The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-09-08


The Newport (R. [. Mercury, publish
es the following interesting article, writ
ten by a gentleman now over ninety
years of age
In letter received by the writer from
the late James Robinson, of South
Kings.own, r. T.. dated second month,
ed, 1910, he says: 'iIn 1897 | hired
good hands to labor upon the farm ioE
three dollars per month, and in hay
harvest for twenty cents per day. That,
was something lower than common; but
five dollars per month was the more gen.
eral wages for approved laborers, and go
through the season. There was then
comparatively no tariff, no machinery, no
Irish. no Coolies in the country. Labor
ers and mechanics lived mostly on pork,
corn-bread and milk porridge, lodged IN
upholstered. Imprinted shanties, and
dressed in tow cloth in the summer and
sleeps grey cloth in the winter. In
1899 [ hired to work on my farm for the
Smith and Abram Perry for twenty-five
cents day for all work except moving
for which | paid them fifty cents per
day. There we're then no moving ma
chimes, no horse rakes, no horse hay
forks or spreaders, and day work was
from sunrise to sunset, aud In haylng
time anywhere up to 9 O'Clock at night.
In that year [ built a small factory, and
hired ablebodied men TO work IN 1t al
five dollars per month with board, and
at ten dollars per month they boarding
themselves. Women [ hired for twenty
FIVE cents per week and board, or one
dollar and twenty-five cents, they board
ing themselves. Farmers produce and
food generally was much cheaper than
now. but all manufactured goods much
higher in price.
At this time, or little before, labor
saving machinery began to be introduced
into England and this country, and ter
ribIe cutlery arose lest it should starve
1t was broken to pieces and It's introduce
ers threatened with violence. Steam
boats also began TO be introduced, aud
sailors thought their occupation about
ended. And now came the railroad a
deoi3ish invention, that was not only to
bankrupt Turnpike corporations, but cause
the humiliation OF all horses.
But, strange as it may seem, as ma-
CIlluCiS lHcfCdSCu, IdDOE anu ldGElcfS
produce rose In value, while manufacture
ed goods fell to quarter OF their former
price. So, too, as steamboats, multiplied
on the rivers, there was an increased. de
mand for seamen to convey the produce
they brought to the commercial depots,
to domestic and foreign markets, and so
continues. So with the railways. In
stead Of doing away with q necessity for
IL
business and travelling, that one hundred
horses we're soon required to convey
passengers to the depots, where single
pair were wanted before to draw the old
flip flap stages from Boston to Provi-
dence, or from Dan to Beersheba. And
now mechanics and laborers of all kinds
had begun to take a higher stand in So
cIety, to drink tea aud coffee, to eat
sohste bread, aud live in comfortable
hired houses, when q new danger threat
ened them.
4 terrible famine occurred in Ireland,
and millions Of ten cent day laborers be
gan to invade our country. Ruin stared
our own laoorerS III the face, but 10 and
behold; strange as it may seem, through
the weired effects of some beneHcent en-
chaaters wand, SO far from iessening
Tue DItCC III HlDEG SklA3lul EGBVE, iIG
cheaper labor of the Irish only increased
1t to a fabulous extent, and our artisans
soon began to live in their own painted
and lively ornamented houses III the
winter, and to spend their summers at
fashionable watering places. The Irish
now afford the only men and women of
all work, and these are getting so fearful
ly scarce that it is a perfect agony to live
on one s money
But 10 and beholdl now that the
march of empire and civilization has
finished the circuit Of the world, the re-
turning tide threatens labor with a new
aud terrific danger. Four hundred mil
lions of Chinese are about TO invade US,
who will work not for three or dol
lars, as good, faithful Yankee hands were
glad to do half a century ago, but for the
pittance Of twenty-five dollars per month.
But let every son aud daughter Of toll
take courage aud judge the future by
the past. Hitherto labor has reaped the
whole benefit arising from improved
machinery. l. has more than divided
with capital Che profits and conveniences
OF steam aud rail.
The advent of the Irish four-folded
the wages and made bosses of the Yam
kee laborers, and now the sons Of Erin
have became enlightened and prepared
by their instructive and liberalizing ex.
periences In America, they too, In turn,
coolies, through tie new impetus given
by the introduction to industry and the
arts into higher'positions than they have
honest labor will 90 on progressing la an
r -e
that, ''the liberal deviseth liberal things
and by liberal things shall stand, I" fol
such is the law OF humanity, the Uni
verse and God.
THOMAS r. HAZARD.
*At this price thousands of youn.
women were then glad to find employ
ment at house or factory work. Han
hume, the lowest priced India cottons
were then worth from twenty-five t,
thirty three cents per yard, while cottol
sheetlngs were worth from fifty to sixt,
cents per yard-showing that week wos
would purchase less than yard of on
or the half Of the other. Now youu,
women earn three to six dollars pc
week, while cotton sheeting sells from
to 20 cents per yard (other goods in pre-
portionl, thus demonstrating beyond IL
NAL that the wages received for "a week
work at the present time will purcha 5
as many yards of manufactured goods a
years work would have done ift
years ago. And yet we have polite;
economists who assert that the policy Q
the American Government, since tina
period. has ever been directed to til
building up of the capitalists at tn sa
rihce of the interests of the labo e..
The ORLEANS PRINoEs.-A speci