The Portland daily press., 1868-01-10
Letter from Lewiston.

S"iSAONi Odn y, 1901.
To the Editor Of the Press;
Whatever the general prosperity, there
must always be more or less of individual
misfortune and distress. But, from the pres
ent clamor, one would imagine
THE WORKING CLASS
were never in SO bad plight as now-the
class who are without capital and dependent
upon the product of their daily labor for sup
port. While admitting that the present con-
dition OF the laborer in this country, as in ev-
cry country, is far from what it should be, vet
believe it is much better than it was ir the
past, and will be yet better in the future.
For more thai thirty years Horace Greeley
has come in daily contact with the working
men OF the city of New York-himselfo one of
the hardest workers among them all, setting
type or doing editorial service. When, there
fore, he speaks of their condition, past and
present, he speaks from ample knowledge.
And thus he did speak in the Ledger of the
10Th of October last:
In spite of an inflated currency and high
taxes, it is easier now for a working man to
Cdlti iiftilS III ~NCH yin ludu III WAS
or forty years ago."
What is true of the city of New York be-
lieve to be true OF nearly all parts OF the
country. 1t is certainly true of Maine, a-
though some outside journals speak of the
working men of this State as upon the verge
of starvation. 1t is true that shipbuilding
and the carrying trade have been almost an
nihilatei; it is true that all industries languish
at the present hour. But every industry must
have its ebb no less than its flow; seasons of
great activity must be followed by seasons OF
depressiOn-of suspended amin alton, perhaps
OF the general result in this State for the
past twelve months, as it bears upoI the
working men, what say the Savings Banksp
That they hold one million and half more
than they did at the beginning OF last year.
When in sore distress the laboring class does
not thus accumulate.
THE LOCAL SITUATION.
Aside from the inevitable cases of individ-
ual distress, the working people of this city
and OF this county are in good plight. Our
Savings Bank holds S160,O00 more than it did
one year ag,. The deposits now exceed one
half million. We have masons among us
who have earned their one thousand dollars
the last ten months, while other mechanics
show corresponding results Although the wa
ges of mill operators have been cut down near
twenty per cent, still the average earnings of
the girls are fiom five to six dollars per
week. Their board-and it is good board
in the boarding blocks belonging to the
corporations, costs them two dollars pc / week
So the net average earnings OF the female op-
eratives now range from three to four dollars
per week, very much more than IL required
for clothing.
The l.. F. Wooien Mills are running on
three quarters time. The working time of no
other manufacturing establishment h as been
educei, nor is there any intim alton that il
will be reduced. Yet temporary reduction
would not surprise any one.
Of course the boot and shoe business is
dull, as usual, at this season of the year
With the coming spring it will probably show
considerable improvement.
INTERNAL REVENUE.
Here are the figures showing the amount
of internal revenue collected in this 1.-THE I'd
District for the last quarter ending with De-
cember: also the figures for the corresponding
term 1865: