Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-03-13
WAGES OF LABOR IN HARD
MONEY COUNTRIES.

MIR. Merrick, in recent speech in the
Senate upon the Sub-Treasury, has CIV
en- a table showing the rates of wages in
several countries in Europe. As an at
tempt is now making to reduce the pri-
ces of American labor, it will be inter-
esting to sec what remuneration the la
borers of Europe receive. The table is
of unquestionable authenticity, having
been prepared by the British Secretary
of State from accounts received from va
rious British Consuls, and printed by Or
der of Parliament.
WAGES IN FRANcE.-Calais common
aborers 7 l-2 d, per day with board and
without dwelling; BouIogne, d, per day
do. do: Nantes, Sd, per day without board
and without dwelling. The food in some
districts CONSISTS in rye bread, soup made
OF millet. cakes made Of Indian corn, no,c
and then some salt provisions and veget-
ables. rarely, # ever, butchers meat" In
others. "wheaten bread. soup made with
vegetables, and lutte grease or lard twice
day, potatoes or other vegetables, but
seldom butchers meat"
SWEDEN" The daily wages of a
skilled agricuturist are I'd. or 3d.; while
The uDskllled obtain no more han Sd. or
4d, and board themselves. AgrcuI,urs,s
IN the Southern provinces 1--we upon salt
fish and potatoes; in the Northern provin-
ces porrd &c and rye bread form their
food"
observation-disclosures are paid at the
rate of Sd per day in the country" with.
out board.
BELGIUM-"A skilled artizan may earn
in summer Is. Cd to is: Sd: 10 winter from
l0d. to Is Cd; unskiIled half as much
without board, live upon rye bread. pola.
toes, and milk" Agricultural labore's
have less.
GERMANY.-Dantzig laborers Sad TO
I'd per day without board: Muihburg, I'd
per day do; HoIsteln I'd. per day without
board.
NETHERLANDS. South Holland labo-
rers Sd to 4d. per day without board
Antwerp. sd. per day do; West Flanders,
96S to l04s. per year with board.
ITALY.-Triesie laborers led per day
without board, do. Cd. per day with board
lslria, Sd. to l0d. per day without board ;
do. 4d. 10 sd per day with board, LON.
hardy, 4d. to 3D. per day do; Genoa sd.
to Sd. per day do. and without lodgings !;
Tuscany, Cd. per day without either
SAxoNY.-''In 1877 man employed in
bis own loom working very diligently from
Monday morning to Saturday night. from
5 O'Clock IN the morning until duck, and
even at times with lamp, his wife as.
sis,ing him in finishing and taking him the
work, could not possibly earn more than
90 groschen [about 60 cents] per week.
! Nor could one who had three children
aged l2 years and upwards oil working at
the loom as well as himself with his wife
employed doing up the work. earn in The
whole more than 81 weekly"
NAVIGATION Between us and Eng.
land tins Is placed upon a footing of equal.
ity all advantages to our navlgators be-.
ing abrogated. If any interest can bear
direct competition, this is the one. But
let US see the result as set down by Mr..
Porter 10 1921" says this writer,
"rhe proportion Of British vessels which
entered the ports of the United States was
II s per cent compared with the Amer.
lean tonnage employed in the foreign
trade of the United States; while, in 1885
that proportion was increased to 80 per
cent.
l And this is the condition to which the
Administration proposes to reduce the
free labor of this country; this is their
plan for improving the condition of the
laborng part of the community. This is
the "penny a day and seven shilling for
an OK System. Well did Mr.. Merrick