Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1872-10-24
Wages.

The following is the testimony OF
an intelligent silk workman speaking
before . Congressional COMMITTEES on
the condition Of workmen in Eng
land and America in silk culture:
The wages at Macclesfield, where
l worked, were: weavers averaged
weekly in 1866, 4s. Cd; girls, p. Sd;
nv own girl got that then. In Pat.
terson, New Jersey, she now receives
six dollars per week. would have
been better pleased to send her to
school, but l could not. Our poor.
sst meals here would have been
sumptuous fare there. We seldom
had animal food, and worked fifty.
eight hours per week. Prosperous
times in England make it better now.
Young women now get FIVE sh,ll,ngs
per week; women nine to ten shil
iings; men now get fifteen to six.
teen shil'ings. My savings here are
equal to what my earnings wore in
England, after enjoying here three
times the comforts We got there
Here is something worthy OF no.
tlce, and let all who favor tree trade
and the cheap labor OF Europe pom.
der well this statement. Here is n
workingman. = weaver, who has
worked on both sides OF the Atlantic.
He says he can live on good diet,
educate his children, and then, after
all his expenses are paid, lay up more
each year than all the wages he could
earn when he lived in England. A
lew facts IN regard to wages paid in
Europe and those paid here 10 silk
hands will convince every one that
the poorly paid labor OF Europe 10
not such as we want here. They tell
us in England that labor is too high
in the United States. Protection
lifts t,is dignifies, and honors labor.
Work is better done, and more Of it.,
when those who do it are we'll paid.
Prices are not so great IN tins coun.
try as to justify a reduction Of
wages.
The following, by way Of compari.
son, is written by an American who
travelled last year in Austrian Tyrol.
He says:
In Koyerdo, the chief silk manu-.
featuring town OF the region, arst
class COCOON winde,s get for seven.
ty.two hours work $3.50 a week.
They are only employed at certain
seasons OF the year. Raw silk wind
ers find regular employment, and
work sixty. nine hours fol-. from nine:
~ cents to ono dollar per week
They come into the town from, the
country on Sunday night Or Monday
morning and return home on Satur'
day night. They board. and lodge in
town for forty five cents. a week
Their principle article OF TODD il corn
meal which is cooked simply with
salt and water. Occasionally they
eat little salad and salt fish. They
sleep in barracks like soldiers, . large
number in q room tor which they pay
pne Austrian krsutzer night. II il
interesting to figure out the amount
of money these poor people have to
spare after their board 10 paid, and
to compare it and their mode Of lite
to what is paid our hands. and the
manner in which the latter live"
Who is there after reading such a
recital Of continued poverty could
find it in his soul to advocate . poll
cy which, il carried out, would COM
pei the people OF this country to
come 10 the same condition.. We
have them in Congress and out Of it,
and they wage an inceaaant war
against protection as though it were
crime to mankind instead of bless.
lng.-( american Work'na People.