The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-10-21
they have 5000 police. Their pay is 81 per
day. in silver, and until 1897 it had been but


men to do it; each gets his Mexican silver dol
lar. In this. the first city of the republic. the
hremen receive the same wages as the police
men. These are the highest zOageS baid
for these services in MEXICO.
At Guadalahara l found forty-eight men
working on hotel in process of construction,
and saw them paid for their weeks work.
Among them were brick masons and a variety
of laborers. incident to the construction of
such building. Four received SO cents per
day, one received 40 cents, three received IS
cents, thirty received 80 cents, one received
20 cents, four received "a cents. four received
Is cents. the foreman receiving $3.50.
personally saw these men paid, and took
from the pay roll the number of men and the
wages paid per day. Verily, the zVageS Of
free SilOer rs death. This, next to the City
of Mexico, is considered the most progressive
city of the republic.
Let me read you letter from gentleman,
who formerly lived in ST. Paul, and worked
for the Great Northern railway a man known
to some of you. 1t will give you some con-
ception of the wages paid in the roadmaster's
department of the Mexican Central.
''San Luis, March I, 18o8.-Mr. William
Eustis, Minneapolis, Dear Sir: The follow
ing is a list of the men employed on the San
Luis division of the Mexican Central rail-
way: Twenty-seven section crews, average,
ten men, SO cents per day; twenty fore
men. $3.50 per day; fourteen extra gangs,
average forty men, so cents per day; four
gangs woodmen. average eight men, SO cents
per day. My division extends from Chico
late to Cardenas. Ala kilometers
Respectfully yours,
7. H. Greenwich, Roadmaster."
Mr.. Greenwell has on his pay roll $50 men.
and all but twenty-seven receiving SO cents
day in silver. These facts establish the gen.
eral character of wages in Mexico. Skilled
labor has had some advance, but the great
body of her toilers receive substantially
the same amount in silver as they did
when gold and silver were equal in value
at the ratio coined and circulated at par.
In this same city at that date potatoes
were cents per pound, oatmeal 20
cents per pound, -four $I.75 per sack of
twenty-five pounds bacon so cents and lard
80 cents per pound. These necessities of life
in Mexico rise quickly with fall in silver val
Hes, while wages remain stationary.
FACTS, NOT THEORIES
Il fen facts, not theories, will help US
draw second conclusions as to whether we
need change Under Cleveland's free
trade administration there was drawn out of
the United States treasury $500, 900, 900 in
gold till the reserve on Jan. I, 1895, was
only $44, 600, 900. During the six months
ending July I, 1898, there were drawn out of
the United States treasury but 81, 900. oooo,
while the gold reserve is now more than
$225, 900. 900. When everybody can get gold
nobody wants it. The difference between ex-
ports and imports determines the balance of
trade, whether for or against us, and has
much to do with the state of the nations gen
eral prosperity. In the fiscal year I8o4-o5
the balance in our favor was but $4,000
900, while in 1897 it was $615 ooo 900.
Who zVantS a change? We haze not
only secured the home market, but zOe haze
secured and are still securing possession Of
a large and grooming Part of the foreign
market. All kinds of money with us have
increased in circulation since 1896. $751;
900, 900, while our gold supply has increased
nearly $500, 900, 900 in the last fiscal year.
Our per capita circulation is now $24 IS an
increase of So 50 since 1896. Who wants to
change the present healthy and growing con-
dition?
Compare the prices of cattle. hogs and
sheep with two short years ago. Every one of
our farmers can readily make this comparison
for himself, out of his own experience.
The highest price of wheat during the four
years of free trade administration in Mime
apolis was 81 cents, while under only four
teen months of McKinley's administration tn,
highest price reached was 81. 90. During the
same fourteen months the average price
of wheat in the Minneapolis market was IS
cents higher than the average for the four
previous years. Does the farmer want a
change? SA,fnkage has ceased, 0'alues are
coming back. Hope lifts again citizens
once financially Frustrated, to their feet.
The Republicans haze giOen the countr,
a bankruptcy act. the better to clean up
after the only full-fedged free trade admins
tration we have had in forty years, and give
its unfortunate victims a chance to start
again.
TIME FOR PATRIOTISM.
fthere eOer zOas a time in the history of
our country zV]zen our citizens should ab-
preach the ballot bon in the spirit Of the
patriot rather than that of the partizan, 1t
is nozO. We have just finished our first war
with European power. Jackson's invasion
of Florida, and its subsequent cession to u.s.
was more of an Indian war than a conflict
with Spain. The young republic has crossed
swords with the ancient empire of Charles v.
Amer-fco has conquered her afscoOerer
Our boys were here to pillow and to plant To
arms they flew, and the astonished world
stands transfxed at the brevity and extent of
the military achievements of our army and
navy, Having sunk the naves of Spain, and
stripped her of her islands in the East and
West Indies our boys are now returning
home in time to thresh the crops they helped
to sow.
When congress voted $50, 900. 900 for war
purposes. without single dissenting vote, it
was worth another $50. ooo. 900 in its moral
effect on the world and on the war. 1t zOas
an inspiring sight, when congress, in
non-partisan spirit. prepared for war. and
the president in like spirit carried it on.
and all parties, side by side in army and
navy, fought the battles of the nation.
The zOar is not yet ended and anil not be
until the treaty Of peace shall be signed.
Our citizens have now their first opportunity
to express their approval or disapproval of
that war. The moral effect of the November
suffrage will be helpful or hurtful. as it shall
express patriotic or partisan spirit. In my
judgment, all other issues in this campaign
sink into insgnidcance in comparison with