davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Hoep Prices Jumped

The basic item in clothing is the
price of unbleached muslin, which IN
1910 was IA centavos a meter (thirty,,
nine inches), 30 centavos in 1918 and
35 in 1920. Blue duck was 40 centavos
meter in 1910, 81 in June. 1918, ana
P1.98 in February, 1920. The prices
of clothing have always been regu-
lated in Mexico by the costs of the I'm,
ported material, and during the World
War American prices, plus increased
duties, determined the cost where
normally the European market, and not
the American, is the chief factor. PRIOR
to the 1910 revolution imported Eu,
ropean fabrics made clothing OF all
sorts far cheaper in Mexico than IN
the United States, the prices compsr-
ing favorably with Europe A native
made mans suit of the finest Engiisn
woolens could be had for P35. Paris
dresses Of all sorts, lingerie and gloves
were virtually the same price in silver
as they were in the United States ID
gold, making the cost exactly half IN
Mexico. The best shoes were always
American and paid a duty averaging
P1.50 per pair, but where natlve-nlaoe
textiles cost only few cents less thsn
the European (the Mexican manufsc-
turer takes full advantage Of his pro
tection") Mexican made shoes have
always been cheaper than American,
owing to their decidedly inferior
quality. In 1910 native shoes sold iol
about P5, in 1913 for Pr and in 1871
for P10 per pair.
Even with such wages and prices.
however, the problem of existence ID
Mexico is decidedly simpler than 10
more advanced lands. The food prop
lem is solved for many millions BY the
mere fact that they live upon the soil
and in some sections of the counsl!
there is an abundance of native fruiN
and game. although tropical fruits loe'
spite Baron Won Humboldt's ENTHUSIASM
for the banana, more than censul'
ago., are not alone sufficient to sus
tain human life, and corn has to oe
grown for food. Shelter ia the countf!
ccsts the worker nothing. fuel is reeos,e
only for cooking, and clothing is harol!
required for warmth, the zerape, q
blanket, handed down from generation
to generation, providing both CLOAK sn'
bed covering
The lot of the city dweller is, az
everywhere, more complicated. but even
there the most serious problems see"
=
quisitcs to fill out the gaps OF nls y.
economic life and the lack Of creo.
which on the hacienda. is alike ms
savings" system and his provision ios
emergencies. AS substitute. the G."
dweller has recourse only to the paw.
shops and to the private money lenoe''
Of his own or the higher classes. -.
There has always been q considersess
amount Of usurious money Lending Q"
the part of clerks and midd!e-eiass
proprietors. Mexican stores are oi.es
hung with relatively new goods wniea
are not for sale, but which are pieogsnS
left by customers or friends for sm.n
loans. The interest collected is aiws'.
nigh. running up to 20 per cehs
month. the loan being upon vsiu.
t'on of quarter of the price OF '''
article pledged.
THE foregoing is part Of ehapI,.
Of a copyrighted book on The feop.
Of Merico." to be Published on F'sonaf
I BIZ Hdrncf. G Rrns s=EiuanciGf EdttoI.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Failures Show Decline
Above That of Last
Year, However, Figures Reveal

Fewer commercial failures were re-
ported by both r. G.. Dun G. Co. and
Bradstreet's last week, compared with
the previous week. AS reported by
Dun. failures in this country Inst week
numbered 485, against 5l4 the week
previous, 379 in the week preceding
that, and 112 the corresponding week
last year. Failures in Canada number
II. against 44 last week, Al the pre-
ccding week, and 13 last year. OF fail
urcs this week in the United States $50
were in the East, 1870 South, 40 West
and 4b in the Pacific states, and 273 re-
ported liabilities OF $4,000 or more.
against 266 last week
Bradstreet's reported 43o failures
for the week ended January 20. against
b2l the previous week, 10d in 1920, 1913
In 1919, 255 in 1913 and 3SS in 1917.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Peon Beto,c Poverty Line

