The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-08-16

In 1889, Lord Clarendon, then Min
lister of Foreign Affairs, directed all
British Consuls abroad to furnish re-
ports of the conditions Of the working
classes in the various countries to
which they were accredited, which re-
ports were published by the British
(;oyernment under the title of IRE
ports from her Majesty's Diplomatic
and Consular Agents respecting the
condition of the working classes and
the purchase power of money in for
eign countries.n sH 90 'ei.'lra erf ~
Thirty-one countries are thus re-
ported in this volume, which contains
fund of information that will prove
of great value to the commission re-
Gently created by Congress to examine
into the same question, especially into
the relation of capital and labor in this
country. A careful comparison of the
condition of the working classes and
the remuneration received by them for
labor i'm these countries with the same
facts here shows that the United States
is prominently more favorable for the
labOriDg man than any other country
in the world. For the price of labor in
Asiatic Turkey ranges from twelve and
half cents to twenty cents a day, in
creasing gradually through Russia,
Germany, Belgium and Holland to
England and the United States, where
it varies between fifty cents to three
dollars day. Nor is the increase In
expense to living always in the same
ratio as that of wages, for rents are
higher in Russia than in England, and
one of the COnsuls says that an Eng
lish artisan would require to earn twice
as much in Russia as he would in Eng
land in order to live as well. In the
United States the condition of working
men, those who perform all kinds OF
heavy manual labor, varies very ma
terially in the different sections. In the
large cities he receives from one dollar
and half TO two dollars day, and
can barely exist upon it. He lives in
continual fear of want and constantly
urging his just demands for more pay
or less expenses. But in the rural dis
tricts he lives with more ease and less
care. And in no section of the country
can he find all the conditions for re-
munerative return for his labor, ease
and pleasant living, and certainty of
growing competency, more fully de-
veloped than in the South. The ne
grOes who perform a large part of the
agricultural labor, especially in the
cotton, sugar and rice fields, receive a
full equivalent, on an average, of a
dollar per day, estimating their rent
and rations, and in some sections and
at certain seasons much more, and the
more provident of them are saving
money and accommodating wealth. If
any proof of this be needed, examine
the reports of some of the Saving
banks, especially that of the Freed
mems National Trust Company.
The question of the management of
labor in the South is one into the dis
cussion of which we do not propose to
enter at present. We only design to
point out the profitableness of labor
itself to the working man. If a negro
with his constitutionally slow motions
can be employed profitably at the
price he demands, The energetic and
industrious white man, working for
himself can make it much more profit
able. He can find improved lands,
with houses, and all necessary accom-
panimcnts, ready for occupancy at
once, on reasonable terms to lease or
sell, or rent on shares, in almost any
part of the South. All he wants IS
money enOughto sustain himself and
his family for year or two, and he is
sure of making comfortable living
and a pleasant hOme.-Ihc South. y.
During the last two years Fall River
thas outstripped Lowell, Lawrence,
and Manchester in its productions, and
become the chief seat of the cotton
manufacture of America. Commence
ing work less than half century since
in iron works, upon small stream
with a capital of $24 600, it has, by its
untiring industry, gradually expanded
its business, until it has become seat
of vast manufactures of both iron and
cotton, giving enjoyment to several
railways and steamers, and many
thousand operatives. Its spindles have
increased, during the last year, from
5O0,OOO to 1000, 900, with the prospect
of gaining another go, 600. the present