 |
| Flag of Mexico 1893-1916. |
Cortland
Evening Standard, Monday, October 12, 1896.
CONDITIONS IN MEXICO.
The Wage
Earning Class and What They Earn.
COMPARED
WITH OUR LABORERS.
Report
of the Committee of the Chicago Trades and Labor Assembly Submitted After a
Short Visit to Our Neighbor Republic.
CHICAGO, Oct. 12.—The committee of the trade
and labor assembly sent to Mexico by that organization "to investigate the
condition of the laboring classes of that country" has returned to Chicago
and submitted its report at a meeting of the assembly. The report is in part as
follows:
The first stop made by your committee was at
El Paso, Tex., where we investigated the wages paid and the condition of the
American laborers. From that point we crossed to the city of Juarez, but two
miles from El Paso. At this place a complete change met the eye—everything
assuming a Mexican air—and we realized that the time had arrived when the real
duties of our mission began. We took observation of the people as to their
appearance, mode of living, social conditions, wages paid and prices of
commodities, and were surprised at the contrast as compared with conditions,
etc., in El Paso.
The two peoples, as to their habits, tastes,
customs and modes of life, are such that a comparison is unnatural. Life is regarded
from very different standpoints, as they live under different conditions
inasmuch as the Mexican laborer is apparently content with the four bare walls
of his 10 foot square adobe hut with nothing inside but the ground to sleep on,
a shawl or blanket to cover or wrap himself up in, a dish of tortillas (corn
pancakes) and frijoles (beans) for his frugal meal, and in a large number of
cases a little pig, a dog and a chicken or two of the game cock order sharing
his scant quarters, while the American laborer across the line has all the
comforts of home and many of the luxuries of life.
Wages in Mexico, except to skilled and steady
mechanics—always foreigners—are very low. On railroads, engineers (Americans) on
passenger trains receive $210 per month, while the firemen (Mexicans) receive
$1.85 per day; freight engineers (Americans), $250 per month; firemen (Mexicans).
$1.50 to $1.70 per day; passenger conductors (Americans), $160 per month; brakemen
(Mexicans), $1.50 per day; freight conductors (Americans), $200 per month;
brakemen (Mexicans), $57 to $63 per month; Pullman conductors, $80 per month
(American money), and the porter $30 per month (American money), with $5 per
month extra for being able to talk Spanish.
The national soldiers or regular army of Mexico,
called rurales, and who are all ex-bandits, receive $1 per day. In a broom factory
near the depot at Jimenez the men are paid 50 cents, women and children 25 to 37 1/2 cents per day. In the
cotton mills, cotton seed oil mills and soap factory at Torreon men are paid 37
1/2 to 50 cents, women and children 35 cents per day.
A carcador (public carrier) has a rate of 12 1/2 cents per hour, but you can
hire him for from 25 to 37 1/2 cents per day.
At Leon, where nearly all the leather goods
in Mexico are manufactured, the peon gets his leather cut for shoes, harness or
other goods to be made by him and takes the material to his hut, where the whole
family assist him, the same as in the sweat shops in Chicago. For making shoes
he receives $1 and upward per dozen pairs; on the other leather goods he
receives 37 1/2 cents to 50 cents a day for his labor, working as long as
daylight lasts, averaging 12 to 14 hours per day. Common laborers can be hired
for 18 to 50 cents per day. House servants, male or female, receive $3 to $5
per month and board themselves. In or near cities peons live in adobe houses
and pay a rental of $3 a year for the ground on which it stands. On leaving
this for another location all "improvements" the peon has made go to
the landlord or owner of the land, who pays no taxes whatever on the land.
A man's chief article of dress is his
sombrero, often costing as much as $35 (which is bought on the installment
plan), while the balance of his clothing would make a crazy quilt turn green
with envy owing to its variety of colors and assortment of patches, making it a
hard problem to solve as to which is the original garment and which the
patches. No stockings are worn by either sex, and only about one-third wear
sandals, which are made from a piece
of sole leather and tied to the foot with straps. These sandals cost from 13 to
20 cents per pair. The average cost of the necessities of life for a peon
family of five is 25 cents per day, and clothing for the same costs about $30
per year.