These necessarily crude estimate. I,
dictate two things-tirst, that hv ~.
standards of the foreigner the Mex;sss .'s
peon lives actually below the povs,,"
line, and, second, that the middle clsss
Mexican is emerging by the help of ths
low peon standards, which give him an
advantage in living costs and make hin
approach independence because he stl lI
lives in cheap quarters, his appetits -
satisfied with relatively CHEAP fooas
and his clothing, while of different ~,
is still made according to native stand
ards and by native workmen.
A glance at the prices for food. .h.,.
ter, clothing and cleanliness will eja,.
ify this point. Primarily, living .y.
pense depends on food costs. They fol.
low very closely the diet of the peon.
save for more meats and, of courss
greater care in preparation.
The relatively small difference h..
tween food prices in Mexico and New
York always strikes the foreign stu.
dent, but this is of itself proof Of the
fact that the Mexican peon, at least
lives on less, or wastes less Of the food
that he has, than does the American.
Shelter is actually a small item in
Mexico, although where the peon on bis
tiny wage has a home" the cost is
disproportional. Previous to 1910, Ii.
vile rooms in the Mexican city tene.
ments cost P1.50 up per month, Will.
to-day the minimum is about P5. ID
the slightly higher classes rents Ia.
crease, but little more is given for the
money. At the beginning of The CEN
tury little apartments or houses Of
three or four rooms could be had for
P8 to P12 per month; in 1910 two
rooms cost as much; in 1920 the cost
of two rooms was up 10 PIE And
these had very few of the convenienees
which the American or European wors-
man would consider necessities, such
as light, running water and goood toi.
lets, and. of course, with no reai bath
room. Other houses of several rooms
cost, in 1910, up to P100 per month,
and in 1918 brought Pl50 to P20O.
Fuel hardly enters into the cost Of
shelter in Mexico, because practically
none Of the houses are heated, though
oil stoves are used by some of the resi-
dents of the highlands. In 1910 kero-
sene cost II centavos a liter, and q
centavos in 1918. Kerosene is general
ly used for lighting in the middle
classes, but candles are even more CON-
mon. PAraffin candles cost, in 1910,
SO centavos kilogram (about 16 cen
tavos a pound), and in 1918 were ~
centavos a kilo. Charcoal, almost un:-
versally used for cooking, was cen
tavos a kilo in 1910 and centavos ID
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
improvement Under Diaz

In the middle classes there was
under the Diaz peace a growing oppor-
tunity in salaried positions and in the
mechanical arts. The largest divisions
OF this group were indeed a product
or the economic system nurtured under
DlaZ, and the reactionary instincts of
this class, which could hope to advance
or even to exist only in an industrial
community, have been one of the
stabilizing forces acting upon the new
revolution. Their conservatism is, in
fact, largely responsible for the modi-
cum of success which Carranza OBJ
tanned during his four years of rule.
The middle class, however, suffered
most during the paper money orgies of
Carranza, but it gained something in
the advances in salary which, however
inadequate under paper money condi-
tions, were usually maintained after a
stable currency was again established
ne lower classes, whose living con
dltlons must of necessity be taken as
the national index, have but one source
Of income, their physical efforts. They
live eternally on the poverty line, with
their small needs, their ability to re-
duce their requirements to meet almost
any limitation, and their apathetic lack
OF interest in anything beyond that
actually required, combining to save
them from starvation
Baron Won Humboldt stated (and this
is the earliest record of peon wages
which we have) that the agricultural
laborer in 1904 received about % CEN
tavos day. During the revolutions
wages fell, reaching the level of 1212
centavos day in most sections of the
republic, although in certain parts they
were as high as 81 centavos. In 1878
the average of wages for the country
vas 18 to 81 centavos.
peso normally is worth about 40
cents, and a centavo about u cent in
United States currencyl
In 1910 rent might have been P5 a
month OR even as low as P2 in some of
the quarters of the cities, or P24 wear:
10 cut down the amount spent for
clothes to the very minimum estimate,
f2o year tor the entire family would,
added to the daily ration of pulque, 4
centavos day, or PA year, and 4
centavos worth of cigarettes, another
PA, give total for ali expenses. ex-
cluding food, of PIT. allowing the al
most impossible minimum of rent. p2
month. From the minimum insome
Of ~ centavos day there is thus left
P9l. rs, or about 25 centavos n day, for
TODD, while if the entire family is work
ing the daily average for food is so
centavos, which, divided among the
average family of six people, means 10
centavos day an individual. 1t seems,
in contemplating the cold figures Of
the city poems budget. as If it were i'm
possible for him to exist, and vet exist
he does, even though his children die
like flies and his wife grows old at
thirty and reaches her grave by forty
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Thrift Unknown to Peon. .
And Wages Mean Nothing
Laborer Works Only Long Enough to
Provide for Fami ly for Week Only
Lenders Conserve Funds
By Wallace Thompson

