Evening star., 1902-03-19
LOW STANDARD OF LIFE
THE PEOPLE HAVE NO THOUGHT
FOR THE FUTURE.
conditions, However, Have Improved,
Especially Under the Admins
tration Of Diaz.

| Ihe department of labor has been inves-
! tisatlns the labor supply and its character
| IN the republic Of Mexico. Prof. Weyl of
the University of Pennsylvania was chosen
as the agent Of the department to make
| the observations necessary to compre-
| hension of this entire subject. His con-
c!uslons are not at all favorable to the
rapid Industrial development Of the coun-
| try to the south of the United States, but
they agree entirely with the opinions of
those VINO have had opportunity to explore
| the same field
Prof. Weyl sums up the character Of
| Mexican labor as 'cheap, inefficient unin-
telligent and untrustworthy.' He elabo-
rates upon the conditions which lead to
| 'hese conclusions, and careful reading Of
what he says induces surprise that Mexico
mas made such progress in the line of in
| dustrial development as has been recorded
| IN view OF the problem which confronts
tnose acting in the capacity of employers.
Low Wages.
Wages in Mexico are considerably lower
than those prevailing in western Europe
ana very much lower than those paid in
the United States. AS is the case in all
Spanish-American countries, the people
! are adaptable and are skillfu imitators.
They are unframed to economic thought
however. or any continuous industrial ac-
tlon. The great. and apparently insur-
mountable difficulty, is the general apathy
Which prevails among the working classes
| and the extremely low standard of life
There is no inclination to take any thought
LOT the future and there is apparent COM
plete satisfaction with the existing condi-
tions. which seem abhorrent to the am
| bftious. well-cared for and Industrious
working men of the United States
The food of the laborer in Mexico is
greatly restricted in variety and amount,
and where population is dense it is so de-
ficient as to have a marked effect upon the
physical condition of the people.
| vast proportion Of the labor is agri-
| cultural. and over % per cent of the entire
| population of about 13,OOOOOO are classed
| as agricultural laborers. This % per cent
| represents about II per cent of the total
| number Of people engaged in gainful occu-
| view Of the fact that the popular idea of
Mexico is that of a mining country this
| is remarkable condition, for in Germany,
| for instance, which is looked upon as
distinctly agricultural country only 81 per
| cent of the labor is directly dependent upon
agriculture. Fn the United States Al per
| cent Of the wage aearners are employed
| upon the farms. and in France, which is
| distinctly agricultural country. only 90 per
cent. compa rison of these statistics also
| shows very much ito the disadvantage Of
Mexico. for in France for instance, 81 per
cent of those engaged in agriculture are
| counted as employers or independent farm
ers. while in Mexico less than per cent
are included in this classification
The low productive power of the Mexican
| laborer is shownoin the fact that the total
production ofntheacountry in agricultural
| products is only about S3 cents per week
| for each male employed upon the farms.
and the total expectation Of vegetable and
animal products amounts to little over So
per year per capita for those employed in
their production. +
Lacking in Energy.
Prof. Weyl finds that the agricultural
laborer in Mexico Is lacking In energy, and
that while his endurance is great, his dis
position is so lethargic and there is SO
studied a slowness about his movements as
to render his labor ineffective and conse
quently dear. He finds that the Mexican
workman Is not skillful in the use of ma
chinery, for in some cases machinery has
been introduced and subsequently aban-
doned, owing to the lack of skill of the en-
ployes and the difficulties and delays in the
way of having machines repaired The
greatest drawback to Mexican labor, how
ever Is found in the low standard of life in
the lower classes of the population. This,
although apparently improving at a slow
rate, is not advancing with sufficient rapid
ty to render comparison with conditions in
western Europe and the United States ad-
missible.
The food. clothing and shelter absolutely
required for the maintenance Of life form,
in many parts of the country, no sufficient
incentive for continued and strenuous ef-
forts, and In some portions of Mexico the
food Of the human laborers is identical with
that of the live stock, and their shelter Is
inferior.
Prof Weyl attributes the improvidence,
proneness to drunkenness, lying and petty
thieving which he observes to the influence
of three centuries of Spanish oppression
which was. to all intents and purposes,
slavery for the working classes. He notes,
however that these conditions are SLOWLY
n "a The ACQUISITION nf {p1n
by the Mexicans laid the basis for a better
condition of affairs. The marked improve
ment in the condition Of the laboring class
actually dates from the victory Of the lib
eral party, and more particularly from the
accession to the presidency Of the present
incumbent, Porfrio Diaz. Within the last
lished. security has been maintained, brig
| andage eradcated. interstate taxes abol-
ished, finances reformed, railroads con-
| structed, and the industries Of agriculture
and mining nave oeen put upon perma-
Eent basis.
Coincident with this material progress has
come the advance in education, and in
everything pertaining to the moral and in
tellectual advance of the people, and as a
result Of this progress the condition Of the
laboring population throughout the country
has improved in security. In legal protec-
tion, in opportunities for labor, in regularity
of employment, and in the amount of
wages.
Perhaps the most potent factor in inn
proving the cOndltlOn or labor In Mexico
has been the building of railways This
has stimulated all forms Of industry. created
foreign markets, and given employment to
many thousands OF people at comparatively
good wages. The influence Of these roads
has been even greater in spreading informa-
ton of the outer world and in breaking I'M
the narrow pfovinctalism Of small towns
remote from the Highways Of travel.
Improvement in Conditions.
The improvement in the conditions and
remuneration Of labor in Mexico has been a
result of outside influence rather than OF
any agitation ori1combined effort on the
part of the employees. A class conscious
ness on the part, Of the great mass of
workers, whether agricultural or industrial.
can hardly be, said to exist. and no repre-
sentation Of such q class is sought in the
arbitration OF wages or in the councils Of
the nation. pher1' is no conflict between
labor and capitalr no wage contest on a
large scale between organized employees
and employers OF large masses of labor.
Both wages and other conditions Of labor
are still largely matter Of tradition. The
great levers by which the labor of the
country is being raised to better level are
academic and Industrial education. Euro
to-