Guanajuato. . . .
Guerrero
Hidalgo
Michoacan
Mexico
Nuevo Leon . . .
Oaxaca
Queretaro
San Luis Potosi
Sonora
Zacatecas
QUICKSILVKR
MIXERS.
$2.00 to $3.00
1. 00 to 2.00
.50 to 1. 00
2.00 to 3.00
1. 00 to 2.00
1-75
1. 00 to
1. 00 to
3-00
300
DRILLERS AND
I'ICKMEN.
$0.75
•51
.40
.50
•31
.50
.50
.66
• 25
.50
1. 00
•45
.70
to $1.00
to 2.50
to 1.50
.50
.75
1. 00
1. 00
• 75
1. 00
1. 00
1. 00
1.60
1. 00
1. 00
furnacemen
(hornero).
$0.75
1.50
^0.75 to 1. 00
• 37
.37 to 1. 00
1. 00
.75 to 1. 00
• 50
â– 50
1. 00 to 2.00
.70 to X.50
TROWEL
WORKERS
(PLANILLERS).
go.75 to:
1.50 to
I. CO to
.31 to
.50 to
• 75 to
• 75 to
• 75 to
.66 to
â– li.oo
2.00
2.50
.50
.50
1. 00
1. 18
1. 00
1. 00
1. 00
.50
1. 00
2.00
1.20
DAILY WAGES OF STREET-CAR EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY OF MEXICO
IN 1896.'
[Obtained from the Compania de Ferrocarriles del Distrito Federal de Mexico, S. A.]
CHARACTER OF EMPLOYEE.
Conductors of trains
Ticket sellers
Ticket collectors on urban lines. . .
Drivers
Foremen at stations
Stablemen
Foremen of repair gangs
Peons
Pavers
Switchmen, guards, watchmen, etc
Carpenters
Blacksmiths
Mechanics
Painters
Harness makers
Engine drivers ' ,
Firemen
Brakemen
MEXICAN
CURRENCY.
AVERAGE
HOURS
OF WORK.
$t.50
13
1. 00
13
$1.25 to
1-75
13
.75
13
1 .00 to
1-75
• 63
1.50
I. GO to
9
•44
9
.69
9
,50 to
• 94
12
.75 to
2.00
ID
.75 to
2.25
ID
.75 to
1^75
ID
• 75 to
2.25
10
.83 to
2.00
10
100.00 to
150.00
13
^25
13
1. 00
13
Per month.
' All these are paid by the day, except engine drivers. Wages are paid in Mexi-
can silver, without rations. At present rate of exchange, these wages in American
money amount to one-half.
appenMj,
549
II. COST OF LIVING.
The following statement of prices and cost of living in Mexico is
also taken from Mr. Ransom's report, above quoted, on Money and
Prices in Mexico :
PRICKS OF AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL PRODUCTS EXPORTED
IN 1896.
ARTICLES.
MEXICAN CURRENCY.
UNITED STATES
CURRENCY.
Indigo per pound
Sugar, fine do. .
Sugar, brown do . .
Cocoa do. .
Tobacco do. .
Coffee do. .
Flour do . .
Beans do. ,
Wax every 25 pounds
Honey every 100 pounds
Hennequen per ton
Fiber and cordage per pound
Oil for 25 pounds
Rubber per pound
Dyewoods
Ixtle per 100 pounds
Vanilla do. .
Lemons per 100
Oranges do. .
Bananas . do. .
75 cents to $1.25
10 to 14 cents
7 cents
40 cents
12, 20, 24, to 28 cents
25 to 35 cents
4 to 6 cents
5 cents
16 to 20 cents a pound
20 cents a pound
$80, gold
6 cents
38 to 62 cents.
5 to 8 cents.
3^ cents.
21 cents.
6, II, 13, to 14 J cents.
13 to 18 cents.
2 to 3 cents.
2f cents.
8 to 13 cents.
10^ cents.
25 cents
$35 a ton, gold.
$5
$12 to $16
20 cents
$1 to$i.5o
60 cents
3^ cents.
$1.53.
13 cents.
.16.
$2.55.
$6. 10 to
II cents.
