Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-09-15
wo1xINoMFN's WAGES.


~nressnted to the British Parliament on
the condition Of the working classes OF
Europe, As compared with those OF
England. The statistics were furnished
BY the British diplomatic and consular
agents abroad, and they contain some
particulars which are not without In
terest for the working classes in other
parts of the world. From this report,
1t appears that at Trieste, the principal
naval port Of Austria, mechanics earn
from fifty cents to q dollar a day. and
can live on about two-thirds Of their
earnings. The Austro-Italian work
man 10 more temperate than the Eng
lish, but he spends more In amuse-
men.. 1t Is q notable fact, however,
that In q locality like Trieste, which Is
remarkable for the number Of men
who, from very humble beginnings In
trade, have risen to wealth, few such
changes Of condition have been achiev-
ed BY mechanics. Their hours Of labor
are usually ten, beginning ate A. N.
aud ending at 4 P. NJ, short Intervals
being allowed for meals. The expense
Of living Is reported to be about the
same as .it Il In England, and the
climate - temperate and salubrious rs
the English. The Consul, in comment
Ing on these facts, makes the follow
ing remarks: "The long evening from
IP. NY at liberty Is not only a great
boon to the w~orkingman, but contri-
butes largely to domestic enjoyment
and to health, since he Ia free to take
the benefit Of open air and exercise
after long hours Of close confinement
and unrelaxlng attention. The absence
of the depression, besides, which comes
oflong sustained and unreliable labor,
indisposes q man to those habits OF In
temperance which very often are begun
out of WEAKNESS and exhaustion"
As to Holland, the British Consul
reports less favorably Of the state OF
the working classes; indeed, he makes
1t appear that the earnings of an ordi-
nary artisan, with a small family, are
insufficient to meet his expenses, and
therefore wages are too low; they
vary from g to q 80 a week. The
quality Of the work done Is inferior,
which Il not to be wondered at, since
skilled workman can get better
wages elsewhere; hence the number
of Dutch workmen to be met with III
France, England and the United
States. The Danish operatives appear
to be even worse of than the Dutch
but they are content with food and
lodgings which would not suit Eng
lish workmen, and the unskilled and
low~er-skilled laborers can do little
more than subslst on their wages. A
hlgher-skilled workman, who receives
q . week, might be able to live on
g Is. The climate Is like that Of Scot
land. Poverty 10 the rule In Norway
where skilled labor fetches q lowe'
price than In England, and the neces
sariss Of life are higher. Great mum
bers of these Woodworking and merito
rIous people are now e~migratlng te
this country; but Norway being
thlnly peopled land, a large proportion
of the Industrial classes are peasant
farmers, and raise their own food
others e cattle, fell and float timoe'
and sell game; the very extensive
fisheries also support a large portion
of the population. In Sweden TIN
average Of the wages Of artisans u
from g to IS a week, most work being
done by the piece; but food is cheaI
and good, and a man can have beef
pork, rye cakes, vegetable soup, egg
and milk, for about 81 Is a week; h
can In some places support a famil.
on q so q week. Wooden and linel
cloth are cheap. The mechanical worI
OF the Swedes Is excellent, and, on tn
whole, the Swedish workman Is bette
OF than his English rival, money beinI
worth moro In Sweden than 1t Is Il
England.