The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-06-03
Work and Wages in Europe.
AN INTERESTING STATEMENT.

AN INTERESTING STATEMENT.
Tho Secretaries of Legation to the
various British Embassies in Conti-
mental Europe were some timo ago
directed by their government to in
| restigato and report upon tho position
of the artisan and industrial classes,
moro especially in such matters rs the
proportion which tho number Of those
80 employed bears to the other class
cs, the description of houses or lodg-
ings generally occupied by them, tho
nature of their engagements with
employers, the rates of wages rcceiv-
cd by them, with any information as
to tho state of the labor markets, cx-
planning whether thoy present open
ings for the introduction of labor
from without, or the reverse. These
reports have been mado and submit
ted, and they contain much interest
ing and useful information upon tho
comparative condition of tho labor
market in the different countries of
Europe, though thoy arc of course
made from an English point of Wow.
According to these reports, then,
tho wages of skilful artisan, such as
carpenter, joiner, plumber or smith,
in Holland, may be reckoned, in tho
larger towns, at 16s., or abont So so n
wcck. He works twelve hours day
in summer, and his food is very mod
crate; yet he is reported as being
prosperous and happy. In Denmark,
a tirst-ratc carpenter might contrivc
to earn 26s. week, and a frst-ratc
brick-laycr 30s.
Unfortunately, however, seldom is
the Dane proper the person to earn
the highest wages; for the Dane has
yet to learn tho meaning of the word
work; Of endurance and thorough
ness he has seldom an adequate no.
ton. Hence the Swedish artisan
comes in and takes the bread from
his mouth; the German enters, and
he gets on better than the Dano him
SELF
In Sweden matters arc better. The
agricultural laborers earns god. day
in summer, and 10d day in winter !;
iron-tounders earn Is. Sd. to Is. 10d.,
and we may tako it that skilled work
men earn 2s. to 3s. Cd. day. But
there is not tho slightest chance for a
foreign artisan to find work there.
In Prussia the journeyman artisan
is generally an educated and wellto-
do man.. lie not only possesses a
good technical education, but follow
ing the excellent practice of travelling
or "wandering," and by visiting the
manufactures of other States, be ac-
quires ample ability for the business
no intends. to pursue.
In Saxony wages are not high
they average no moro than So. to l2s.
week, but tho Saxon workman
knows how to keep himself and his
family on that sum, and frequently to
lay by something which enables him
to purchase small house, and plot
Of ground attached to it. In Wur-
temburg the condition of the laborer
is still better. Uc is able to indulge
in meat as daily article of food, and
even the poorest artisan cats sausagcs,
IL unable to procure fresh meat.
White bread is still luxury, and is
seldom indulged in by the working
classes, but black or rye bread, which
costs four kreutzers or ltd. per pound,
forms their habitual consumption.
Beor is cheap, and is very largely con-
sumed. And what is most common
dable is tho anxiety felt by the oper-
atives TO save up their earnings with
view Of establishing trade for
themselves, or becoming small propri-
etors. In Austria the wages of arti-
sans must be very small, if we can
judge by the fact that agricultural la-
borers earn less than G3 to 94 per an
mum. Yet the workman in Austria
is usually we'll educated, and ho owes
much of his'roinement to his capacity
for innocent amusements, and the
abundance with which the means of
it are provided for him by the habits
and instincts of the society of which
he forms part.
In BRUSSELS, good ordinary car
penter,. working for himself, and hav-
ing few pounds of capital or credit,
can earn 4s. to 6s. day, and can got
,plentyof work.
In France the condition of the
workman has greatly improved Of late
years. A journeyman carpenter who
al @oco OeaA hSo u WYNN, al LOW
earned 4s. 93d.; q mason, who in 1853
earned 3s. lid, in 1869 earned 4s. 43d
per day; while the model lodgings
built to supply the want caused by
the extensive demolition of houses
have proved.a "a great boon to the Pari:-
sian laborer.
In Switzerland the picture is much
shaded. In Zurich the wages of a
spinner is only 9s. per week, and 5s.
for children; yet tho working man in
Switzerland is in far more prosper
GUS state than his co-laborer engaged
in the development Of manufactures
in other countries. -. r
The Swiss operatives, for the most
part living in their own homes, sur.
rounded by their families, and cult:
vating their own lands, are less infiu-
enced by those periodical storms and
fluctuations to which industry is eve.
rywhere exposed,
In Greece carpenter earns 2s. Id.
to 3s. cd. per day; blacksmith, Is.
ID. to 1s. Old. q mason, 1s. Std. to
Be. Gid. per day; and the operatives
| - - i'll r. = nIf