New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-02-26

@ NGcrH ie hdyeAs Of foot above the surface
IN beds beneath the soil e S III s bebolSer
and returning thence TO the Atlantic slope IA eno
dacks Of is . yat ro oS trsveIed y NOM
taus whose foundations are laid upon the same
ana IN ana dtnnss Of hemae and fcssferOus ores
which by their proximity TO the COAL have lnanguraCeo
o I0r ay draw MS supply ZOE centuries to come and
With these the inquirer may rest contented Shou Lila
fer question: for all the coal OF the rest OF tne Norlu
might be deposited within this iron rim and lis square
mics wOnld not occupy quarter Of the coal area OF
material we are naturally broUght to the consideration
OF TIE elements which enter into the cost 81 producing
iron in the United states az compared with the oIoer
introducing countries OF the world.
cosf or PRODUCTION
And first the distinction must be drawn between the
cost determined by the quantity Of labor eXpcndedn the
production Of tun Of iron and the ocs IN money as 1e
termucd by price paid for the labor The former is the
absolute and natural cost ana Is the only just STANDARD
Of comparison between nations II national wealth Is ue
fined to he the amount OF capital IN eXisteIce hlus
the amount OF labor available for production The other
il the artificial accidental cost, or when lhueeu, VIC
may tfk0 advantage in our buying or sellg put lOub
DO lust standard OF parsOn in estimating the relative
cost OF production IN different countries Ihere IL
difference familiar all In the United states, between
the cost OF articles measured by gold or by currency
which makes it, FOR the time, easy 10 understand inc
difference IN measured 10y money OF by days aor
England having the largest and most accessible stores
OF coal aud iron one, produce n OF IRON WIN less
sbOr than any other European nation; ana hectat VII
he most profitable TO institute the comparison OF cost
measured by labor first with Great britain. In the
Cleveland region, which is most fayOraby situated lor
the cheap production OF irOu the cost OF producing tun
Of pig iron Is about 40 shngs, which, at the average rate
Of wages pad around the blast furnace ~ equH.el 20
II days abor-that is 10 say the labor Of II men FOR one
day. 1t possible that IN one or Two Wois t,s may ~,
reduced 70 10 days, but III others II rises TO ~ or VIZ
United States the cheapest region for the manuactt OF
pig ron as yet extegslycy GeyeCPeC; er % taxing coal
River IN the STATE or feLhsy M, ,,, rom is nro
ana ore at their actual cost OF MINING pc IRON pIo
duced al an average cost of 80 per tuh when represents
Mt me present rate OF wages the labor of about IL days
Bu When the iron business established along the great
Labor of Bringing the coal and ore together viii be
considerably less than on tic Ieigh River and y Is
quantity, when the avenues OF cOnmuncqliop are sum
GENTLY opened, with little labor to say the least as ~
can be produced in the Cleveland region. In Franco,
Belgium, and Prussia. each now rcgnirDg larger OK
pendture of human labor 20 produce fun o. ron than IL
required in England there such possibilities OF IT.
ducQn because every year Their ore i becoming more
expensive and the cost of mining coal VII Increase inoiS
RAPIDLY than I'm England, IN consequence Of the size ana
character Of the VEINS Hence follows the deduction that
il France, Belgium, ana Geimany are 10 cohlCte VIII
ton only be maintained by te payment TO labor OF
lower rate of wages 20 state 10 ~ another iOi the
greater the natural advantages possessed oy country
for the production Of irOn the larger VIII De the ie 9
wages paid the workman; and this Is found TO Dc ven
From the statement published by Schneider & Co, ut
Le CreuZQL u appears that the average rate OF wages
raid I'm iSE for the whole OF the 10OO wokmen employed
al this great establishment, S.45 francs pcr day
Here follow tables OF the wages pad III france ana IN
Comparison of the tables shows that for every
frame paid in France there Is more than shilling paid
in England, aud this corresponds viii the general state
neut made by ~ Schneider 70 me At lie Creuzot Aisun
ing little more Than shil1ng TO ule franc Ss CO. pr
day would appear 10 be the average rate OF wages paid IN
England for labor In iron works 81 al kinde, skilled and
uuskled and IN no part Of England does 1t exceed 4s
comparison of the tables shows That the rate OF wages
is higher IN Great Britain than IN Belgium ana hgher m
Belgium than IN France being certainly IN the orde ana
nearly in the ratio, Of the natural advantages OF these
countries for the o. iron ana Tine ne% Is e0D
tries at the present time when y Is admitted on al hands
that there Is 10 profit TO the maker.
Tie price Of merchant bar iron at the works
Ia England. is.--..---..@e 10 per tun.
In Belgium ........... 2 i7S francs per tun
The difference between The cost OF French aud Bel
GUM and English, aside from cost OF transportation,
which on iron nom England and Belgium, amounts 10
sixty francs per tnn indtFadenNg q his tt,ig ;shh
,ooud not be possible for ne iron business 20 b ofed
fSoa e s@ss 9ge eJ al ne li ,esse pot con-
siSieRf lclM he maintenance 81 hapa1t fe ~ condition
stsd and pase eFpogsd IN an hon works. eno al
he rafe Of S45 es per dog or about @ cents Ter day
cevng than 80 cents per day IN gold I order TO
tpate the purchasing power OF this sum- It necessary
support Of e and for ths purpose have selected the
partmont In which IL CreulOt Is situated the proper
paid:
Wheat bread. o2s francs ., equal to cents n gold
Rye bread 20 francs d. equal TO cents N gold
Beef 0G5 francs D. equal 10 IS cents IN gold
Mutton IS francs ~ eqna TO 10 cents IN gold
Pork O75 francs 2 D. equal TO Is cents IA gold
Chickens. 70 250 fes equal to 20 TO SOC "a gold
Ducks 10 fcs equal TO 90 to gold.
BoIe 10 90 c eoa 10 81 10 10 in sod
Potatoes O5O fcs. y decaliek. equal to Y bush.
RRSsnay wine franc: s s equal 20 CTS PH
House rent is cheap; a small ordinary, but comfort
able house, with garden, renting for ti6 per year u
gold Clothes also cheap costing not than half
the price of similar articles in the United States; but
fuel is rather deaEer on he average u doe not Tegne
obvious conclusion dedueble from the above hgurestha
the general condition Of the working classes in France
material point Of view at least e simply deplora
bic. IL requires the utmost economy on te part 0i
labOriDg man. and The united labor Of bis wife and bis
excepted rule and practice for such family 10 have
OF affairs Involving change IN the remuneration paid 60
the laborer would put out OF the power Of the
iron masters Of France TO carry on their business In com
petition with Belgium and England, IN tLe absence Of
higher tariff on imports re 1,s,ence q me iron business
IN fTGice, therefore as national branch Of industry NAY
be sad n rest upon me ee8t0yy condition ~ GrfHg meat
once week only 10 me gea mass cftaDorny rho are e-
00ged ia rs production IN Belgium substantially the
saline state Of affairs prevails In the dispatch OF Lord
Howard de Walden the British minister at Brussels 20
LOfd STANLEY dated feDfury IL loe, on tbc suicet on
Belgian industry. he says; The characteristics OF The
working after models; their habits are NOT
more humble toy consume meat, and their bread
seldom purely wheaton white in quality; rye, and
great proportion into the composition OF the loaf beer
spirits both lower in price than In England they
nOnlca and wholesome substitute for coffee
The system Of schools for infants from two to seven
years and from TO twelve years Is very general,
and affords great facitesthe children being cared Tor
eSa and f 6y Confined dusty to the co
dtOn OF their family Ia n these respects, therefore,
Tie necessaries OF life being the base OF wages the Bel
gian enjoys advantages over the British workman"
Prom American point OF view, these advantages
over the British workman" In dspensngwith meat and
tea and IN substituting eccory for cOhee aud appro.
pratng the LbOr OF both parents for mere existence,
apparent But We are naturally brought by
TO consider Ito condition of the British laborer.
II has that the natural advantages OF Great
Britain possession OF It's vast stores OF COAL affords
fund for the payment OF better wages to the laborer IN
England than the continent and the British workman
has not been slow to assert his rights to all lie can get
and his physical condition IS undoubtedly superior 70 nat
OF his French and Belgian neigbors. II he is not better
he Is east better fed and in the iron works u