Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-08-04
From. tts Yirgsia Literary Juusesa'
y~T,lE POLICY OF ENCOURAGING MANU-



From t.s Yngiaa Literary Juase.ns,
~aTIE POLICY OF ENCOURAGING MANU-
FACrURES.--No. p
place the Manufacturer b. the side OF the Ag-
7 ,,lturist-Is6trSon
In riie last number We attempted TO shew that The
III Of prices which pie commodities had gen
s6rAy eXpcrenccd for the last eight or ten years,
had 50 lowered the value of agricultural labor, as
grea.iv lessen of the experiments to manufac-
lures i'll Virginia; that these low prices OF produce
Ia b" ascrhcd. partly, to the policy of foreign
ai;ons aud partly, to the continual ncrt of
popuat ION, which tho means of domestic produce
tion were made to exceed those of foreign consump-
ioA; and that, of those causes would not, and
thn o'her could not be changed, there seemed to be
10 remedy coextensve with the evil. except IN di-
vrrt,a@ the growing o! productive labor from
agriculture to other employncnts.
let compare the price of ordinary labor in
Virginia, which we have seen, Is less than half its
!orrng- price, with that which bears in the
which chiefly supply with manufacturers But i'll
!kng this comparison 1t is in VAIN 10 expect accura
In Great Britain and in Europe generally. the
noney price of ordinary labOur greatly varies from
year to year, and in different districts, during the
Same year according to the varying prices of corn
W'ilch constitutes so large part, not merely OF the
dct but OF the whole expense OF the labourcr. This
- well IN 1crstood, that the manufactured regular
~ raises or lowers the wages of his workmen except
when coltrary change IN the price or the fabric,
may have for time Counteracting influence All,
men, that be done to take the average OF dii-
tercnt countries, and of several adjoining years. Ac-
c"rd'ng to such an average, the price of abour in
itngand as given by Lowe, from 1898 to 1893, was
nine shilngs sterling week, equal to two dollars;
ana from 1901 to 1903, eleven shilngs, equal to
two dollars and forty five cents week. The price
labor fell IN that country, after the peace of 1915,
with the fall of corn. Labor has, without doubt,
somewhat risen IN Of the bad harvest OF
he last year; and 1T would have risen lfC highcr
Tut for the general stagnaon OF trade and commercial
ls'ress, which have recently prevailed.
Taking these several circumstances OF enhance
:'ent ana depression together the average price OF
!" ,or III England, in manufactures for the last five
ars, is probably not less than the average from
10 DF ella chil IL.
sing II to o. shilling less, it is thea equivalent
t"o dollars and twenty two cents week, or hun
dtid and fifteen dollars and forty four year.
Ihe pricc OF slave labor Virginia, for the last five
years, cannot be set down much, by about ght
Thus:
lire of male slave for year, $50
Board for the same time dc
Clothing Il
Taxes 9
slo7
Il is conceded, that in making this c0npa risou
W., should allow for the well known difference be-
tween the rate of hire by the year and bv the week.
the latter being always higher because the loss OF
time from sickness and other causes, falls upon the
!aborer III the one case, and upon the employer il
Inc other But, on the other hand the allow
I'd for the maintenance ola slave is far beyond what
II ordinarily costs on farm plantation, and, con
sHqncntiy, btfond what it would in rnanufac
tory The provisions annually consumed by SLAVE
allowing HIM $50 pounds of pork and three barrels
or !tcea bushels of Indian corn will commonly moi
cost, exclusive of the inconsierabc expense of cook
in9' more than fifteen or twenty dollars and his clio
lung comprehending two complete suits a hat shoes
and blanket, not more than twelve dollars. Be-
sides, laborcrs have often hired within few years
I2r tbirty-fve or forty dollars year, instead of fifty
i{y these changes the whole expense OF laborino
slave for year, would be reduced to about seventh
dollars; so that, after making liberal addition to
THIS Tn for the increased of hire by the week
we must come to the conclusion, that abour in Vir
E'na dsreg4rding its quality is something cheaper
i.an 1t is III England.
Bat the difference is yet greater between the price
Of labour in this state and the northern states as
may be seen BY comparison which we have more
certain data for making. By the evidence taken
IN 1878, before the committee on manufacturers il,
Congress, the weekly wages of common aLourcr
employed in manufactures, were as follows:
In the Nriskany Factory, Ncw) Pei. nan,,a.
York 81 50 per week, ( equal to s234
Tufts Factory, Mass. 4 IS 227 rs
shepherds Factory, Mass. i 8fI e52
PhlliPsburg Factory, n. Y. i 10 2I6
Marland Factory, Mass, SIC
y 'mgs FACTORY, Delaware. 40
i>ickinson's Factory, Obs, : 156
Inc Nyi-ot {Hgrt.,rV Mass 4 IN