51 to 77 cents
31 cents.
PRICES OF PRODUCTS CONSUMED IN THE COUNTRY (mEXICO).
PRODUCTS.
MEXICAN CUR-
RENCY.
UNITED STATES
CURRENCY.
Wheat per pound .
Cotton do. . .
Wool (choice) do. . .
Butter :
Ordinary do. . .
Choice do. . .
Beans do. . .
Eggs per dozen .
Lard per pound .
Rice do. . .
Cheese do. . .
Chick pease do . . .
Soap, common do . . .
Barley do. . .
Pepper do. . .
Sulphur do. . .
Grapes do. . .
Beef:
On ranch do . . .
Good, in cities do. . .
Best, in cities do. . .
In City of Mexico, good do. . .
$0.02 to $0.04
.13 to .18
.60
•50
.75
.06
.25
.24
.08
.50
.03
.08
.16
.10
• 15
.16 to
.06 to
.07 to
.10 to
.01 to
.06^ to
.08 to
.03 to
.03? to
.05 to
.06
.12
.25
.16
$0.02^
.09
â– 31
.26
.38
.03
.13
.12
.04
.26
.Olj
.04}
• I
.08J
•03i
.08
•03
.06
•13
.08
55°
Xabor anO 'CClaaes In /IDejtco.
comparative table setting forth the current prices of manu-
factures and merchandise for the years enumerated, as
published by the board of commission agents (mexican
currency).
ARTICLES.
MILLS.
DKSCRIPTION.
QUANTITY.
PRICE MAY 20,
1886.
PRICE JUNE 28,
1895.
Per vara •..
do
do
$1.12
80.94 to i.oo
.g4 to I.oo
1.00 to 1.25
9.00
4.50 to 10.00
S0.88
Flannel
do
Cash price
Do
I.OO
$1.00 to 1.25
Per dozen..
do
do
Knitted Mexican...
Knitted, various
classes
4.00 to «o.oo
' Vara equals 33 inches.
prices of goods manufactured in mexico, wholesale, mexican
currency.
Carpeting per 33 inches . .
Flannel do
Socks per dozen . .
Drawers do
Undershirts, woven (cotton) do
Cassimere .... per garment . .
White blankets (cotton) each . .
Bedspreads per dozen . .
Prints, 33 inches wide per vara ' . .
Blankets per dozen . .
Colored wool yarn thread per pound. .
Cotton thread do
Colored prints, 33 inches wide per vara. .
Mexican stockings per dozen. .
Gray and blue cloth (wool) per vara. .
Plaids of Tulancingo do ... .
Ginghams, 26 inches wide do. . . .
r.oo
$1.00 to 1.25
7.00
4.00 to 10.00
2.00
2.50
26.00 to 45.00
.15 to ,16
16.00
1.00
.50
.18
1-37
2.25
.18
.20
0.34 to
.15 to
1.75 to
.15 to
.18 to
• Vara equals 33 inches.
WHOLESALE PRICES PER POUND IN MEXICO (FOURTEEN STATES).'
Michoacan
Zacatecas
Mexico
Jalisco
Chihuahua
Oaxaca
Guerrero
Hidalgo
Coahuila
Aguascalientes.
Durango
Puebla
Colima
Veracruz
White
sugar.
Brown
sugar.
Cents.
7
6i
Coffee.
Cents.
2S
36
Beans.
Cents.
8
7
4
3
4
12
s
34
5
4
5
ai
6
Flour.
Cents.
4
Butter.
Corn.
Cents.
4
2
4}
Irish
pota-
Cents.
4
Wheat. Rice.
Cents.
2i
Cents.
â– â– â– 'gi'
2*
43
' Taken from Government Report, May and September, 1896, and expressed in
Mexican currency ; $r equals 51 cents United States currency.
BppenDij.
551
TABLE OF PRICES OF COMMODITIES IN CERTAIN CITIES.
ARTICLES.
Jerked beef — per pound..
Sale fish do
Salt pork do
Hams do
Eggs per dozen. .
Ffour per pound . .
-Corn do
Beans do
Butter do
Sugar do
Salt do
Tea:
Ordinary do
Choice do
Coffee do
Wood per cord . .