TEXICO country of low normally it is country of m
lVl living the through which
where dollars and pounds francs and about
bubbles blown by gales political cyclones figure.
and food significant world
than of nations internal conditions This probably less m
Mexico than elsewhere however, because Mexico with gold coin
her financial isolation been still by e
iona exchange The appreciation ~
significance of living Mexico
the confusion wrought her life
four happily ended dabocal
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Guaranty Denies Report

Albert Breton, ice-presdent of the
Guaranty Trust Company, said that
there is no truth whatever in the state
ment that the company is expected to
lend financial aid to the Banco Ma
cional de Cuba. He added that, al
though the company has friendly
feeling for the Cuban situation and
toward tho Cuban institution, it has
not been approached concerning such a
proposition by the Banco Nacional de
Huho
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Big Sale Terms Fixed

Terms under which manufacturers
can enter merchandise in the clearing
division of the Bush Terminal Sales
Building, which will begin operations
en- February /. were announced yester.
day. The sale is intended to consist
Of surplus stocks, jobs and close-outs.
Manufacturers placing goods in the
sale agree not to quote lower price
than that put upon the goods in tn.
sale during the thirty day period. The
company reserves the right to pass
upon all entries upon a basis Of their
being surplus, odd lots or jobs, sala-
bilty and low price.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
The Textile Industry

Signs of residence in textile mans
featuring centers are indicated ny :
statement of the Department Of Ag.r
culture and Commerce, which now =
that operations have been resumed y
many manufacturers. OF eleven Pr
lectures reported upon, there are onr
one or two in which entire suspenIe.ss
of output is still prevailing. while pss
10 per cent of the spindles IN tno.s
factories where output is reduced ess
left idle. .<.3s
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Greatest Users of Cheaper Kinds of U. S.
Crop Unable to Buy Now Because of
Changed Conditions, Says Whittam
By William Whittam

Former Agent Of Department of Britain
The nconstant influences which
adverse the cotton all with
those operating Frsthand
satisfied that the bottom has Cancellations
there Banks overloaded with loans which
have been delivered and paid Where
celed delivery off indefinite the future 1t said
banks refuse to advance than shipping
cotton goods And the tale the
customer for cotton a home
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Peon Irregular Employee

The peon works only enough days to
support himself and his family in the
most meager fashion. The evidence on
this point is overwhelming, and large
employers of labor throughout the
country have found it necessary to
on their pay rolls in order to guaran-
tee the daily average of workers nee
essary for the prosecution of any piece
Of work. Therefore the peon, working
only long enough to satisfy his needs,
has been able to increase his hours
when food increased in price, so that
where at one time he might have salts
fed his wants with three days work
a week, he could, with the price of
food doubled, work six days week at
his old salary and still live as we'll as
usual. Only in the last few years has
the question of wages had close re-
iationship to living expenditures, and
this only because the rising prices of
food, due to the destruction of the
revolutions far more than to the in
creased cost of living the world over,
have made it impossible for the Mexi-
can sufficiently to increase his eff
cheney by his own choice to make living
easy, as he has always done in the
past
Moreover conservative Mexican econ
omlsts have long insisted that the
country's social problems have no
striking or general economic parallel.
Much of the confused personal eco
Monies of Mexico is also due to the
fact that the sources of income do not
follow conventional divis ons. The ma
ticnal wealth was originally created
by mines and agriculture and concen-
trated by trade and revolutionary
brigandage. while land, even under
modern conditions, has been almost the
sole recognized repository of invest
ment for the national wealth. Indus
trial development (ncluding mining
since it became an industry and not q
form Of adventure and speculation) has
been brought about almost entirely by
foreign capital, for it is an axiom of
those long resident in Mexico that
will not invest in industrial
and public service enterprises except
on small scale in conjunction with
quantities of foreign money. Mexico's
banks draw almost none of their capi-
tai from savings and little from the
increm ent of national wealth. Almost
The only method, aside from farms, by
which capital is produced" may be
said to be usurious interest collected
either by banks or by individuals. The
result is that the income of the upper
classes is largely from land and farm
ing of various sorts, from definite in
herltances, and from usury.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
HOLIDAYS This Week

