St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-08-17

States take notice Of the fact that
cheap labor" and "silver basis'' are
terms which persistently go together
here, and cheap labor would necessarily
accompany silver basis wherever the
latter was established?
The adoption OF free coinage of silver
in the United States would not repro
duce in our country all the conditions in
existence in Mexico today, but it would
create there one currency valuation in
which to pay for labor and another in
which to count cost and secure profits.
In The Mexican Financier of January
occurs this sentences
Here, then, is a definite statement by very
conservative man, whose addresses on oriental
matters we have often quoted, to the effect
that India, like Mexico, is prohting industrial.
ly by the combination of silver and cheaply
paid labor.
1t will be noticed that the quotation
"profiting industrially," which Mexico
is said to be experiencing, does not pre-
tend to include the maker and producer
of this profit, but classes it as an ele-
ment as little worthy of consideration
as the combination of silver" by which
labor here is made cheaper by half than
it otherwise would be- The working
men Of the United States have been and
are being urged to assist in securing the
adoption of the free coinage of silver in
order to secure for themselves some
promised advantage or alleged profit,
while it is a well understood fact, con-
stantly commented on here in Mexico,
that labor is the one commodity first
and most depressed through free silver.
Viewed from any practical and applica-
BILE point Of observation, it is not even
imaginable that the free and unlimited
coinage of silver in the United States
could have any other effect save that of
making the rich richer and the poor
poorer, as it has done and is doing in
Mexico.
Distress of the Laborer.
. I had many times heard it asserted
before coming to Mexico that the ma
tives of this country were worthless as
laborers that they had no desire to earn
better wages and that they would not
work steadily no matter what compen-
sation was given or promised them. In
part only this is true, and it is given
such truth as they are now enduring,
the free coinage of silver being lead
ing factor in their present distress. But
was told by the managers of the iron
mines at Durango and of the silver
mines at Zacatecas that very many OF
their Mexican employees were as steady
and reliable as are the workmen of any
other country. Some of them have been
employed at these mines for many
years, and their labor hA secured fol-
the mine owners, most of whom are res
idents of Europe, the almost fabulous
fortunes which these mines have yield
ed. Possibly it may ease the conscience
of these millionaire mine owners to in
sist and to have their assertions accept
ed that their payment of starvation
wages in currency worth less thai
half its face value is justified because O
the fact that their faithful laborer
could not appreciate better wages O
better currency conditions.
At the great Guggenheim silver smell
ter at Aguas Calientes found severa
hundred native Mexicans at work, tina
great industry being entirely conducte'
with their labor, directed by five or 81:
German and American department fore
men. Native workmen conducted tn
castings and endured the fierce heat o
the smelling fires They separated tn
ores upon their receipt from the mines
according to quality or desirability TO
the several furnaces. They handled tn
precious product of the smelter in all it
stages from crude ore to silver bars ant
attended to its preparation for ship
ment. And for these services the Mex
lean workmen at this smelter receiv
from rs to A cents day in currenc,
worth less than IL and 20 cents in tn
country in which their employers liv
luxuriously.
Practically all the industries Of tn
City of Mexico are conducted with ma
tive labor Native Mexicans are con
ductors and street car drivers, they pu
up the electric light wiring and atten
to the lamps, they do nearly all tn
building and have charge of municipal
improvements, they are the policemel
of the cities and the soldiers of the re
public. Indeed the president of Mexic
today is himself an illustration Of tn
possibilities of the native Mexical
when assisted by opportunity and ia
voring circumstances 1t is most as
suredly not true that conditions here
which are especially favorable to cap
ital and wealth by reason of Mexico
currency system, SO exist because tn
native laborers of the country woul
not assist in upholding improvement
and do not desire to have it otherwise
They are the victims of system and
conditions which serve to allow ther
but miserable existence, and the
have no choice but to accept the unfol
tunate allowance.
During my sojourn here | have talk
ed with American railroad engineer
and conductors whose runs" in som
instances extend out of Mexico to L
Paso or San Antonio, and | have foun
not one of them favorable to the fire
coinage of silver in the United States
As was truly said by q conductor O
the Mexican Central railroad whom
talked with on my way to this city
"The American Workingmen who al