The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-09-21
THE AMERICAN IN MEXICO.
WORDS OF ADVICE FOR young
MEN VINO
May Contemplate Going There as Per-
manent Settlers.

May Contemplate Going There as Per-
manent settlers.
What opportunity does Mexico offer
to the young American who wants to
come here to grow up with the country?
This is a question that modern Mexico
and people who live here are asked a
great many times every year. Any
country that is passing through a stage
of rapid development. where new indus
tries, and, consequently, new positions
are being constantly created, affords
more chances for energetic and compe-
tent young men than an old and estab-
lished community where the good offices
are not only filled, hut each has num-
Der of competent subordinates in line
for promotion. Young men are given
positions Of responsibility in Mexico
that usually go to older heads in the
United States.
In a new country where laws, GUS
toms, in fact, almost every condition,
differ In so many material points with
those of the northern states, young men
more quickly adapt themselves to the
changed conditions, and they learn
Spanish more readily. 1t must be re-
membered, however, that the number Of
positions open to English-speaking for
eigners is limited. In the great field of
general office work there is scarcely one
opportunity in thousand for them. In
the first place, the laws Of the country
require that books be kept in Spanish,
and it naturally requires a thorough
knowledge of the language to enable an
American to safely handle a set Of
Spanish accounts. Furthermore, the
tendency of the great bulk of the young
men of Mexico is toward the professions
and clerical work, and the foreigner is
seldom able or willing to compete with
the native scale of wages.
The best salaries and the steadiest
employment are found by the young
Americans who are masters of some
practical trade. If they are thoroughly
| equipped in some profession and are
willing to begin in a modest position
and work up as they prove their worth
they can frequently get start. It
/ must be remembered that the field fol-
Americans in Mexico is not as wide as
population figures indicate. Beside the
Mexicans themselves there are many
other nationalities in business here, and
each naturally favors the capable men
of its own race first. 1t is not entirely
a fair comparison, because there are 50
many more skilled artisans in every
branch of industry in the United States
than in Mexico, but it will, nevertheless,
assist in an appreciation Of the condi-
ton in which an American would find
himself In Mexico If he will imagine the
case of a foreigner in the United States.
Suppose young German or French
man were suddenly dropped down in
your community without a knowledge
OF English, and without a particular
training in any practical line, what
would be his chances of securing work
other than manual labor The Ameri-
can In Mexico would, as rule, fare bet
ter; vet his opportunities for usefulness
are very limited. He cannot sell goods
to Spanish-speak people, and he cam
not direct Spanish speaking labor, and
even in the larger cities the English
speaking foreigners constitute only
about one per cent. of the population.
Modern Mexico has always urged
young Americans to come to this coun-
try when they can come properly
equipped Or when the opportunity is
really offered them. If a position with
any degree Of permanency is open to
you, take it. If you know both English
and Spanish and are a first-class ste
nograpller, or a practical mining o.
| electrical engineer, or, a competent ma
chinist or mechanic, you can doubtless
get a position in Mexico in reasonably
| short time. 1t is dangerous to come to
| a new country and location in any
event without little capital to support
yourself while seeking a position. He
who would come without these special
qualifications should have a capital o.
at least FIVE hundred to a, thousand dol
| lars in American money in order to sup
| port himself during a period in which
he may become acquainted with his
new location and secure rudimentary
knowledge of the language.
In a word, Mexico is a very poor place
4 for poor man who Is not a specialist
! General office men can be had by the
CARLOAD for one hundred Mexican dol
lars month, while an American girl
who is a graduate trained nurse, gets
| ten dollars day with board and lodg.
ling. Ordinary clerks are paid from for.
! ty to one hundred dollars a month
| while a competent two-language ste.
lnographer commands from two to three
hundred dollars. To the young mar
\ who knows his trade or business thor.
oughly, who will come to Mexico deter
mined to master Spanish, and who j:
willing to work for few years as hare
as it would be necessary for him to d.
at home, where there is more competi.
ton, we would have no fesitancy II
saylng come to Mexico.
It is wise to add the injunction to the
young man who contemplates such 6
move, however, that he should not come
4 without full confidence in hinlmself tt
with stand the temptations that viii
surround him. 1t is a severe test fol
y