The day's work in Mexico runs from 10 to 14
hours. The bakers work 20 hours, and workmen who take work to their homes work
as many hours as they please.
The Mexican laborers work easy compared with
the American laborer, except the carrier who bears enormous burdens on his back
all day without manifestation of fatigue. The question of shorter hours to
Mexico is a long way off for a country in which labor is so cheap and plentiful
that it is offered as an inducement to bring foreign capital in and its toilers
will be compelled to work as many hours as they are physically able and, thanks
to organized labor, or the American workingmen would be in the same condition
today as his Mexican brother.
The haciendas (or plantations) are owned by
the very rich and cover an area of from 10 to 100 square miles. Farming and
agricultural implements are very primitive. The plow is a crooked stick or beam
and scratches the ground to the depth of three or four inches. This plow is
drawn by two oxen and the harness is a broad strap or rope passing over the
forehead instead of the shoulders of the oxen.
Planting is done by poking a hole into the
ground with a stick, dropping the corn into it and the seed is covered by the
peon stepping from hole to hole. On these immense tracts of land the natives or
peons have lived for centuries and are forced to buy all their necessities of
life at the haciendados' (land owners') truck store.
On the hacienda the peon gets from 18 to 25
cents per day for his work and a hut to live in, if he builds himself. The peon
gets no money except on feast days and for religious offerings. By this system
he is always in debt to the haciendado. This form of slavery has been forbidden
by law for a number of years, but two thirds of the peons do not know it, as
they can neither read nor write and their masters take good care not to teach
them this fact.
Organized labor is unknown here, which is
considered a great blessing. But that country today that has the best system of
trade organizations and the greatest number of union men per capita of its
population is the foremost in wealth, progress and the happiness of its people.
The cry is raised that there are no poor houses
in Mexico, but that is no indication of the absence of poverty, as your
committee can fully testify without fear of contradiction, as the voice of the
mendicant supplicating alms rang in our ears all through Mexico. In the cities
of Zacatecas and Guanajuato, with populations of 40,000 and 70,000
respectively, we failed to get tea and potatoes on the tables of the best
hotels. On inquiry we were informed that if we paid $1 a pound for butter it would
be purchased and kept for our exclusive use.
Your committee would caution American workingmen
against going to Mexico without sufficient funds to bring them back, or to have
employment secured before going there, or they will be obliged to subsist on
cactus and the sap of the tequila plant while doing the country. On asking an
American who was conducting a prosperous business in one of the cities which
your committee visited why it was that the foreigners all seemed to be making money,
no matter what business they were engaged in, he, with characteristic Yankee
frankness, replied: "The laborer here is different from the laborer in the
States. Here labor is cheap, and we have no brains to contend with."
This epistle does not abound in high sounding
platitudes on the sublime and beautiful of that country, but on facts that
still exist and are ready to speak for themselves to those who will go and seek
as we have done; and should they do so they will feel as we do, that the
American workingman is a prince compared to the workingman of Mexico.
That in this country all stand equal in social
and political life, and in that political right they should exercise with care the
faithful discharge of their duties, unprejudiced and unbiased, by supporting such
principles as will do the greatest good to the greatest number, irrespective of
party politics or the machinery of either party who may manipulate conditions
and measures for personal gain to the detriment of the whole people.
NEGROES
SHOT TO DEATH.
Two
Accused of Murder Perish at the
Hands of
a Mob.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Oct. 12.—A negro named Jim
Anderson was shot to death by a mob near Taylor's Ferry, 22 miles from here, on
Friday night. Henry Cyat, another negro, was taken Saturday by a mob at the
same place and riddled with bullets.
The negroes were accused of having murdered
and robbed Randolph Falls, a farmer residing near Toadsville. Anderson is said
to have confessed the crime.
Officers have gone to Toadsville to
investigate the case. It is asserted that there is some doubt that the men
killed are the guilty parties, and fear is felt that the mob may murder others
before they finish.
