Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-02-07
Laborlng Men and their Wages.


Now that the labor question is attracting
so much attention in this as in other countries,
II may be interesting TO note few figures
In 1868 Lord Clarendon, Minister Of For
oign Affairs, directed all the British consus
abroad to furnish reports as to the condition
Of the working classes in the various coun.
tries, the wages they received, etc. The re.
ports were OF course, interesting.
The report from the Province Of Armenia,
Asatic Turkey, said that the farms arc almost
all in the hands Of small propriotors and are
generally limited to eight acres in extent
The only employment for capital is in lending
on usury and that, Of course, only aggra.
Yates the evil. The average earnings Of a
Geld hand are forty dollars, and Of weayers
the principal branch of industry-from sixty
dollars to one hundred and twenty dollars a
year. The wages Of artisans, however, are
relatively much higher-those Of masons,
carpenters and smiths, going up'to seventy
five cents day. On these latter wages the
workmen could live well, but the report says
the Asiatic Turk is proverbaly improyident
and thinks nothing Of spending in a nuptial
celebration more than he can save in years.
In European Turkey the wages were from
twenty-five to sixty-fye cents day.
In Russia the great trouble, is the vast
number Of holidays on which no work can be
done. They number, Including Sabbaths,
1853 in the year, leaving only 2O2 for labor,
aud out Of these must be deducted Mondays,
which, for most workmen, are also holidays,
as It is considered unlucky TO commence work
on that day. The lowest class of workmcn
earn from thirty to sixty cents per day, and
on this they can support their families because
black bread and butchers meat are cheap. |
All other commodities, however are dear in
Russia. House rent is twice as dear as 10 |
England. One Of the Consuls says that an
English artisan would require to earn twice
as much in Russia as he would in England in
order to live as well.
In Germany the tradesmcn's bunds or
guilds, possessed exclusive privileges, so that
tailor or shoemaker belonging to one petty |
principality could not set up his business
in another. In Silesia, wages have doubled
in the last thirty years, while the cost Of liv-
ing has not increased in anything like the
same proportion. In Saxony the farm labor
err earns from twenty-five to thirty cents
day the day laborer in towns from thirty to
forty cents, and mechanics from fifty to six.
ty cents. Women earn from thirty to forty
cents.
In Berlin at least sixteen per cent. aud
often twenty and thirty per cent Of the re.
sources Of moderate family goes for house
rent. A budget of the estimated expenses Of
three types of family was prepared at Berlin
The FIRST belonging to the lower class, is sup
posed to have an income Of from two hundred
and twenty TO three hundred dollars OF that
twelve per cent. goes for rent, sixty.two per
cent. for living, fifty per cent. for clothing
five per cent. for fuel, aud only one per cent.
for amusements aud pleasures. The family of
the second class is supposed to have an income
Of from four hundred and fifty to six hundred
dollars. OF that fity-fve per cent, goes for
living, eighteen per cent for clothing, twelve
per cent for rent, and only one and one-half
per cent. for recreation. The family Of the
third class is supposed to have an income Of
seven hundred and fifty to twelve hundred
dollars. OF this fifty per cent. is assigned for
cost of living, eighteen for clothing twelve
per cent. for rent and only three and one-half
per cent for amusements. In these tables the
statistician assigns no place to the savings ;
but yet it appears that in Saxony the number
Of INDECENT persons diminished twenty per
cent. in the decade from $50 to 1864
In Belgium, in the rural districts day la
borers earn from thirty to forty.6ve cents a
day and women from sixteen to twenty cents
In manufactures common workmen are paid
from thirty to fifty cents, superior hands sixty
cents and women from twenty to fifty cents
la the coal mines wages vary from sixteen to
forty cents day for women and from eight
cen to seventy cents for men. Mechanics,
such as carpenters, masons, &c, earn from
sixty to eighty cents Those who earn from
one to two dollars day are the exception.
A comparison between the wages Of London
and Antwerp has been made, from which it
appears that where a mason earns fifty cents
a day in Antwerp, he earns one dollar and
forty.fve cents 10 London, ard the cost OF
l.--s.,-s ofr-s-s IN Delglum enjoy
but little of the comfor of the same classes
in England, and still less Of those which their
fellow aborers enjoy on this continent.