The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-09-25
FROM MICHIGAN.
The Wages q Lahor.

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Eswsss-c~SaTsssss fsssss-RseA Dsa,s 90 ImpOv>
tassss sRsssssss b Rsesa Amsseaa Labsw cad 1aia,
tess ew HieA~ wages.
Dsssoi4, Sept. 10, 1859.
To NE .disOs d ths WoaKuexAzs ApvooAsx..
Ny attention has besn called to an article
in the New York Evsains Post Of the 18th
Of last month, i'm relation to q
certain resolution submitted to the National
Labor Oonveotion, favoring protection to
American labor and desire to examine
the Arguments, and correct some Of the state
ments msds therein.
fHR QUESTION STATED.
The Ecsniag Post says: "On Tuesday
Mr.. Moses w. Field, of Michigan, introduced
. series Of resolutions, in which it was a.
serted ~ matter Of fact, on which an i'm
portant part Of the resolutions was based,
that the price Of American labor 10 above the
wages paid for labor in other countries. Now
it il clear that the resolutions founded on
this statement ought not to be adopted by
the Convention, because the statement is not
true. IL 10 NOT true that workingDen in this
country are better pai3 than their brethren
in Eogland and other countries Of E0rope."
Similar statements have repeatedly been
made by free trade suthors and orators, and
although generally considered frivolous aud
absurd, and unworthy Of discussion on
that account, yet the Evening Post having
specially called my attention 70 the matter,
shall nov defend the aYerments Of the reso-
luton, q well as the action Of the Conven-
ton in relation 10 it. | confess great sUr-
prise that the Ereaing Post, hitherto consi-
dsrsd good authority, should incur the risk
of reputation BY such reckless assertions 10
relation to the wages Of American working
men, for it 10 notorious fact, and within
the actual knowledge Of every well-lnformed
man at all interested in American industry,
that the price Of labor here ID on an average,
taking all trades and occupations, nearly one
hundred per cent. above the wages current
in Europe at the present time.
1t will be al easy task, | think, to estab-
lish the correctness Of this proposition by
incontrovertible testimony.
The average price paid for the labor to
produce 900 tons OF iron in this country,
including Qusrrying, smelling, pudding,
rolling, &C., &c, viii not fall short Of % In
gold for each days faithful labor while the
United States Commissioner to the Paris
Universal Exposition In 1867, gives statis-
tics Of the wages o; labor employed 10 iron
making in Europe, showing that in England
its average cost ranges from IS. Sd. to A.,
or, in our money, ST. cents TO 81 gOlI per
day; in France at about 20 cents, and in
Belgium at less than so cents per day. On
this point We have the further authority Of
Mr.. Abram 8. Hewitt, United States Com
missioner, Paris Universal Exposition, 1869,
who says: I'VE have seen that the cost Of
making iron in Englsod, France and Belgi-
um, at the present. times varies from &c 10s
TO &s per too, and 81 additional sufhces to
pay its cost Of transportation 70 the seabOard
Of the United States, making the total coat
at our seaport cities about 90, gold, per tou;
while ut the same ports American iron can
not possibly be delivered 1t less cOst than
go, gold, per ton, and the entire difference
consists in the higher wages, and not in any
larger quantity Of labor required for its pro-
duction in the United States, where the ply
steal, moral, and political condition of the
working classes occupies totally different
standard from their European confreres, and
where the wages cannot be reduced without
violating our sense Of the just demands Of
human nature"
WAGES IN GAS WORKS.
A regular correspondent OF the Evswing
Post, signed " No Monopoly" has repeated
" demonstrated in its columns that working
men of every trade and occupation in the
Uoised States receive higher wages than are
paid for similar labor In Europe, and have
now before me statement Published by the
Poet, and endorsed BY it % follows:
The average wages Of persons employed in
the gas works In New York and London, re-