his self-respect he finds in this system. If you try to give him financial independence, he is fearful and rebellious. He is afraid that you are going to discharge him; that he will lose his job without being transferred to another.
In brief a Mexican peon in agriculture, or on a hacienda, is a self-sold slave. He will not accumulate and spend his money. He must borrow of his employer and spend; and when his money is gone he is contented and happy to work under debt. But if you deny him credit or try to get him out from under the debt system, he becomes suspicious, will not work, and loses his own self-respect; you have not trusted him, you have no confidence in him; you are not his real friend, and he would like to be transferred with his "account" to some other hacienda or employer where his credit will be unquestioned.
While the peonage system may be the safely of agricultural Mexico, it can never produce independence, citizenship, and self-government.
The redemption of Mexico must be from the invasion of business, forcing upon the natives— the good people of Mexico— technical training, higher wages, bank accounts, financial independence, and the rights of citizenship and accumulation.