Kerosene oil per gall. .
Soap, common.. per pound. .
Lard do
Fresh beef do
Irish potatoes do
Candles do
Cheese do
VERACRUZ.
c >â–
rt o
u c
'5 Ji
V u
S3
w >,
'= t
$0.25
•30
•25
.50
•35
.10
.04
.06
•S5
.10
.05
.30
2.50
•35
7.50
.60
$0.13
.16
•'3
.26
.18
•o5i
.02
•03i
.28
•osJ
.16
1.28
.18
3^83
•31
.05i
$0.:
.08
.02I
.06
•75
.10
•05
â– 50
2 00
•37
4.00
.60
•25
.10
.10
$0.06
.16
.26
•2S
.OlJ
•03i
.38
•o5i
.26
1.02
.18J
2.04
•31
•05I
•05 J
DURANGO.
80.18 to
.38 to
.15 to
So. 40
•25
•45
.60
•05
.02}
.04
.10
.03)
1. 00
3.50
•45
S-50
.80
.12J
.32
•25
^33
CHIHUAHUA.
K b
S3
$0.10 to
.19 to
$0.21 I
•'3 I
.23
•02i
.O.J
•osJ
•oij
•51
1.27
•23
2.52
.40
.07
.12
$0.12
'•25
•13
.16
â– 25
•25
.03
.01 i
•03
.40
1.20
*.25
.80
c ^
53
•13
•13
.O.J
.oo'i
•oii
.21
.05
.ooi
19
••13
.40
' Imported.
' Hundredweight.
III. PRICES AND WAGES.
The following statement of prices and wages in several cities of
Mexico appears in Appendix G to Mr. Ransom's report on Money
and Prices in Mexico :
prices and wages at various points in mexico (in mexican
currency).
[Summary of reports from United States consuls to the legation in Mexico.]
DURANGO.
PRICKS.
PRICES.
WAGBS PER DAV.
Fresh beef, 15 to 25c. per
lb.
Brown sugar, 7c. per lb.
P.tinters, 75c. to $1.
Salt fish (imported), 40c.
per
b.
Salt (tabled, 2 to 3c. per lb.
Tea, $1 to $2.50 per lb.
Miscellaneous laborers, soc
Fresh fish, i2}^c. per lb.
Miners, 75c. to $1.
Salt pork, 2sc. per lb.
â– Coffee, 38 to 45c. per lb.
Mine blacksmiths, $1 to $1.50.
Ham, 40 to 50C. per lb.
Lard, 20 to asc. per lb.
Hoistcrs, $1.25 to i;^.
Eggs, iK '0 4C. each.
Flour, 5 to 6c. per lb.
Olive oil, 30 to 40c. per pint.
Pumpers, $1.25 to ; ij.
Soap (laundry), 10 to isc. per lb.
Candles, 25 to 30c. per lb.
Engineers, 75c. to ii.
Corn, i-X to 2Jic. per lb.
Firemen, 7sc. to $1.
Wheat, 4 to 6c per lb.
Dynamo tenders, $1 to $1.50.
Beans, 3 to 4c. per lb.
WAGES PER DAV.
American machinists. S5 to $10.
American cheese, 50 to ssc per
lb.
Mexican machinists. $1 to $3.
Domestic cheese, 25 to 75c
.pel
lb.
Carpenters, $1 to Si 50.
MolJers, 75c. to $2.50.
White sugar, loc. per lb.
Masons, $1.25 to $2.
I
552
Xabor ant) Mages in /IDejico.
MATAMOROS.
PRICKS.
PRICES.
WAGES.
Corn, $1 per bushel.
Mutton, 1 20. per lb.
Engineers, $80 per month.
Coffee, 30 to 40c. per lb.
Beans, $2.18 per bushel.
Molasses, $2 per gallon.
Rice, 7c. per lb.
Carpenters, 75c. per day.
Bricklayers, 75c. per dav.
â– Sugar, 10 to 15c. per lb.
Salt, z'/ic. per lb.
All these products are Ameri-
Painters, $1 per day.
Beef, 8 to 12c. per lb.
Lard, 14c. per lb.