PAGE
TWO—EDITORIALS.
Town
Bonds and Free Silver.
There is now outstanding a very large
indebtedness consisting of town and municipal bonds, payable interest and
principal in gold coin, at its present weight and fineness. There is also a
vast indebtedness consisting of bonds issued by business corporations and by
private individuals that are also payable in gold coin.
If this country should adopt free coinage of
silver at the ratio of 16 to 1, all the gold would be immediately driven out of
circulation. Nevertheless, all the gold coin obligations would have to be paid
in gold. No act of congress could relieve them from such payment, because it is
not within the constitutional power of congress to limit or impair the
obligation of an existing contract. If the disposition to do so existed, the
power is absolutely nonexistent.
How then can a town, a municipal corporation
or a private individual meet such obligations? The obligations so incurred must
be met and paid according to their terms, The gold to meet these obligations
with must be purchased at a large premium.
Mexico is upon a silver basis, and something
may be learned from her experience, and it is a sad one. Her national debt,
interest and principal (except what she has repudiated), is payable in gold,
and in order to meet her accruing interest she has to pay at the present time
$1.90 in silver for every gold dollar she purchases. The average premium that
Mexico has to pay to obtain the gold is fully ninety per cent and sometimes
higher. There is no reason to suppose that this country, if it entered upon
free coinage, could purchase gold upon any more favorable terms than Mexico now
obtains. It might be slightly lower at times, but if we should enter upon free
coinage and it should result in largely increasing the output of silver, silver
would be cheapened, and the premium on gold would correspondingly increase.
Under our present currency system, gold coin
obligations are as easily met as obligations not thus payable, because all of
our dollars are maintained at a parity. Under free coinage at 16 to 1 the
burden that would rest upon municipalities, corporations and individuals who
had to pay obligations in gold coin would be extremely burdensome and
oppressive.
To vote for free coinage at 16 to 1 would
invite the burden—with no possible benefit in return.
 |
| William Jennings Bryan. |
Bryan's
Day of Rest.
ST. PAUL, Oct. 12.—This was the usual Sunday
of rest for William J. Bryan. In the morning, in company with Mrs. Bryan who
joined the party, he attended services at the Central Presbyterian church and
listened to a sermon by Rev. L. W. Beattie of Hanketo. In the afternoon the [presidential] candidate kept close to his room and rested. He had a few callers, among them
being Ignatius Donnelly, Senator W. C. Squire of Washington, Senator Tillman of
North Carolina and C. A. Towne, the free silver Republican and Democratic
nominee for congress in the Duluth district.
Today there will be no speaking by the
nominee until evening, when he will address three audiences in Minneapolis.
Tomorrow morning he will take the train for Duluth. The special car which
brought the party here will be under the charge of National Committeeman Campau of Michigan.
 |
| William McKinley. |
Major
McKinley's Sabbath.
CANTON, O., Oct. 12.—Major McKinley feels
well after the record breaking week just closed. The major attended the morning
services at the First Methodist church. In the afternoon he accompanied Mrs.
McKinley on her usual drive. He also paid his accustomed daily visit to his
mother and then received a few visitors and read the papers, an occupation in
which he particularly delights. Murat Halstead and ex-Representative Finley of
Baltimore were guests.
REV.
JOHN T. STONE ACCEPTS
The Call
of the Presbyterian Church—Will Come Nov. 1.
Rev. John T. Stone, pastor of Olivet Presbyterian
church of Utica, to whom last week a call was extended to become the pastor of
the Presbyterian church in Cortland,
has accepted that call and will be prepared to begin his pastoral duties in
connection with this church on November 1.
