BarbarousMexico JOHN KENNETH TURNER

THE CONTRACT SLAVES OF VALLE NACIONAL 73
hundred or even more. They get a special government
rate from the railroads, send along government-salaried
ruruics to guard them; hence the selling price of $45 to
$50 per slave is nearly all clear profit.
But only ten per cent. of the slaves are sent directly to
Valle Nacional by the jefes politicos. There is no basis
in law whatsoever for the proceeding, and the jcfcs politicos
prefer to work in conjunction with "labor agents."
There is also no basis in law for the methods employed
by the "labor agents," but the partnership is profitable.
The officials are enabled to hide behind the "labor
agents" and the "labor agents" are enabled to work under
the protection of the officials and absolutely without fear
of criminal prosecution.
In this partnership of the government and the labor
agent—popularly known as an engan cizador (snarer) -
the function of the labor agent is to snare the laborer,
the function of the government to stand behind him, help
him, protect him, give him low transportation rates and
free guard service, and finally, to take a share of the
profits.
The methods employed by the labor agent in Snaring
the laborer are many and various. One is to open an employment
office and advertise for workers who are to be
given high wages, a comfortable home and plenty of
freedom somewhere in the south of Mexico. Free transportation
is offered. These inducements always cause
a certain number to take the bait, especially men with
families who want to move with their families to a more
prosperous clime. The husband and father is given an
advance fee of $5 and the whole family is locked up
in a room as securely barred as a jail.
After a day or two, as the y are joined by others, they
come to have misgivings. Perhaps they ask to be let