New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-24

EUROPEAN WORKMEN.

Two interesting volumes, already referred to in
tbs re columns, have recently been published, one
in Paris al the other in Brussels relating to the
cord tiOa of workingmeD. The largest and in
some respects the most nportant, of these books
is that of Mons. lie Play, the EDgineerin-chief of
Mir es in France and the COmmissary Of the great
French Exhibition. During a period of twenty
years he bias been engaged, with the best CO.
operation in collecting statistics of social econ
cmy and in study Jog the peculiartes Of the labor
ing classes in different countries of Europe. The
results of bis investigations and of his reflections
are now embodied in permanent and accessible
form
Previously however, to this publication, NJ.
Ducpetaux Of Brussels had printed a most elabo-
rate report on the condition Of workingmen in one
country of Europe, the Kingdom of Belgium
Probably there has never been in any land SO
thorough an eIamiI alton into the veal and woe of
those who are dependent upon the labor OF each
day for the food Of each day, as that which is pre-
sented BY the auth last named in his book on the
working classes in Belgium. NJ. Ducpetiaux has
long held high rank among the statisticans and
psbIcists of Europe His official position in Bel
eum as Ir spectOr General of Prisons and OF estib-
lishments of bene6cence, has led him to consider
with care the causes and conditions of crime and
poverty Several of his reports on these subjects
have attracted much attention previous to
that which we are about to consider,
and one of them, on Pauperism in Flanders,
was crowned in 1850 by the French Academy of
Moral and Political Sciences. This new work Of
=. &c all 81 ia Al sidad intn tUo
parts the first made up of facts collected by official
authority in every part of the Kingdom with
minuteness of detail for which the statisticians of
Brussels are famous the second consisting mainly
of reflections and reasonngs upon these facts
Bef re proceeding to examine more closely this
work, it may be well enough to premise, what
many Of our readers know very well, that Eu-
ropesn writers accustomed to immutabe class
distinctions, employ the phrase Of workngmen,
OF curriers' in different sense from what it has in
this land. To the honor Of our country it is true
that among US almost every one gladly avows him
self to be working man The editor q. his table,
the professor in his chair the doctor 10 his Office,
and the sbopman at his counter, are not less
truly laborers than the farmer at his plow, the
carpenter by his bench or the mason with his nod.
Indeed those who toll wi h the head are some
times more ready than those who toll with the
hard to claim for themselves the dignity of labor.
But it is not often so in Europe. The onrrier,
form distinct class, whose position in the hollow
lbell Of feudalism to which Europe still clisgs is
marked as definitely as the position Of S class Of
Knights in any order of the middle ages. Work
iDgmen on the CoptiI emit of Europe are but one
remove above ayOwed paupers. In social comfort
they are below the soldiers, the sailors, and often
the prisoners. They live from hand to mouth
depending on their daily earnings for their daily
nourisbmtnt, having no capitsl-usually not even
the tools with which they work unable to lay BY
anything for tin es OF special trouble, and conse
qutntly unsettled and distressed by every rise in
bresd end BY every fall in the value OF labor IL
is the condition of such men that VI. DucpeEAuI
has been studying.
We do not propose to copy the figures whi,h
this writer presents. 1t 10 perhaps enough to say
that his budgets Of the receipts and expenses Of
wOrkipgmcn in different enployments and in var
ious places are given in great detail that the cost
in different circumstances OF food, lodging and
clothing, as well IS Of other less vital necessities
Of social life, are accurately stated, and that on
the other hand the amount which can be earned by
men and women, boys and girls in factories, mines,
firms and gardens, and other places Of employ.
ment, is fully set forth.
Among the general conclusions which these facts
present may be mentioned the following In Bel.
GUM worbirguen in the cities receive higher
wages, but incur higher expenses than working
men in the country The fathers are seldom able