Monday-In Brazil Estate of piauhy).
Newfoundland
Tuesday--ln Brazil Estate of Sac
Paulo). Malta.
Wcdnesday-In New South Wales
queensland, Tasmania, Western Aus
tralia.
Thursday-In Brazil Estate Of Per-
nambuco). Jugo- -Slavia.
Saturday.~ln New Zealand (Auck
land), South Australia.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Sugar Growers Seek Relief

SAN ANTONIO, Tex, Jan. 22.-Sugar
interrests of Mexico have appealed to
the Mexican government for aid in pre-
venting further losses because Of the
low fluctuations OF the market, accord
ing to press dispatch received here
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Plan Chinese Silk DEVELOPMENT

It Is learned through the press that
proposal has been made at the 1tal-
ian Embassy at Toxic to send mis-
sion of Japanese business men con-
cerned in sericplture to Italy, to carry
on negotiations with leading Italian
silk men in the interest Of the develop
mont Of serlculturo in China.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Cruciblc to Move Here

The executive Offices OF the Cruciblc
Steel Company in Pittsburgh will be
moved to New York some time in April
or May, 1t was announced yesterday by
the New York Office of the company.
The change, it was announced, will be
in the nature OF consolidation Of the
staff Of the organization.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23

Export figures are illuminating.
During the ten months ended October,
1920, British yarn shipments were 1885,
$4,000 pounds and cloth 3,845,589, 900
yards, while in the corresponding
period of 1918 the exports were: Yarn,
ia, ,720,800 pounds; cloth, 5,981, ,216, 900
yards.
1t is to be borne in mind that Great
Rritain's two largest markets for cot
ton textiles are India and China, where
Japanese merchants have been dispos-
ing of their holdings at prices below
the cost of production.
The Japanese goods are mostly made
from East Indian cotton. whereas the
British made goods they have dis
placed are made from American-grown
fiber. The fall in silver also has had
an almost disastrous effect on Oriental
purchasing power A year ago India
and China were unprecedentedly pros
porous and silver at about it's highest.
In the fall of 1914 silver stood at %
pence in London, while at the begin
ming of last year the price had risen to
over 80 pence. To-t.ay's price of 40
pence explains much of our cotton
growers distress. Indeed, a London
cable about the middle of last month
they were not prepared to buy cotton
goods until the rupee recovered to two
shillings. The current rate in New
York is about 90 cents. These are a
few of the things which inexorably
govern the demand for, and therefore
the price of. raw cotton. Our farmer
tinanciers pay far too little attention
to them, and it is to be feared their
would-be benefactors by legislative en-
actment know less about them.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Lo,c-Grade Stocks Heapy

Meanwhile the South is almost
snothering under a we'll nigh unbear-
able load Of low-grade cotton. When
the producer was ignorantly led to
believe that the world would pay so
cents pound for his middling quality;
that any grade below would bring
spondingly high price, and that
ter how short or discolored, would
be SNAPPED up at relatively fancy
prices, he held on. The banks indis-
criminstinEly helped him, although
much CT Bis so-called unspinnable ma
terial was carried by the growers With
cat tho aid Of the banks, the high prices
Of previous seasons having put some
ef .hc planters in this unusual posi-
tor % financial independence. About
the only Tlaces this stuff could be used
N werc those With which traders in
.AGakr e-n cotton were not very ia
nsiisar + G.. the markets where Indian
usa Ike sha.t staples were used in
s.uAnt rs Ja.t now neither the banker
roy taa grower can realize on this
aeas STICK by the ordinary merchan-
iirt~e mttacds with which he is fami-
ar nor through his accustomed trade
sfaansls it remains to devise new
~ sYs md means, for the market must
be lioved of this load before it can
flHcrIcn normally ana De1ore local
cred, fac. tiles will be able to do
Their full share in the operation Of
financing the cotton crop.
The farmer is fully alive to this in
crbus. He is being told that during
the recent years Of good prices can
abnormally large proportion of low
grades has been produced" and that
''the cost of predicting and gathering
the low grades has been more than the
cost of producing and gathering the bet
ter grades" An "abnDrmally large pro-
portion of low grades" is almost alto
gethcr the growers OWL fault. He has
been instructed and coaxed for years
from every side and huge sums Of pub
tic funds have been spent to lead him
away from this almost criminally care
less practice, but to no avail He is
paying dearly for it now, as he has done
many time before. Leave low grades
in the field for cattle and composts, is
advice he receives from one side. Sell
it at any price it will fetch another
group tells him. while third set say.
Give it to any one who will pick it.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
b.0s7. 900 Ioo.oo

