The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-01-08
JVORKINGMEN ABRO4D.

A little handbook has recently been pub
lisled by the Longmans, in London, containing
great many Interesting facts relating to the
workingmcn Of Germany.
Its title Is "Thc German Worningman: his In
siitutiOn for Selr-Culture and his Unions for Ma
teria Progress" The author Is James Samuel
son. editor Of the Quarterly Journal Of Science,
and president OF the Liverpool Operative Trades
Hall. Mr.. Samueson went to Germany 10 obtain
information concerning the German trades
unions for the use Of his journal hut his work has
its value here also, although our Wnrkmen are 81
much better or in every respect than their COLA
bOrers either In England or In Germany. Some
passages relate TO wages and tile cost OF
living, and others to the character Of the
societies or institutions established by the work
ingmcn for the Improvement or their condition.
Thus we learn that tile Munich wages range
about as follows, the rates being reduced to the
standard Of our paper currency: Masons or brick
LAYERS about fOrty.ive to seventy-lve cents; cab
Inrt-nakerS, ilfty cents; blacksmlths, siXty.two
cents. Tlrse are not very large sums, certainly,
but the cost OF living Is also quite low. Lodgings
for Il single man cost about 81 month; bread Is
about two and 4 half cents pound, and beer
about the same price quart. worHlngman's
dinner costs about ten cents, and cloth Sunday
suit about twenty dollars. The dinner jusl mcn-
toned cannot contain much meat, for that is n
costly luxury, except In the form Of salsages. In
Zurich, In switzerland, 1t Is somewhat worse.
The wages of q spinner III a mill, or ol 4 WORK
cents day, while bread Is four cents pouut
meat fifteen cents. and poor lodgings cost dollar
aud 4 quarter week. small anu miserable
cottage costs Ifty dollars year.
All this Is very wretchCd when compared With
what American mechanics and worklngmen are
used 10. Yet, Notwithstanding their pitliul
wages, ami their poor ways VI living, the German
wurEngmen In these days manage to do great
deal that Is worthy OF comnendatlon and imlta-
ton elsewhere. At Elberfeld, In Prussia they
have d court for the settlement of all trade dis
putes between employer and employed IL IS
called Gtperbc Gerfcht, and In Its operation though
not in its legal form, 1t Is similar to the Not
tingham Board Of Cancellation, which was de-
scrIbed In these columns about year ago. II
does away with oil bitterness trade disputes, and
decreases the supposed necessity Tor Strikes
The cost for trying case Is six cents.
But the most striking contrast IL the difference
between most English and American trades
unions and the German worEtngmcn's, such, Ior
instance, as that in Munich, where two or three
hundred members, men OF all trades, Tor an en-
trance fee OF fifteen CENTS ana monthly SUD-
scripton OF ten cents, have a clubhouse, win
billiard room, gymnasium readinS-room, sing
ing classes, vocal entertainments, &c. Every
evening in the week has Its occupation. Monday
writing; Tuesday, singing; Wednesday,, steno'
graphy and EngllSh Thursday, arithmetic; Fri.
day, French Saturday. scientific and political
lectures; and Sunday, English again. These lee
lures and instructions are chiefly Impaired by
professional teachers, some OF them professors In
the University. There Is library OF several thou
and volumes, and there are prizes OF books for
proficiency; besides sick club, q savings bank
and all emigration society. Tile subscription to
the sick club IL ten cents per month, and rs soon
rs the member Is taken III he receives about
twenty-five cents per day until his health Is re-
stored. To join the savings bank 1t Is necessary
TO pay in twenty cents per month. The interest
allowed Is five per cent, anu the emigration So
ccty aims to substitute continued emigration Tor
occasional strikes and an artificial rate OF wages.
Besides similar institutions In other German
towns they are now being fast supplied Win
'peopIe's banks" and 'halls OF indnstry'-a
practical and extended system OF cooperation
the former dealing In the money of lis hemoers.
and the latter in their handiwork by advances
and sales, and as most wUrkingnen JOIN Dotii,
the former gives them money TO get lnaieria
and the latter advances OH the finished WORK anu
sells 1t nt fair rates. so that the Industrious man
need never want work. .,.,
1t is not surprising that, with such institutions,
we should find in our German working popula-
tion intelligence. thrift and sobrlety. during
his whole life In Germany, the worklngman has,
and is required to have, his mental powers sue
cessf,llly cultivated, and he has been betterlng
his condition by this means, While mahy En2lsl
artisans have been trying to attain the same end
by combinations looking only to what appears to
he The interests OF the moment. In Germany
they have been wise enough to look further Into
the future and provide for their own Intellectual
trimming and an improved condition for their
children. In doing this they have strengthened
themselves, made their position and their power
plain, and have given the best proofs that they
were advancing the general good while they
were seeking their own.-PhiLGdeiphi Ledger.