Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-01-21
TFrom the Pottsvile Miners Journal.
sWAEES.

manufactures and products, and the fol-
lowing are the rates Of wages paid in these
countries in comparison with wages paid
in the United States. Ocean transporta-
ton is also cheaper than either railroad or
canal transportation. A ton of iron or
coal can be shipped from Liverpool to New
York as cheap as ton of coal or iron can
be from Pottsville to New York. These
quotations are taken from official returns
Of wages paid in the different countries.
They were compiled for the.
FARMERS AND MECHANICS ALMANAC
FOR 1871.
The wages question has been so fully
discussed of late that little remains to he
said about it. 1t may be well, however,
to briefly make comparison of the condition
of the working people ia different indus
trial countries, and of the cost of their pro-
ducts as shown by the price paid for labor.
ENGLAND. Iron workers generally re-
ceiye everywhere as much or more than the
general average of the L. 5. Statistical
Bureau that the average excess OF iron
workers wages in the United States in
| 1869, over iron workers wages in England
! in lH61-6S, was S6 per cent. Ihls com
! parson 10 nearly correct now for though
wages may have slightly advanced in Eng
! land since 6S they have not receded here
siuce 1869.
The same authority shows that workers
| in paper mills in this country, compared
/ as above, had an advantage above English
workers of 80 per cVnt. Woolen aud cot
! ton workers are not proportionally as high
/ some other industries are higher, and ii
may be safely said that at least $3.50 is
/ paid in this country for mechanical labor
which costs in England VI.
IRELAND.-The manufacturing indus
try of Ireland having been destroyed by
England, her people are generally employ
ed in farm labor, Of which there mus
necessarily be Surplus. From statistic!
complied by Hon. Horace Capron, Com
missioner Of Agriculture, wages OF larn
labor compare as follows:
In Ireland per week, 1s. Cd. in specie
! Sl.S1$, in United States, per wees iii cur
rvruy, Sd.US.
GRANGE Evidence that wages il
France are much lower than in England
is afforded by the fact that tie products .
French industry are inundatlng England
and running the home market ofthe BrlLssl
: workmen. We might cite Il. length table
and authorities, but prefer to simply quot
the general statement OF Sir Edward Suili
van, that the French wcavers work twent,
per cent, longer time than the English lu
thirty per cent. less wages, and he puts tn
general average Of France below EuslanO
about % per cent.
BELGGUM.-Eot having space to repub
lish statistical tables, we prefer to take
representative industry, OF which late an
difcct reports may DC obtained MlniuG |
such a. industry, and is always above tn
average wages ~ other trades. In Engis
trad, journal of july, 1870. publishes a Iii
.rGct statement Of wages paid 10 coal miner
at Mons, Belgium, as follows:
The hours Of labor per day are eleven
ana the wolkncn lind their own tools.
Men receive per DAY Is. lUd, i'll specie
equal to ~ cents women receive Is. Id
in specie. equal to ~ cents children /
years Oi age receive per day Is. 3d. i
specie, equal 70 81 cents.
Eight 1sNs wages are a.eays kept bNc
rs a guaianty ior good behavior OF III
WOrklngmen.
RUSSIA recent book on RUSSIA
metaiiuryic works, published in London
aud commended as of authority. states i
detail the wages of all mechanics wOrfin
i'll aud about iron manufactures, and give
the general average Of pay per day, as TO
lows:
At the blast furnaces, I'D. or 25 cents
a. the sher; iron works. I'D. or p cents
Machine shops, including mechanics, l3d
or ~ cents
As WAGES make up almost the entire eos
Of iron, steel, and fabrics thereof, and aycl
age at least one haif Of the cost of all manu-
tdctured goods the amount Of protcctioj
ncyued 10 sustain our industry withou
degrading American workIu-ncn is reaGi
" calculated