Saddlers, $1 to $1.50 per day.
can except coffee, beans.
Blacksmiths, 75c. per day
Flour, 4 to 7c. per lb.
beef, corn, eggs, and chick-
Farm hands, 37c. per day.
Potatoes, 4 to 7c. per lb.
ens ; sugar is from Germany.
Cooks, $5 to $7 per month.
Bakers, 75c. to$i per day.
Bacon, 25c. per lb.
Candles, 24c. per lb.
Waiters, $5 to $7 per month.
Cheese, 35c. per lb.
Common labor, 50c. per day.
Wharf hands, $1 per day.
Car drivers, soc. per day.
Ee;i;s, 30 to 36c. per dozen.
Chickens, 25c. per lb.
PIEDRAS NEGRAS.
Lard, 15c. per lb.
Corn, 2C. per lb.
Coffee, 35 to 40C. per lb.
Kice, 8c. per lb.
Potatoes, 5c. per lb.
Pork (salt), 25c. per lb.
Ham, 30c. per lb.
Eggs, 36c. per dozen.
Flour, 4 to 6c. per lb.
Meal, 3^ to 4c. per lb.
Beans, sc per lb.
Butter, 60c. per lb.
Sugar, 15c. per lb.
Salt, 2c. per lb.
PIEDRAS NEGRAS (FREE ZONE
).
PRICES.
PRICES.
PRICES.
Lard, 15c. per lb.
Beans, 5c. per lb.
Underwear (imported), $3.50 per
Corn, 2C. per lb.
Butter, 60C. per lb.
suit.
Coffee, 35 to ^ac. per lb.
Sugar, 15c. per lb. /
Underwear, woollen (importcdt.
Rice, 8c. per lb.
Salt, 2C. per lb.
85.50 per suit.
Potatoes, sc. per lb.
Tea, $1 per lb.
American overshirts, $1.50 to
Salt pork, 2SC. per lb.
Douglas shoes, $4.50 to $11.25 P^r
$3.50 each.
Ham, 38c. per lb.
pair.
Overshoes. $1.75 per pair.
American hats, $2 to $10 each.
Eggs, 3c. each.
Ready-made clothing, $10.50 to
Flour, 4 to 6c. per lb.
$30 per suit.
Handkerchiefs, $1 to $g i-er doz.
Meal, 3}^ to 4c. per lb.
Half hose, $2.50 to $10 per doz.
ZACATECAS.
PRICES.
PRICES.
WGBS PER DAY.
Corn, $1.25 per bushel.
Common wool pants, $4 to
$8
Firemen :
Wheat, $4 per 100 lbs.
per pair.
Skilled, $1.50 to $2.
Oats, 9'jc. per bushel.
Blouses, common cotton, $1
to
Unskilled, $1 to $1.25.
Beans, S1.66 to $2 per bushel.
$r. 50 each.
Blacksmiths :
PoL-itoes (Irish), 3 to 4c. per lb.
Coats, common cotton, $3 to
$4
Skilled, $1.50 to $2.
Chilis, Qoc. per bushel.
each.
Unskilled, 75c.
Pork, IOC. per lb.
Carpenters :
Beef, 12C. per lb.
Skilled, $1.25 to $1.50.
Mutton, IOC. per lb.
WAGES PER DAY.
Unskilled, 75c.
Flour:
Tinsmiths :
First-class, 6c. per lb.
Peons, 37I4 to 50c.
Skilled, $1 to Si. 25.
Second-class, 4c. per lb.
Skilled!
Unskilled, 75c. to $1.
Hats, straw (common), $i to $3
Miners, 75c.
Shoemakers:
per dozen.
Head miners, $2 to $2.50.
Skilled, $1.50 to $2.
Hats, f.lt (Mexican), $12 to $18
Carpenters, under ground.
$2
Unskilled, 750. to $1.
per dozen.
to $2.50.
Hatters :
Hats, felt (imported), $48 to $60
Carpenters, above ground, $1
.25
Skilled, $2 to $2.50.
per dozen.
to $1.50.
Unskilled, 75c. to $1.
Shoes (women's common), $6 to
Blacksmiths, $1.25 to $1.50.