Yesterday morning at his "church in
Utica, after preaching a sermon from the text Is. liii:10 —"Thou shalt
make his soul an offering for sin," he read to his people the following
letter of resignation which was published this morning in the Utica Herald:
To the Session, Trustees and Members of
Olivet Presbyterian Church of Utica, N. Y.:
MY DEAR PEOPLE—During the week past I have
received a call from the Presbyterian
church of Cortland to become their pastor. Through the frank courtesy of the
representatives of that church I have known of the probable need of deciding in
reference to this matter for some weeks. During that time I have spent much
time in earnest thought and heart-searching prayer. The fact that this door has
been opened absolutely without solicitation or encouragement on my part, has convinced
me that a divine hand has led both the church and myself. It is with no small
victory over personal feelings that I take the stand of this morning. Ere I do
so, however. I desire to tell you my appreciation of all you have been to me
and mine as a church. I can say from my heart, I love this church and city and
never expect to minister in a more sympathetic and responsive parish.
If I have partially been as much to you in
loyalty and devotion as you have been to me I feel that God did not call me
here in vain. How I wish my heart might speak to you this morning instead of my
lips, for then I know you all would understand me. It is my strong conviction that
I should accept this call. My reasons for such conclusion are both general and
personal. The field I believe is a very broad one, although I do not fail to appreciate
the influence and ultimate development and possibilities of Olivet church. My
first ambition is to preach Christ
wherever he would have me for his greatest glory, but I feel the need of more
time for quiet study. With frankness I also state that an increased salary has
had weight in my decision, although I have sought to make such consideration secondary.
With a clear conscience then in this, my final decision, I ask you as a church
to meet in the chapel on Tuesday evening of this week, Oct. 13, at 7:30 o'clock
to appoint representatives from the session and congregation to unite with me in
requesting the presbytery of Utica to dissolve the pastoral relations between
myself and this church, my resignation to take effect the last Sunday of this
month. Such action to be presented at the next meeting of the presbytery, which
will be held at Vernon at 7 o'clock next Wednesday evening.
The Herald then quoted in full the item in
The STANDARD of last Thursday giving the facts in regard to the call.
Missing
Convict Found.
Lewis Sarles, the convict who tried to escape
from Auburn prison Thursday night, was found late Saturday afternoon in a
cupboard in one of the keepers' offices in the main building of the prison. He
had secreted himself in one of the most conspicuous places in the prison in the
expectation that there he might be overlooked.
He was right in his anticipations, as every
other place in the prison had been examined and the guards blundered upon him
by accident never thinking that he would be found there.
This was his second attempt at escape and
because of this he forfeits all of his good behavior time and must now nerve
nine years and three months longer.
BREVITIES.
—The grocery stores and meat markets begin
closing evenings at 8 o'clock tonight.
—A large oil painting of McKinley has been
placed in Republican headquarters. It is the work of Prof. L. J. Higgins.
—New advertisements to-day are—C. F. Brown,
sponges, page 6; Bingham Bros. & Miller, great fall opening, page 5.
—A party of eleven young men, students of Cornell
university, came to Cortland yesterday on a four-horse-tally-ho coach and spent
some hours here calling on their young lady friends.
—A successful operation for appendicitis was
performed by Dr. F. W. Higgins at the hospital at 4 o'clock this afternoon on
Frank Sheridan, the 10-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. James Sheridan.
—Next
Sunday evening at the Universalist church Rev. H. W. Carr will deliver the
annual sermon before the O. U. A. M. All patriotic people are invited, and a
special invitation is extended to the G. A. R., the W. R. C., and the S. O. V.
—A small army of men is at work on the
paving on Railroad-st. The girder rails for the electric road were all laid Saturday
night at 5:30 o'clock and connection was made as far as the first switch of the
D. L. & W. R. R. Cars began running through to McGrawville that night. A small
section of track between the switches yet remains to be relaid, but that will
be done a little later. The men laying concrete are now nearly down to the St.
Charles hotel on the south side of the street.
 |
| 1. P. H. McGraw, founder. 2. A. P. McGraw residence. 3. Warehouse and Shipping. 4. Corset Factory. 5. A. P. McGraw. |
McGRAWVILLE.
Crisp
local Happenings at the Corset City.
Saturday night was a Republican night in
this village, for the rally announced for that evening was the greatest in the
history of McGrawville. At 6 o'clock people began to arrive from every
direction and at 6:30 when the parade started, the streets were thronged.
