The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-06-12
Facts for tile confederation of Work
iuRmeu.


Facts for tile Consideration of Work
ingmen.
It's n fact that labor SIS three times
AS dear in this country rs in Great Bri-
tain, four times as dear as in France,
and five times as dear as in Belgium
Do the workingmen of America wish
to place themselves in competition with
this cheap labor? Let them ponder
we'll what means will prevent their be-
coming reduced to the same level.
Perhaps somebody will try to con-
vince the wOrkingmen that living is
correspondingly cheap in those coun-
tries. Let us see. Commissioner Nudge,
in his report on wool and woolen manu-
features at the Great Paris Exposition,
saws that our consul at AK la Chapelle,
Mr.. Vessey, informed him that in that
great center of the French card-woOl
industry, the men earn from three to
five thalers per week, or 81 25 to 1915;
women earn from one and one-thlrd to
three thalers, or SLIGO TO 1925
and children earn from fifty cents to
81, ,12. In Sedan, the ordinary workmen
receive on an average forty eight cents
per day: women receive twenty-four
cents, and children fifteen cents. The
absolutely n ecessary expenses OF living
of a single workman earning $50 francs
(Sl5O) a year are stated at 661 francs,
(Sl32, ,2O;) being for food and lodging,
;53l francs, (sl06, 2Oi) tobacco, 20 francs,
(S4. .OO1 washing and general expenses,
clothing, &C., 100 francs, (S20,O0;) leav-
ing the pittance of SO francs, (Sl7,S for
savings, sickness, etc. Aud in the
expected to cat animal food but once
day, At Rheims. there is no margin
over expenses. The average wages for
labor in Region du Midi are less than
in the districts of Elbeuf and Sedan,
being for family of a man and wife
oil Z NrlY MOI
year. In Austria, the average wages at
the town of Brunn, one vast cloth fac
tOrv. do not exceed twenty five cents a
daV. At Verviers, in Belgium, the
average pay is forty cents Tor twelve
hours labor. In the HollYeretn the
weavers average only twenty-five cents
day, and the women two-thirds that
amount.
The contrast between the moral and
intellectual condition of our operatives
and that of the operatives of Europe, IS
a matter OF general remark and admi~
ration on the part of Intelligent Euro.
pean visitors; and great improvements
are yearly being made, in this country
in the condition of all classes OF Work
ingmen, Notwithstanding the cry about
hard times and oppressive taxation on
the part of the enemies of our govern
ment. Our farmers and other produ-
GERS enjoy more luxur1es, at the present
than they ever ala DeloFe AT any otheh
period in the history of this country.
But Commissioner MudgeI after look
ing at the industrial affairs of tho two
Continents, warns us that the free trade
policy "if fully carried out, would re-
duce in value of labor with us to an
equality with that of Europe" II is
we'll, at least. to thoroughly consider
such warnings before adopting sys-
fem which many of the best minds OF
the country, in the past and the pres.
ent, have considered beneficial only TO
those engaged in commercial pursuits
and ruinous TO our industrial interests
and general prosperity.