Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 August 1896 — SILVER IN MEXICO. [ARTICLE]

SILVER IN MEXICO.

HOW THE CARTWHEEL DOLLARS MELT AWAY. Nowhere Aye Beggar* ‘More Numerous, or Squalor and Wretchedness , More in Evidence— A Bagged and Poorly Housed People. The. advocates of the free and unlimited t c(»inage of silver, and Mr. TownO in partir, are of late given to holding up tin moneta ry-s.vstem of Mexico; and the conditions there as illustrations of the blessings of free silver. It is doubtful if there is a nation on the face of the g!ob<‘ \v)»eio more poverty is seen in all its parts the nation/than can be f<Aintb in Mexico. It is. \more than probable, however,-that neither Mr. Towne nor his friends have taken the time to familiarize themselves with the conditions of the people of that free silver republic. When they say the Mexican \Vage earner is in a more, prosperous condition than those of this country they do not fail to exhibit their utter ignorance Of the question. Anyone who knows anything at sll on lhe subject khows there is not a syllable of, truth in uuch statements. Mr. Townq is reported to have said a few days since, at St. Louis, Jliat Mexico was a niuch more prosperous country than the United States, and cited as the cause for this the fact that Mexico was on a free silver basis. It is not understood hen* that r Mr. Towne has ever spent much time in that country—he has ever, Leon there at all. The testimony of those who have spent months and years in that country is entitled to at least even weight with those who have never been across the Southwestern frontier. The h'ev. Francis E. Clark, president of the Society of Christian Endeavor, a jgvntlonian of observation and the integrity, has lately completed a journey of 2500 miles in ,Mexico, writes as follows concerning conditions as he found them: Free silver, after all. does not make, a Terrestrial paradise in every respect. The traveler is reminded of that in many ways. The Mexican cartwheel dollar melts away in a surprising fashion when it cohie to bnyinv v lint an American considers the t»ccc**ai i<*s of life. For- instance, when the colored porter of (lie Pullman buffer car brings you the bill of fare it almost takes your breath to sec Hie. .prices •charged for various’ comestibles. For instance, two boiled eggs cost .”.0 centst. while three Fray be obtained for the moderate sum o! -10 cents. Bread and butter Is 20 cents, a cup of tea or coffee costs the same priii'. while a sandwich may be hail for no Jess’ Of course (he eye of a Bostonian would seek the price <■-< the succulent and nutritious baked bean, and he is surprised io lind that it requires -to reat.c , vom (rents) tp pay for the dish for which his muii’ripailty is famed. A small bottle <»f a(’po’liuaris water costs 50 cents, and other- ‘hiiiga arc in proportion. Hesintig a light lunch on one occasion In the City of Mexico. I bought a small package of sweet biscuit, about halt a pound j‘n all. which might have cost 15 vents ,in “America.” ayd was surprised that my hill amounted to ST cents. It should be remarked, however, that if one is content to live tn Mexican style prices are. not exorbitant A good room in .the l est Mexican hotels for one or two peop e < air be had for from -51 to $-1 a day (Mexi an . aril board (if you can stand the 'cx< < ruble cooking of the country) is —from Vl Jn yj nmrp. L_ TTw silver fff hi is” — Mexico has not as' yet found its way to any great extent ‘i to the pockets of the poor people. AVag'es are evidently on the highest sort of a g.o'd basts. A number of my friends Told me That they pay their cooks about >5 a mouth. about one-quart er the price of su»-h labor in the States. In the country districts an abh'-bodivd num earns .$(» (Mexir. ti) a month (|3 American) and his board, while a- fair day’s wages in city A or country for i laboring man is 50 cents (Mexican): Nowhere are beggars more numerous, or squah.r and in —wi- ■ <iciiv-< than In prosperous Mexico. The railway stations are thronged with almost raked children, holding out grimy hands, while their pitiful and jnpHdtonous wail. “t’rntavos,” “Centavos.” reminds out* .of lhe “Backsheesh,” •’BarkslW'vsii.” of Egypt and Syria. Indeed, tin* condition of (ho common people se«*ms ,_not .one whit hotter than that of the fel'.ahin of Egypt or the pariahs of India In • many .respects the condition of those widely separated dues is strikingly similar. They live in the same kind of mud houses. They tire clad in similar ihvttoring. picturesque rags— except the rags of Mexico seem a little mure ragged than those of lhe East. Their feet are shod with the same kind of .sandal, a flat piece of rough leather, botind or with a leather tliQi’g There is one difference, however, the red fez of Egypt and the white turban of Ind’p. in Mexicii gives way to the great jsombiyro on which every ’ .Mexican who has a spark of Holf-respect prides himself. in the matter'of headgear, this Oriental country of the O* ident has tin' advantage of the sister nations of the East. Its “tile” is truly a -magnificent one. it sometimes costs $100; very frequently from X2'> to $:;0. Often a mounted Mexican may bo seen galloping across the dry plains__ivjß»sr overshadowing sombrero is worth more than all the rest of the outfit—coat and shirt anil trousers and horse and saddle. Hundreds of thousands of Mexicans live in houses which •could bo built for $lO in American money. and their whole wardrobe. minus the sombrero, would come high at “two bits.” I am speaking, of course, of* th<' peons, the peasant class. There is another class of Mexicans, of whom I cannot write In this paper, who live in beautiful houses, surre»unding le>v»»ly patois, e>r inner courtyard gardens built very much ns were' the houses of ancient Pennpeii. These Mexicans are' jmlite. gen'erons. hospitable. . full of pager hopes for their country, "ami patriotic to the last <ie'gree\ It is a rm-e* with large' possiljiiitie?u aiiei a hopeful future. Is free' silve r the good genius of the' T» A |ud»lic? I will h ave it In timineners t v » «ay I sinudy re«-oid the' of a traveler.