Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-01-25
Mr.. Bryan's Essay on Mexico.

Mr. Bryan had a neat little essay in
last sundays World, in which he UNI
dertook to convey the idea that Mexico
is an altogether lovely country.
He attributes all the development
of enterprises in that country to
the cheap dollar and the low rate of
wages to the downtroddcn condition
of the people. This sort of sophist!y
may have influence with the igncran,
but surely with intelligent people its
effect will be the opposite of what Mr..
Bryan evidently intends it. He tells
us that the cotton mills are paying 10
per cent dividends but he does not tell
us how much they pay in wages. The
mills of the South. hiring poor whites
for third less than the operative in
the North receives, are paying diVl-
bends. they are running ON full time
and their owners are as contented as
are the owners of the Mexican mills
according to Bryan's glitterinG gencr-
alities.
He tells US that the producers Their"
have not encountered the fan in pii~es
there has been in gold standard coun-
tries and he cannot show that the wage
workers have had a rise in Prices cor
responding with those in the gold
countries. OF course not; that is just
what the opponents Of the cheap dollar
have contended. The working peopl"
down there when they buy goods have
lars to give the producer a profit, fer
the latter is in a position to exact it
and will not invest his capital and IN
ergy unless he sees a profit. But how
is it with the wage worker who must
live? Of him all Mr. Bryan says is that
he is getting better wages than he did.
but how much better or why he does
not take the trouble to make clear He
does. however. mention the fact that a
yard of cloth made in the United States
and imported into Mexico and sold III
1873 for 81 cents in Mexican money is
now worth 81 10 in the same money; 50
that unless the wage worker is getting
more than double the wages he did III
1873 he cannot he buying as many
goods 1t is noticeable that Mi Bryan
is not explicit on this point. That
should be one of the things he should
tell US about, for he has sought The
support of the wage workers and they
are undoubtedly interested to know
something about this subject. But Nh
Bryan found those wages in such an
undesirable condition that he seeks to
apologize for them in advance. TO do
this he says We must not attribute tn"
wages of a country to it's monetary
standard at least we are led to infer
as much from what he says about
wages differing in different parts Of
this country. also from his reference to
the wages of Turkey and Japan as
those Of gold standard countries. y more
ridiculous exhibition of lodging h
could hardly have made and he is an
adept in that line
Summed all up there is not in any
sentence of Mr. Bryans little essay on
what he saw in Mexico true
word Of announcement for tho
sensible wage worker to Vot"
for the silver standard He says
the high price of aold-Why not the low
price of silVer-serVes as a barrier
against outside competition. In way
il may help the capitalist, the employer
of labor, who makes goods to he sold
abroad for gold and pays his help IN
the cheap money; but does it help in
crease home production? does ii help
the wage worker? has he not been
robbed of the fruits of his toll since
1873 when his dollar was as good US
any in the world. whereas now it r.
qures more than two of it to buy a
piece of American made goods which
then cost him a dollar?
Everything Is lovely III -heNltO, say
Mr.. Bryan--it's a great pity he had
not been compelled to work fe"
months at day labor down there t.
make a living-and he attributes 1t all
to the beautiful 50-ccnt dollar in which
the manufacturer pays those who pr
duce for him that which he sells abroad
for the 1OO-cent dollar. He can't Sell
very much at home, not among tin
wage workers for they haven't money
enough in purchasing power to buy
much.
And by the way Bryan says this
beautiful country is progressing finely
although it was 50 completely lovely,
Judging by the description in which
the genial Nebra skan launched him
self, that we wonder how it can pro-
gress. But here is the word of Bryan
himself to prove it:
Electricity is taking the place of tn"