Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-12-31

u, his institutions Tor Sell Culture and
Unions for Material Progress" The author
is James Samnelson editor of the Quarterly
Journal of Science, aud President OF the Liv-
erpool Operative Trades Hall. Mr. Samuel
son went to Germany TO obtain Information
concerning the German trades unions for the
use OF his journal, but his work has its value
here also, although our workingmen are so
much better off In every respect than their CO.
lsborers either in England or In Germany
~-Some passages relate to wages and the cost
Of living, and others to the character of the
societies or institutions established by the
workingmeD for the improvement OF their con-
':5on. Thus We learn that in Munich wages
, range about Us follows, the rates being reduced
to the Standard OF our paper currency; Masons
A4or erleSlsyerS about forty five to seventy FIVE
IeentS, cabinet makers, fifty cents; blacksmiths,
hxty-two cents. These are not very large sums
certalnly, but the cost of living is also quite
islow. lodgings Tor a single man cost about 81
month; bread Is about two and o halt cents o
dpouud, and beer about the same price quart
"a workingman dinner costs about ten cents
gand cloth Sunday suit ab0Ct twenty dollars.
eThe dinner lust mentioned cannot contain much
meat for that is u costly luxury, except 10 the
farm of sausages. La Zurich, Switzerland, it
ia somewhat worse. The wages of spinner in
amilL, or of q workman in the building trade
amounts to about sixty cents day. while bread
sfour cents pound, meat fifteen cents, and
poor lodgings cost dollar and u quarter a
ysek. A small and miserable cottage costs fifty
olhrs year.
AYet, Notwithstanding their wages and their
~ Of living, the German wOrkingmen
nanage to do great deal that is
HSation and imitation else
in Prussia they have a
of all trade disputes
Employed. 1t is called
operation, though not
ar to the Noting
which was de.
ut year ago. 1t
and strikes, The
nts
CaSt is the differ
and American
- p6ermGn worklngmens :,
such, Tor fdyc 6s that in Munich, whore
two or three hundred members, men of all
trades, for IN entrance fee of fifteen cents and
monthly subscription OF ten cents, have q
club house, with billiard room, gymnasium,
reading room, singing classes, vocal entertain
ments, Nc Every evening in the week has
its occupation. Monday, writing; Tuesday
singing; Wednesday, stenography and Eng
lish Thursday, arithmetic, Friday, French;
Saturday, scientific and political lectures aud
Sunday, English again. These lectures and
instructions are chiefly impaired by protessOn-
al teachers, some Of them professors in the
University. There is library Of several thou
sand volumes, aad there are prizes of books
lor proficiency, besides a sick club, a savings
bank, and an emigration society The sub
ScrlptlOn to the sick clubs ten cents per month,
and as soon as the member is taken i'll he re-
eelves about - cents per day until his health
Is restored. To Join the savings bank it is ne
oessary TO pay IN twenty cents per month. The
nte'est allowed Is i've per Ct, and the emigra
ton society aims to substitute continued emf
grafton Tor occasional strikes aud an artificial
rate OF wages Resides similar institutions in
other German towns, they are now being fast
supplied with peoples banks" and "halls of
Industry "a practical and extended sys,en OF
90. operatlon-the tor~or dealing 'n ihe money
Of lbs members and the latter IN their hand
work by advances and sales and as most work
inemeu ioin both, the tormer gives them money
to yet material, and the latter advances on the
finished work aul sells it at fair rates, so that
the Industrious man need never want work.
ltis not surprising that with such institu-
lions We should find in our German working
population, intelligence, thrift and sobrlety.
During his whole lite 10 Germany, the work
ingman has and is required to have his mental
a powers successfully cultivated, and he has been
! lettering his condition by thus means whlle
many English artisans have been trying to at
Nolu NltC >1ulC tuu pl
only to what appears to be the interests OF the
moment. In Germany they have been Wise
enough to look further into the future and
provide Tor their own intellectual training anC
an improved condition for their children,
NovEL PROGRAMME. Wardwell
superintendent OF the penitentlary at Rich
mond, Va, has issued the following specia
order.
Sutty, Dec 26th, lS69.-PrisonerS Whel
desire to iufict any punishment on you,
nave only 10 turn TO the various prison book
on my table, aud can see at once any and al
modes OF punishment possible for man to con
ce'Ve o. But when look into said books 10
something To direct in different way, fin
very little. Oh how dark
For several days have been looking au
uyiagto learn how to c'ose up the year lS6
aud commence 1870. Should cOufne myse
10 TIE books before nlr, 10 very large major