bers to take the place of porters in carrying burdens (see p. 102).
The laboring classes of Mexico are exceedingly jealous of the introduction of labor-saving machinery. They regard it as an unwarranted means of preventing them from earning a living. Two recent events will serve to illustrate the antagonism of the peons to modern improvements.
Soon after the adoption of the compressed air-brake on the railroads of the United States, the Mexican Railway Company discharged several of their brakemen and introduced this improved brake on their trains. The company's servants rebelled against this system, and stole the stop-cocks from the air-pipes, thereby compelling their employers to reinstate them.[1]
Recently the owner of a large hacienda purchased an outfit of American agricultural implements. His peons saw in them an unjustifiable interference with their own methods of farming, and in the course of a few weeks the enlightened hacendado discovered to his surprise that his stock of instruments had been destroyed. These facts are significant, but fortunately the intense feeling against new inventions and improved machines is confined to the lower classes.[2]
The following table of wages will be found useful for reference. It is taken from Consul-General Strother's annual report for 1882, the figures being approximately stated:
| Carpenters, per day | $1 00 | to | $1 50 |
| Blacksmiths, per day | 1 00 | to | 2 50 |
| Upholsterers, per day | 75 | to | 1 25 |
| Shoemakers, per day | 75 | to | 1 50 |
| Book-binders, per day | 75 | to | 1 00 |
- ↑ These facts were related to the author by a station-master of the Mexican Central Railroad Company.
- ↑ In constructing railroads, the contractors introduced the wheelbarrow among the peons. They carried it on their heads when filled with earth, and it was found that more work could be done with the gunny-bag held on the shoulders.