Nearly every voter in the district was out with his family and before the
parade was finished the Village hall was packed and it was found necessary to
arrange for an overflow meeting. Rogers hall was secured and fifteen minutes after
the parade that too was filled, as well as the stairs. If another hall and
speakers had been at hand it seemed by the crowds still coming as if a third
meeting could have been held.
The McGraw Escort club with their new caps
and gun torches formed at their rooms on Church-st. at 6:30 and marched to
Main-st.. where they were met by the McGrawville band and in turn they met the
Young Men's McKinley club of Cortland, who to the number of fifty with their
drum corps and with Dr. E. M. Santee commanding had arrived by special cars. The
parade was then formed with P. W. Chaffee as marshal. It marched up Church-st.
to North, up North, countermarching at Highland-ave., to Gothic, to
Washington, to Main, to South, on Factory, countermarching to Center, to Clinton,
to Spring, to Academy, to Bennet, to Elm, to South, to A. P. McGraw's
residence, where the boys marched around the house cheering for McKinley and
for A. P. McGraw.
They then countermarched to the hall and
that ended a parade which was greeted by decorations and illuminations at
nearly every house and which was one of the most orderly body of men that ever
paraded our streets. Where there were so many McKinley decorations it was hard
to cheer them all, but with F. D. Graves as leader of that branch of the
service it was pretty well done. It would be unfair to particularize in the
matter of decoration, as McGrawville people did themselves proud, but the
display of red, white and blue lights in the McGraw Co. factories was too
beautiful to pass by, while the transparency of the G. O. P. on the front of
the corset factory won repeated applause. Mr. A. P. McGraw's residence was a
blaze of light, topped in the cupola by the tri-colored lights while the
"Gold Standard" transparency on the lawn was simply grand.
Among the transparencies borne were
"Return to G. O. P.," "Honest Ballot" "Brains against
Wind," "Law against Anarchy," "We must have the work,"
"More business, not more money, is what we need," "Silver men will
vote for silver," "They have the silver," "Workingmen should
vote for work," "We want no Anarchist for America's chief
executive," "Give men work," "Work means more dollars,"
"Protection against free trade," "Honesty against
repudiation," "Honest money opens the factories," "Protection."
These were constructed in the paper box factory of the McGraw Co. and were
artistically made of cardboard with the inscriptions cut out and lined with
colored tissue paper through which the concealed lights shown in many colors.
Mr. J.
H. Kelley acted as chairman at the village hall, while Mr. J. H. Hill was
selected chairman of the second meeting. Hon. Thomas McVeigh, Judge A. P. Smith
and Mr. N. L. Miller addressed the two meetings, which were both enlivened by
songs from the Standard quartet consisting of Messrs. G. D. Bailey, Henry
Huntley, Fred Maricle and Rollo Dibble, also by a fine glee club of ten
enthusiastic young lady Republicans, Misses Maude Purchas. Daisy Pritchard,
Jessie Pritchard, Nellie Manzer, Nellie Benjamin, Effie Henry, Carrie Dunham, Bertha
Rumsey, Cora Haughton and Lena Parker, assisted by E. Fancher Kinney and Arlie
Ensign.
The speakers and other participants won the
hearts of the audiences if the frequent thunders of applause which shook the
buildings can be considered as the verdict.
The Cortland club while enthusiastic as all
believers in protection and sound money were won unstinted praise not only for
their sticking through the song march, but for their gentlemanly behavior throughout.
Of course every Republican was interested
and did his part, but great credit of the big success is due to our member of
the county committee, Mr. A. P. McGraw, who furnished the caps, torches,
transparencies, supper for the visitors, besides his time and money with unstinted
hands. Not only this, but he marched nearly the whole length of the line of
march and only fell out when compelled to go to the hall to call the meeting to
order.
We had nearly omitted to mention the
decorations of Will Pritchard's residence which was flanked by a torch in the
bunghole of a barrel. The question as to its being a money or cider barrel isn't
yet settled. Ask Will.
