The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-09-09
From the Ohio States
PAUPER LABOR.

II will be seen by the subjoined extract from the
Democratic Review for July, that the pauper labor
of England is better paid than the free labor in the
northern slave factories at Lowell There ought to
be but one feeling, (iustly remarks one of our New
England contemporaries that Of indignation at the
UNANIMOUSLY oppressive manner in which the female
operatives at Lowell have been overreached and
crowded with work:
ain relation to English manufactures, the wages
of operatives higher than in the United States
The report Of the parliamentary factory commits
sioners state, that the average labor in England ia
60 hours per week for lis, or 80 Ga. In the Unite
States, 70 hours forl0s, or 80 40. The average in
Lowell is 81 so per week. and al IS board, being
50 IS or lis. 3D. per week. These figures show
that England has no advantage over the United
States in cheapness In the last two years very
great reduction has been made in the prices paid for
weaving. The manner Of it has been thus: Prior
to lS42, girl tended tco power looms, and she re-
ceived 16 cents per piece for cotton cloth; these
looms are driven by steam or water power. In lS4l
and 1912, the speed at which these looms were pro-
PEELED was reduced, and the girl required to tend
three. The most healthy and active girls were Sc
enabled her TO tend the three looms with COM
parative facility, the speed was increased, and
still further exertions on her part became me-
cessary. This process was continued until the
old speed was restored, and an active, strong
girl was taxed to the utmost Of her physical pow
| cred great task. These three looms then would
produce three pieces in the time that two were
formerly produced The price allowed the girl was
reduced from 16 cents to l cents per piece; she
therefore received 80 for the same length OF
time employed as when she received 80 cents for
producing two pieces. Her extra exertions in pro-
ducing the third piece is the increased profit OF the
mill owner, who memorializes Congress for protec-
ton against British "pauper labor " because he has
increased the wages ofhis own operatives, that is,
he pays her 80 cents where he paid 30 cents before
This increased production does not lower the price
here, because as soon as the United States' markets
are overloaded the goods exported to China and
India, where they underseH the English goods at a
discrimination Of 10 per cent duty in favor Of the
latter. This system is secure in the hands Of mo-
nopolists, long the large capital Of England is
debarred from competing with the corporate capital.
1t is impossible for individuals here to compete with
vested capitals OF million dollars and upwards
each, and the protection Of the people against this
oppression is to be found only in the aid Of the
large capital of Lancsshire whose people are now
asking farmers to sell them their surplus -four
for their goods. The practical annexation Of the
manufacturing interests Of England TO the agriculti-
raj interests Of the United States through free trade
again unies the Anglo-Saxon race in an indissolu.
BILE bond, and gives new impulse to the prosper.
ity Of the glorious Union"