Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-07-16
BUCHANAN AND LOW WAGES.

BUCHANAN AND LOW WAVES.
On the 22nd January 1910, Mr.. Buchanan
made a speech in the United States Senate,
(vide Congressional Globe, for Jan. 1910, PIP.
1866, or Niles Register vols. 67 and 6S,) in
which the following passages occur
s'In Germany, where the currency is purely
metallic, and the cost of everything is REDUC-
ED to a hard money standard, piece Of broad
cloth can be manufactured for fifty dollars, the
manufacture of which, in our country from the
expan sion of paper currency would cost one
hundred dollars. What is the consequence
The foreign French and German manufacturer
imports this cloth into our country and sells it
for hundred. Does not every person per-
ceive that the redundancy of our currency is
equal to premium of one hundred per cent.
in favor of the manufacturer.
"No tariff of protection, unless it amounted
to prohibition, could counteract these advan-
tages in favor of foreign manufactures. L
would to heaven that could arouse the atten-
tion of every manufacturer of the nation TO
this important subject
ssWhat is the reason that, with all these adj
vantages and with the protective duties which
our laws afford to the domestic manufacture of
cotton we cannot obtain exclusive possession
of the home market, and successfully contend
for the markets of the world 1t is simply
because manufacture at the nominal prices
of our own inflated currency, and are compel
iCu ~ Sch ab thS Icoi piiSSS VI OthSA hh'AOho-
REDUCE OUR NOMINAL STANDARD OF PRICES
THRoUHHoUT THE WORLD, AND you COVER OUR
COUNTRY WITH BLESSINGS AND BENEFITS.
ssThe comparative Low PRICES of France
and Germany have afforded such stimulous
to their manufactures, that they are now rapid
ly extending themselves, and would obtain
possession, in no small degree, even of the
English home market, If IT WERE NOT FOR
THEIR PROTECTIVE DUTIES. While British man.
ufactures are now languishing, those of the
continent are springing into q healthy and
vigorous existence"
Having thus given Mr.. Buchanan's own
smooth and polished language, let us sec what
is the meaning of it in plain English, when he
says ssreduce our nominal standard of prices
throughout the whole world, and you cover
the country with blessings and benefits.''-
Now, what did Mr.. Buchanan mean by this
language, If he meant anything, but that our
standard of prices should be reduced to that
of the hard money currency of Europe And
what is the European standard then, to which
he desired our own to be reducedl Accord
ing to the best authorities on that subject,
Porter's Progress and Wade's History Of the
Middle and Working Glasses, two recent pub
ication's, containing statistics collected by
eiO DiitioH NONcIillieul, the SltlnudTu OI pTl-
ces for labor in Europe, is as follows -
Udges an France.-Calais common laborers
I'D, per day, with board and without dwell
ling; Boulogne, sd. per day, do do; Nantes,
sd, per day, without board and without dwell
ling Marseilles. 4d to I'd. per day with board
and without dwelling. The food in some dis
trlcts ''consistS in rye bread, soup made of
millet, cakes made of Indian corn, notc and
then some salt provisions and vegetables rare
hnt bar I,,x 4bn,- es,-I,
en- bread, soup made with vegetables, and a
little grease or lard twice a-day, potatoes. or
other vegetables, but seldom hutcher's meat -
Sreden.-'.The daily wages of skilled ag-
riculturist are I'd. or Sd. while the unskilIed
obtain no more than Sd. or 4d and board
themselves. Agriculturists in the southern
provinces live upon salt fish and potatoes in
the northern provinces, porridge and rye bread
form their food.''
Observation-Disclosures are paid at the rate of
Sd. per day, in the country" without board.
BeIgiHm.-'sA skilled artizan may earn, in
Summer, Is. 2. to Is. 3D.. in Winter, from
1Od. to Is. ID. /; unskilled, half as much, with
ont board; live upon rye bread, potatoes, and
milk.' Agricultural laborers have less.
Germany.-ssDantzig, laborers, 4id. to I'd.
per day, without board; Muhburg, I'd. per
day, without board; Holstein, I'd. per day,
without board.''
Nefherlqnds.-South Holland laborers, Sd.
to I'D. per day, with board North Holland,
2Od- per day, without board Antwerp sd. per
day, do; West Flanders, 96s, to lois. per
per year, with board.''
Hafy.-''Trieste laborers, I'D. per day with
out board; do. Cd. per day with board Istria,
sd. to 1Od per day, without board do. i'd. to
5d. per day, with board Lombardy, 4d. to Sd
day, do; Genoa, sd. to Sd. per day, do, and
without lodgings; Tuscany, Cd. per day, with
Sarony.-s'In 1887 man employed in his
own loom working very diligently from Mon
day morning to Saturday night, from O'Clock
IN the morning until dusk, and even at times
with lamp, his wife assisting him in finishing
and taking him the work, could not possibly
earn more than 20 groschen (about go cents)
per week. Nor could one who had children
aged II years and upwards, all working at the
loom as well as himself, with his wife employ
ed doing up the work, earn in the whole more
than 81 weekly"
These are facts which speak for themselves
This is the doctrine of James Buchanan, in
IS4O. Ten cents is about the average stand
ard of European labor. And it is to this
standard he wished ours to be reduced. How
do you like it, We honest laboring men of
Pennsylvania?