Bakers :
$12 per dozen.
Machinists, S3 to $4.
Skilled, 81.25 to $1.50.
Shoes (women's medium), $t8 to
Firemen, $1 to $1.50.
Unskilled, 75c.
$24 per dozen.
Ore sorters, 75c.
Masons :
Shoes (women's fine), $30 to $36
Overseers, $1.50 to $1.75.
Skilled. $1.50 to $2.
per dozen.
Unskilled :
Unskilled, 75c.
Sandals (men's), $2 to $3 per doz.
Carpenters, above ground, 75c.
House painters :
Commbn shoes (men's), $24 to
Blacksmiths, 75c.
Skilled, $1.50 to 82.
$30 per dozen.
Watchmen, 75c.
Unskilled, 750.
Fine shoes (men's), $36 per dozen.
Labor on haciendas:
Common cotton pants, 50c. to
Machinists :
$1.50 per pair.
Skilled, $3 to $5.
BppenMj.
553
SAN LUIS POTOSI.
PRICES.
WAGES.
WAGES.
Corn, 2^c. per lb.
Farm hands, table-lands (no
Foremen painters, $1 to J
1.30
Beans, 15c. per lb.
board), 18 to 25c. per day.
per day.
Beef, I2C. per lb.
Farm hands, low-lands (no
Ordinary painters, 37 to 75c.
per
Pork, 14c. per lb.
board, 37 to soc. per day.
day.
Lard, 26c. per lb.
Foremen carpenters, $1.50 to S2
Coachmen, $to to $15 per month.
-€orfce, 37}^ to 40c. per lb.
per day.
Clerks in dry-goods stores,
$20
White sugar, 9 to loc. per lb
Ordinary carpenters, 75c. to Si
to $50 per month.
Brown sugar, 3 to 8c. per lb.
per day.
Clerks in groceries, $15 lo
$io
Shoes for laborers, $1 per pair.
Foremen masons, f 1.50 to S2 per
per month.
Miners, 50 to 75c. per day.
American shoes (good), fs
per
day.
P^"'- . , ^
Ordinary masons, 75c. to $1 per
Railroad laborers, 37 to 75c.
per
Native shoes (good), $2.50
per
day.
day.
pair.
Foremen blacksmiths, Si-So to
Unbleached domestic, 6 to
I2C.
$2.50 per day.
per 33 inches.
Ordinary blacksmiths, 50c. to
Native cassimeres, $1.75 to $
2.25
81.50 per day.
per 33 inches.
MONTEREY.
Men's shoes, 75c. to $6 per pair.
Hats, 50c. to $10 each.
Men's suits, .'$10 to $50 each.
Domestic, 24 inches, 12 to i8c.
per yard.
Calicoes, 22 inches, 12 to iSc.
per yard.
Ginghams, 12 to 15c. per yard.
Shirtings, 22 to 24 inches, 10 to
15c. per yard.
Blankets, $2 to $8 per pair.
Men's half hose, 25c. to $1 pair.
Ladies' stockings, 50c. to $1.50
per pair.
Flannels, 750. to $1.25 per yard.
WAGES.
Machinists, $6 per day.
Superintendent mines, 5150 per
month.
Civil engineers, §150 per month.
Laborers, 63c per day.
Skilled carpenters, $5 per day.
Unskilled carpenters, $1 to $2
per day.
Skilled masons, $6 per day.
Unskilled masons, $1 to $3 per
day.
Painters, skilled, S3. 50 per day.
Pamters, unskilled, 50c. to $2
per day.
Farm hands, $12 per month.
PRICES.
WAGES.
WAGES.
Sun-dried beef, 12c per lb.
Railroads:
Farm labor : •
Hani (imported), 50c. per lb.
Conductors, $115 per month.
Laborers, soc. per day.
Bacon, 45c. per lb.
Engineers, $165 per month.
Laborers (skilled), 7sc.
per
Lard, 25c. per lb.
Firemen, $45 per month.
day.
Eggs, two-thirds of a cent each ;
Brakemen, $55 per month.
Foremen, $1 per da)'.
now 4c. each.
Foremen section, $35 per
Farm hands (no rations).
