, 1870-07-12

E1AEE kDc6e 4Ctp4La NeIt GOuEAe1 1utEIfNlH
Of from si1 months to year lave elapsed,
and during that period the rates Of wages in
Great Britain and the United States hare been
more neA11y equaliZed- In England the stand
ard has increased. while it has been reduced
IN this country Last winter and spring very
u per cent in most trades. has been effected
in New England, New York and most Of the
manufacturing districts in the United States.
In England, on the other hand, We learn, per
cable, Of an advance Of s per cent in the cot
ton trade. An inrease OF to 10per cent had
he The iron trade Thess Al: are ''1ta the lead. 4
ing industries in England. and . rise or fall in
wages in them generally extends to all other
trades. in the above comparative tabla of the
r0tes Of wages in the woollen trade in England
the American returns for 1869 are nearer the
same year (1S67 would have been. In other
words, there WAS 4 reduction of wages in this
country in 1B67-69 which brought the standard
nearer to the English level Tbs further
American reduction during tho last nine
months, coupl1 With the insrease that las
the differences between the two countries.
II the relative difference in the cost Of liv-
ing in each country is taken into considera-
ton. it Will appear that American workmen
have much less advantage over their trans-
Atlantic brethren than il generally supposed.
For tho purchasing power Of wages, OF the
amount OF labor required to be giren IN e1-
change 70. commodities, constitutes the trne
test of the relativs differences in the payroll.
Upon this point Commissioner Wells shows
that in 1863 the purchasing power OF hun
dred bushels Of wheat had decreased from 80
to CD per cent as compared with 1853. That
is to eay, the farmer is compelled to give in
1869 from oue-4ra1ter to one-half more wheat
than IN 1859 for the same quantity OF axes,
nails, blankets, boots, salt, and other COM
ha mr. ga ff,o raSa nj
has not kept pace, according to Mr. Wells,
With the increase in the price Of commodities.
HE subject is an Important one, and opens
up vide range for observation and discussion.
But the facts presented prove that both en-
own effor1s to asasciafy l enhsnee % wages " and and
prices What the one accomptshes By means
Of tariff, the other effects through trades
Unions. The producers and me-
chanics-are compelled to give mora wheat or
more hours OF labor in exchange for commodi-
tiea- Product for product is the grand law Of
units IN evading, though by different means.
The manufacturer plies on the prices by
tafih, and the workman piles on the
wages by tades-unions. and both snE-
fer " tie process. The former is
worth, and resort to tho fallacious experiment
Of coolie woEknen- The workmen find that,
with every advance in wages, they are obliged
70 pay higher prices for rent, and every a1ti-
Gle Of living, and they are actually worse of
with high than they were with low wages. That
this is actually TIE case is proved by the re-
turns presented BY the Massachusetts Labor
Bureau. From statistics of the annual income
and expenses Of number Of worlmen's fam
iiiea, We gather the following results:
Average annual expenses Of each family s,u1 20
Average annual Income Of each family. So. Gs259
average loes per year. 1..Gl
The woIkmen, then, are no better of, and
the remedy Lies in the opposite direction Of
the tendency to agitate for higher wages,
And it ia quite certain that the mauufactur-
ers cannot improve their condition By ;" invok-
ing Congress to a1tiacially ENHANCE the
prices Of commodities. Both capitalists and
producers have had to much OF protection, and
Of trades unions and their faIIacies, It is
the gTe4t evil Of our irredeemable currency.
and high pressure t1rin, md tax SYSTEMS
that they encourage just such an abnormal
condition Of affairs. It is no wonder that Our
industry and commerce are in q disorderod
state, and that all classes suffer from 1ullnegs
Of business and want Of Employment. The
only redeeming feature ia that the remedy d
within reach just al soon as the people choose