From which it is seen that Europe.
including Great Britain, took 2,o65 900
bales. or 34.a9 per cent Of the Indian
crop. Compare this with the consump-
ton OF Indian during the year ended
July 81, 1920. The whole OF Europe
used only 453,774 bales.
Germany, for example, uxed 175A25
bales in 1913, and 70 900 in 1920; Bel
gum, s2,4o9 in the former, and 72 ,e6S
bales In the latter year. Austria's con-
sumption in 1913 was I54,13s bales.
while in 1920 the renamed Czecbo-
Slovakia took but s,02s bales. The fig-
ures for Italy were 1913, lg4,945 bales.
and In 1920, I33, 1870. France, 1913. o.
l1i bales; 1920, 1886 bales.
These figures point TO the outlet
for our low grade surplus, especially
as At prevailing low prices these spin
ming countries will In all probability
eagerly seine the opportunity to buy
the cheapest available spinnabie fibre,
for the compelling reason that the cus-
toners for their output will put up
w'th anything AT all seryiccable that
falls within the range Of their meagre
power.
IL 10 not prejudice, but a religious
conviction; requirement Of the Ma
bosnctan faith, that ths dead shall
q hukl4A In tarsnHyd shvouds, When
54I E| ~ 3HAxx atyd
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23
Are Ne,c Uses Needed?

The question has been asked if it will
be necessary to develop new uses for
this accumulated stock Of low grades
before it can pass into consumption.
Not at all. All that is required is an
extension of the sale Of those classes
of goods heretofore made from short
staple and cheap varieties. And if those
who now own this surplus will only
grasp the fact that there are hundreds
of millions of impoverished people who
have not the money to buy fabrics
made from ordinary qualities. even at
prevailing comparatively low prices,
they will at once arrange to unload this
burden, to the relief of idle hands
waiting spindles and their own financial
distress. The logical market is in the
countries which commonly use large
quantities of the short stapled and
coarse Indian fiber, there being first
ascertained the approximate annual
consumption of such qualities in those
countries and the quantity of our piled
up stock waiting to be sold
The approximate crop of East Indian
cotton for the pre-war season of 1919
ia was 5,987 900 bales, which were dis
trlDuted aR follows.
New-York tribune., 1921-01-23

and he exists without working al 4.
the five days week we have allo.ss
The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1921-11-03

Chas. Seglem and F. B. Myers
were in Port Arthur Sunday.
Claus c. Monker made profess
sional visit to- the Zenith City last
week.
Miss Amy Lindskog and the Lund-
quist brothers returned home Sat-
urday from trip to Duluth.
Olson Bros. have moved their Of
flee into the building next door.
Mrs. wv. Leng, who has been
visiting her son and daughter-in-
law, Mr.. and. Mrs. Geo. Leng for
few months, returned home Thurs
day. Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. Leng &C.
companied her as far as Duluth.
Mr.. and Mrs. Victor Johnson en-
tertained Mrs. Swartz and two
daughters of Two Harbors, Saturday
night and Sunday. Sheriff and Mrs.
Emil Nelson joined the party Sunday
| dlIu Clloy OIL 1Stu1 11Ou 1O11l0 CllCb al
| ternoon.
Mr.. and Mrs. Carl Sjoberg have
been entertaining Mrs. Sjoberg' S
brother and his wife and Miss Lula
Mae DeWalt, all of Minneapolis, for
the past two weeks. They were
among the out-of town guests at the
bachelors ball Saturday night. Sun.
day they returned home.
| Mr. and Mrs. Victor Johnson had as
their guests over the weekend, Mrs
Schwartz, Misses Attic and Emma
Schwartz, Miss Edythe Hanson anc
Mr.. Artie Schwartz, of Two Har
bors. Saturday evening they all at
tended the theater and later thu
bachelors ball and, needless to say
enjoyed themselves.
The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1921-11-03
Notice to
Big Game
Hunters

Big game licenses may now be OBJ
tanned at the County Auditor upon
the payment of 1928 for each Ii
cense. Applications for. licenses out
side of Grand Marais may be had
from the following parties:
H. 0. Engelsen, Tofte.
Ray Parent, Schroeder.
Gust T. Nelson, Lutsen.
John Clark, Grand Portage
Martin Jacobson, Hovland.
Peter M. Linnell, Mineral Center
Application must be properly filled
out before license can be issued.
T. I. CARTER,
County Auditor.