18 to
Flour (domestic), 6Jc. per lb.
month.
25c. per day.
Corn, 2§c. per lb.
Hands, 63c. per day.
Carpenters, masons, etc..
38c.
Beans, 6c. per lb.
Mechanics :
per day.
Butter, 75c. per lb.
Machinists, $2.75 per day.
Metal workers, $1.37 per day.
Foremen, 50c. per day.
-Sugar, 8^ to loc. per lb.
Field hands in suburbs.
21C.
Coffee, 37c. per lb.
Carpenters, $1.50 per day.
per day.
Irish potatoes, loc. per lb.
Masons, $1.88 per day.
Onions, 7c. per lb.
Painters, $1.37 per day.
Rice, 8c. per lb.
Stevedores, $1.13 per day.
Beef (wholesale), loc per lb.
Farm hands, 37 to soc. per day.
Mutton, 15c. per lb.
Pork, 20c. per lb.
' In the cofifee districts hands will take 7 pounds of corn for a day's labor.
PASO DEL NORTE (iN THE FREE ZONE).
;
Flour, $3.7S per 100 lbs.
Sugar, IOC. per lb.
Coffee, 40C. per lb.
Rice, i2ic. per lb.
Butter, 6oc. per lb.
Eggs, 375C. per dozen.
Meal, 25C. per lb.
Beans, 4c. per lb.
Slippers, $1 to $3 per pair.
Heavy brogans, $1.50 to $2 per
pair.
Men's calf shoes, $3.50 to S4.50
per pair.
Men's boots, $3 to $5 per pair.
Men's overalls, $1.20 to $2.25 per
pair.
Jean coats, $2.25 to $3.50 each.
Cassimere pants, $3.50 to $s P^r
pair.
Cassimere suits, $10.50 to $16
each.
Cassimere suits, fine, $2i to $35
each.
Straw hats, 40c. to $3 each.
Wool hats, $1 to *s.
Wool blankets, 3 lb. weight, 50 by
82 inches, $3.75 each.
Unbleached muslin, 33 inches
wide, 13JC. per 33 inches.
Calico, 28 inches wide, 150. per
33 inches.
Flannel, 48 inches, common,
$1.10 per 33 inches.
Flannel, 54 inches, fine, $3 per
33 inches.
554
Xabor anD Mages in /IDejico.
CHIHUAHUA.
Prices.
WHOLESALE.
I2C. per lb.
25c. per lb.
40c. per lb.
25c. per lb.
25c. per doz.
$6 per barrel.
Wheat, %\ per bushel I $1.15 per bu.
Jerked beef, 8c. per lb
Salt fish, 20c. per lb
Ham (imported), 350. per lb..
Ham (domestic), i8c. per lb.
Eggs, i8c. per dozen
Flour, 85 per barrel.
WHOLESALE.
Corn, 5sc. per bushel
Beans, 2c. per lb
Butter, 3SC. per lb
Salt, 75c. per cwt
Tea (domestic), iBc. perlb.
Tea (imported), $i.io per lb.
Coffee, 30C. per lb
60c. per bu.
3C. per lb.
40c. per lb.
01 per cwt.
25c. per lb.
81.20 per lb.
38c. per lb.
Sheeting, unbleached, 33 inches wide, i2/^c. per 53 inches.
Sheeting, bleached, 26 inches wide, i254c. per 33 inches.
Ginjjham, 28 inches wide, 15c. per 33 inches.
Cassimere, 55 inches wide, fi.27 per 33 inches.
Calicoes, 24 inches wide, i2}^c. per 33 inches.
CHIHUAHUA {Continued).
Wages {City).
AMERICAN.
Heater in rolling mills I $5 per day.
Rollers in rolling mills $20 per day.
Nail makers ] $15 per day.
Blacksmiths I $6 per day.
Molders ! $5 per day.
Pattern makers |
Carpenters ' .
Masons j
Painters '
Railroad laborers I
Factory employees (boys and girls) 1
House servants (with food) |
Miners
$3 per day.
^3 per day.
83 per day.
54 per day.
>2.5o to $3 per day.
to $2.50 per day.
J2 to $2.50 per day.
