strengthened and i'm
proved; new ones have been established.
Where occasional parochial schools existed
public educational system has been estab-
lished, and now no hamlet in the Republic is
without free school, conducted under gov
ernmental supervision. The attendance OF
the pupils is compulsory under the statute,
and it is provided that when children between
certain ages are employed in factory or in any
industry, the employer must guarantee the
attendance of such children upon some regu-
larly established school.
The banditti who made travelling in Mex
leo an undertaking fraught with considerable
danger, have wholly disappeared. One may
travel from the Rio Grade to the southern
border without an escort, without weapon
and entirely without danger to life and prop
erty. The former brigands are now members
of the ''rurales," one of the finest bodies of
cavalry in the world, or have become char
coal burners.
CAUSES OF IMPROVEMENT.
Whether this great improvement in Mexi-
can economical and social conditions is to be
attributed to the stable government establish
ed and maintained by President Diaz, to the
opening up of the country by railways, of
which nearly all the 1000 miles in operation
have been constructed within the last fifteen
years; the investment of foreign capital, or
whether it is due to The currency system based
| OU SitftTy A5 ul1uy ttooCtNI upOn
which do not feel qualified to pass upon
dogmatically. As a matter of fact, many
| things have contributed to the present condi-
ton of prosperity. The system of coinage
upon which you ask information was estab-
lished by an act passed in 1867 modifying the
| old law The standard of value is silver and
| the unit is the dollar. The legal weight of
the dollar is 407 $40 grains Troy, 902, III
| fine, and contains, therefore, 377 $40 grains
fine silver; it is worth in gold, with silver bull
lion at the existing price, SO cents. My in
| quiries show that there has been practically
no increase in the prices of povisions, cloth
ing or agricultural produce 52,018, 659, and
the exports to $50, ,276, 1896; or articles of do
mestic manufacture by reason of the fall in
tine price of silver. The only increase of
price noted is in imported merchandise, to
| the cost of which the exchange and duty are
added. Meats are, perhaps, the only articles
of food which have enhanced in cost. This
is attributed to the fact that higher wages
caused by improved industrial conditions have
enabled the people to buy more meat, and
thus increased the demand, and consequently
the cost. The existence of small meat trust
also contributes to higher price. This price
| is still further added to by the heavy special
assessments or license fees levied upon the
butchers shops in this city, since the abolition
| OI Ile AlcADaidS ItSeSf uAAtA NhANh olChA
of taxation all goods, wares, merchandise,
vegetables and farm products, however small,
| brought into this market, we're taxed at the
"Garitas' or gates of this federal district.
The depreciation in silver values and the
increase in price of foreign articles have had
the effect of reducing importations, and greatly
stimulating and strengthening domestic manu-
factures. Reviewing the commerce of five
years, these facts are shown: In 1890 the
imports amounted to the value of $94, 900, 440
and in 1895 800, ,S54, ,953 were brought into the
country
| IABoRERs AND THEIR WAGES.
The wages paid laborers and artisans are
| largely improved. Formerly workmen, par
ticularly agricultural laberers, were paid in
stkind;" now they are paid in money. In
the case of farm laborers, it is the custom of
the country for the employer, in addition to
the regular wages, to allow the laborer the
use of certain acreage to raise his own food.
In many of the agricultural districts, instead
of employing labor directly, the owners of
haciendas follow what is known in the United
States as the share system of cultivating their
land. Those who were formerly practically
serfs now receive half the crop they raise.
| Corn is the great staple of the country.
In considering the labor and wage question
il should be borne in mind that the American
skilled workman possesses on the average
much higher degree of skill in his trade than
| the Mexican employed in a similar vocation.
| The American workman skilled also performs
much more work in II day than the workmen
in this country. Minister Romero, in an
article in the North American Review, in
1892 notes this difference. Mr.. Romero
says: 1.-THE Mexican laborer is not as well
fed and paid as those in the United States.
He generally works until he is exhausted, and
his work therefore is not so productive. He
is not on the whole so well educated as the
average laborer in the United States. He has
fewer wants to satisfy; there are less induce
ments for him to work. Then there are Ger
| tain climatic Influences that have their bear
| ing upon them; the days work of the Mexican
| laborer represents only one-fourth of that
accomplished during the same time by a
| laborer in the United States. A Mexican
| laborer working ten or eleven hours 8. day
accompishes less work than an English Or
American born laborer aceomplishes in nins
hours, and in some instances the dispropor-
ton is as ! to g.
In the ordinary occupations here wages
range about as follows for an eleven to twelve
hour day:
Laborers in large cities, from s7s to 67a
cents per day.
In the country, from 10 to so cents per day
Where men work at the former price meals
| are furnished by the employer; II food IS not
| furnished an allowance of 10 to Is cents per
day is made for rations. The average laborer
will live and be in good strength on 10 to 12
cents per day, and support his family on about
IS cents. OF course, he viii have little
patch of corn and beans planted near his hut,
and these will constitute the largest part of
his daily bill Of fare.
Factory laborers, unskilled so cents to 81;
skilled, $3.50 to $3.50.
Mechanics in factories, $3.50 to So.
Machinists, railway shops, $50 to IS.
Miners, go cents to $1.50.
Psambers native 81 to $3.50; plumbers
(American,) So to So.
Blacksmiths, $3.50 to $3.50.
Stone masons, 81 to Sl.50.
Smelter men, 81 to $1.50.
Boilermakers, 81 to So.
Bricklayers, 81 to $1.50.
Carpenters. $3.50 to $4.75.
Furnace men, 81 to $3.50.
Iron works. 81 to 81. So
Jewellers, 81 to So.