The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-28

employed at weaving constitute about one-haf the
female operatives in Lowell
Yet MIR. Lawrence, with a consequential air asks
Mr.. Walker, Where wages are lower than In lo42
| answer HIM, for the same amount of labor done,
!hey are lower among the female operatives Of
Lowell.
HAYS few more practical applications of facts,
Tor general proposition in his third and last letter
ana have done for the present II the editor of the
Union" will publish my letters, and speak plainly
concerning them, II they be Of use in giving light TO
my brother mechanics IN other parts of the Union 1
will write some more just like this, should | fad
they obtain sufficient notice from Mr.. Lawrence for
him 10 condescend 10 correct me or himself where
our statistics disagree. His letter conveys a false
impression about the practical benefit Of the tariff
! or | have lied, intending 10 mlsead my brother
vorkingmen | have cited you the manner we
are treated in Lowell under the tariff Of 1912 We
tended two looms ia 1910; we tend three now, and
make not much wages in proportion 10 the work
we turn of. Justice requires me TO say the tariff
does not work this change. Our dependence Is on
| the labor Of our hands. What we fear Is not the
tariff high nor low but AvAKrcE first, combination
of wealth then It's natural product the grinding heart
| Of ayarice
The President and his Secretary Of the Treasury
have stated that the operations Of the present tariff
law oppressed the poor. | confess this assertion
surprised mo, coming from high functonaries Of the
government who hate the means of obtaining correct
Information. assume the responsibility Of stating,
/ That laOonng man may be, and Is, clothed with
American manufacturer, from the crown of his head
TO the sole OF his foet, eheaply as a laborng man
IN Great Britain, or any other part Of Europe, who
wears as comfortable garments, and that the rev.
enue Is raised principally from articles consumed
by those classes Of society who are in easy pecuni
airy circumstances. beg TO refer Mr. Walker TO
| the reports from the customs, and ask the favor
Of him to present them to the President and he will
there hnd the only article which the poor man is
| taxed TO any extent, IL sugar and that cannot be
deemed very when he obtains his and eof
fee free Of duty, and with favorable prospect, il the
present duty be maintained, ofyery soon being sup
piled from our own soil with sugar, at a price much
below that now paid. IL Is Of the Presi-
dent and Secretary 10 put forth a statement that
the tariff Of 1912 Expresses the poor man, when the
principal part Of the is derived rather from
the Injuries than the necessaries Of life"
The above quotation is from Mr.. Lswrenee's last
letter Of March -. presume the statement Of the
honorable Secretary means this, no more-that
tax upon tho poor mans wants and necessities for
daily consumption is oppressive. III show a high
tax upon his clothes and tools, the price Of work
give you below will, trust, be sufficient to show the
tax oppressive. BY the act Of 1912 wool garment is
taxed so per cent? hat the same; shoes the same;
salt, shovel, the same. This constitutes what la
borer must have. work in the mill. Every arti-
Gle have to purchase. find by the tariff, n tax,
and high tax, 10 put upon all the articles |
The argument is It is put on to raise the price. II
is certain 1t does raise the price Of woolens
iron, shoes, hats, &c. The price Of labor in the
manufacture Of the article has not been raised by
this increased price Of the article itself Take ready.
made clothing, for examples
"For making common white and checked cotton
shirts, six cents each; common flannel undershirs,
the same These are cut in such a manner as TO
make ten seams in two pairs Of sleeves. A common
fast seamstress can make two Of these shirts per
day. Sometimes very swift hands, by working
from unTia IN mi We 10 IL
equal to seventy five cents per week following moth
ing for holydays, sickness, accidents, being out Of
work &c for the first class, and 81 l2 for the 9TH
ers.
"Good cotton shirts, with linen bosoms, neatly
stitched, are made for twenty-five cents. A good
scamsress will make one in day, thus earning
81 so per week, by constant labor.
Fine linen shirts, with plated bosoms, which
cannot be made by the very best hand in less
than fifteen or eighteen hours steady work, paid
fifty cents each. Ordinary hands made one shirt of
this kind in two days.
"Duch rowsers, overalls &c, eight and ten cents
each; drawers and understands, both flannel and
cotton from six to eight cents the ordinary shops
and twelve and half at the best. One garment is a
days work for some; others make two.
"Sattinet, cashmere, and broadcoth pants, some
times with CATER bottoms and lined from eighteen
to thirty cents per pair. One pair is a good days
work.
"yests, fifteen to fifty cenis-the latter price
paid only for work Of the very best quality. Good
hands make one a day.
"Thn coats are made for 25 to 81 cents
piece.
Heavy pilot-Cloth coats, with three pockets, IL
each A coat Of this kind cannot be made under
three days.
"Cloth roundabouts and pea-jackets, 25 to so
cents. Three can be made in two days.
"A great number of females are employed in ma
king mems and boys caps By constant labor if
teen or eighteen hours day, they make from
IA to 25 cents We told by old lady who has
lived by this kind of work long time, that when
she begins at sunrise and works till midnight she
can earn Ia cents day!n
The prices here attached to the laborer for ready
made clothing are put forth by the New York Tri-
bunc as fact. presume this authority will not be
questioned to the price of labor under the tariff of
1872 out Of LoiesH The tariff of lS42 does not en-
nance the price of labor; neither will its reduction.
In truth and in fact most of the legislation is dis
puie between the CAPITALIST and the POLITICIAN
would 10 God il were not so; that coui be heNrd
in the halls Of legisation that the successful poll
tcian would condescend ask the BOSS that he might
be conducted to the workshop, and there investigate
our privations and wants. Mr. Lawrence knows to
the 10Th part Of mill of our earnings and pri
vations. One and half mill per yard in weaving
will increase our wages twenty-i five cents per week.
He will NOT permit il. We now tend three looms
when we used to tend but two. Ten hours Of labor
upon three looms will give out more work than We
gave in 1S42 on two looms. He ,niH not permit II;
neither will they give us any more wages though
we make for them increased profit Of is per cent.
We have bill before the Massachusetts, legislature
to make ten hours oflabor days pork. They ,oiH
not let Il pass All that is said upon the subject Of
our wants and expressions is almost all said over
our heads.
If these few remarks shall be thought worthy a
place in the "Unon," should feel hattered, and
will attend to any answer Mr. Hudson or Mr..
Lawrence may give out as to the practical operations
of the tariff upon the operatives. does us neither
good nor harm except so far it combines wealth.
Combination of wealth in any form will Cypress the
laborer until the heart Of man be changed.
Pardon me for addressing this letter to a man !
have never seen. II is laborng man s tribute to
political consistency and political worth. There is
strong sympathy between the laboring men of
New England and the Hon. Levi Woodbury..
Truly yours, &C.,
A MECHANIC.