The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-05-25
European Labor.

An interesting table, prepared by the
Hon. Edward Stanhope, has Just been pub
liahed in England, showing the comparative
earnings Of agricultural laborsrs in the
principal countries of Europe, with the
purchase power Of money and the usual
diet, where those particulars could be OBJ
tanned. The statement 10 founded mainly
upon the reports of the government repre-
sentatives abroad ON the tenure Of land
and on the condition of the industrial clas-
ses in foreign countries, and applies only
to the wages Of hired laborers, mo mention
being made of the small proprietor at
home and abroad. The statement that
the regular standard Of laborers wages
throughout Europe does not average more
than thirty cents 80 f. u 5A1 - -
ever exceeds hIlIss per day, will appear
almost Incredible to the American reader,
but it is no more than the simple truth.
The lAboring men and women Of Russia,
Of Germany, Of France and OF England,
toll in the fields from sunrise until sunset
for sum scarcely suficientin this country,
to purchase glass of beer or q cup Of cof
fee.
In Austria the average rate of laborers
wages is eighteen cents per day for man m
summer, and twelve cents in winter. In
harvest time q shilling is paid. For
women the highest rate is fifteen dollars o
year and board, the majority not receiving
more than half that amount. In Denmark,
the lRborer receives from ten to twenty
cents per day and board for twelve hours
labor, or thirty cents per day and boards
himself. In France, thirty-fve cents q
H. - n,,~niIa~o1 axoollovA ,ron... Rr~I ..,a~,
while from fifteen to twenty cents consti-
tute the pay Of woman. A farm laborer
engaged by the wear receives from SIXTY 10
eighty dollars for that period besides his
board. The diet Of The common people
consists of black bread, soup made Of pigs
lard, vegetables and bread porridge. In
Prussia wages range fromtweive TO twenty
four cents for man, and ten TO eigi6seeh
cents for women, with house rent and eAr-
den free. In the divisions of Pomerapia,
Rhineland, Saxony, Bavaria and Wurtem-
buFgh, the daily wages average from
twenty TO thirty-fve cents with board con-
Bisting of bread. butter, Gheese and soup,
vegetables coGss and beeA -gs
In Italy, the Lombardes work for thirty
cents per day and board themselves the
Bolognese for twenty snd twenty-five. The
diet n cheap enough, consisting largely Of
uaAcaroni, bread, fruit, vegetables and wine
In the Netherlands the standard OF labor il
still lower, the laborer receivmg only about
Hixteen or eighteen cents, while the nsces
Bariea of life are % dear a. In England, Tn
1 luxuEies much desrer. The Russian hrr
hand works from four O'Clock m the morn
ing until nine ct night on the large estates
for eleven cents day it he IN hired BY th,
| season, or twice that If he " hired By tn
day. In harvest time forty, and in rar,
cases fifty cents II paid. The purchAs'
power il here about one-hah whaf 1t Il d
England. The diet Of the Russian lahore
is mainly cabbage, baked bpckvheat an,
milk, oil and rye bread. In the diHeren
provinces Of Epain wages rarely excee'
thirty cshts per day without board, and i
large number of cases fan below twent
cents. The diet il Of the most humbi
kind, composed largely Of bread and vege
tables, with cucumber soup. In England
although the wages seem poor compare
with those paid IN America, thare in a dec
ded difference in favor Of the Iaborel
Wages average from Atty TO seventy -6y
cenh day, most hands being able to efor
generous diet. The same state Of fhina
exist In Scotland, In Ireland the pay
considerably less, although It differs IN th
different counties.