$1 to fi.50 per day.
25 to 50 cents per day.
$8 to $10 per month.
$1.50 to $2 per day.
/oil
APPENDIX NO. 2.
I now append tlie views of American statesmen on the subject of
the rate of wages that I referred to in this paper (page 505), namely,
that the main factor of the rate of wages is the amount of commodi-
ties they produce, and not the rate of import duties on foreign mer-
chandise.
I could cite the views of many other public men of the United
States bearing on the same subject, but as that would take a great deal
more space than I have at my command, I will only append two which
I consider fully sustain my views.
The Hon. John G. Carlisle expressed the views just referred to
with his usual lucidity in the following extract from his Annual Re-
port, as Secretary of the Treasury, of December 15, 1896, to the
House of Representatives, on the state of the finances in the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1896 :
" The danger of a large foreign competition in our home market, and the alleged
injurious effects of such competition upon the interests of domestic labor, have not
only been greatly exaggerated in the past, but are less now than at any time hereto-
fore, and must continue to grow less hereafter.
" In 1886, three statisticians and economists of high standing, at the request of
one of my predecessors, Mr, Secretary Manning, made and submitted to him a care-
ful estimate of the number of persons engaged in gainful occupations in the United
States, who could be subjected to foreign competition, and, although they worked by
different methods and conducted their investigations independently of one another,
their several estimates agreed within a fraction of i percent. In their opinions, about
5 per cent, of our population so engaged were subject to competition from other coun-
tries, and one of the gentlemen said : ' The general conclusion that if trade were en-
tirely free, the fraction of our present industrial population injuriously subject to
foreign competition would not exceed 6 or 7 per cent., seems to me unquestionable.'
Those estimates were based upon the census of 1880 and the trade of 1886. Since
that time, great changes have taken place in our international trade and in the cost of
production and subsistence in this country, and it cannot be doubted that the princi-
pal industries in the United States are relatively and actually stronger now than they
were then, and, therefore, better able now than they were then to compete with for-
eign products, not only in the home market, but in the markets abroad, where no
special privileges or advantages are conferred upon their rivals by treaties or differen-
tial tariffs.
" The number of our people engaged in gainful occupations increased from 17,-
392,099 in i88oto 22,735,661 in 1890, a gain of 5,343,562 ; and, while the increase in
all such occupations during the ten years was 30.72 per cent., the increase in manu-
facturing and mechanical industries, which are supposed to he most subject to foreign
competition, was 49.13 per cent. A further and most gratifying evidence of ourgrow-
555
556 Xabor an^ 'Maoes in /FDejfco,
ing industrial power is to be found in the greatly increased exports of the products of
domestic manufacture, which now constitute, for the first time in our history, more
than one fourth the total value of all our sales in foreign markets. If these products
were not, at least, equal in quality to similar products of other parts of the world, and
if the prices at which they are sold were not as low as the prices demanded by our
foreign competitors, they could not find a market outside the limits of our own coun-
try. The exportation of manufactured products would not go on continuously year
after year at an increasing rate, unless there was a profit for our people in the ojiera-
tion, nor unless the markets in which they are sold are in some manner benefited by
giving a preference to the American article over like articles produced elsewhere. The
annual increases since 1892 in the quantities and values of exported manufactures,
notwithstanding the extremely low prices which have prevailed in all the markets of
the world, are without a parallel in our commercial history, and furnish such conclu-
sive evidence of industrial power and a capacity to compete successfully with the out-
side world in production and trade as ought to convince our people that protective
duties on imported goods cannot be hereafter justified or excused upon the plea that
they are necessary for the encouragement of capital or the security of labor in this
country. With a healthy internal growth and a constantly increasing export trade,
the influence of foreign competition in our home market must continue to diminish,
and there is no reason to fear that our domestic industries could be seriously interfered
with, even under schedules of duties much lower than we now have.
" But an examination of the various gainful pursuits in which the people of the
United States were engaged in i8go, which is the date of the latest official returns
upon the subject, will show that, even if we are not more independent of foreign com-
petition now than we were then, the number of those who can be adversely affected
by the importation of products from abroad is so small, in comparison with our total