The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-18
Inc Contrast, Of a Life.

In recent speech Al Great Falls, N.
H., Senator Henry Wilson, referring to
some experiences in bic early life, said:
feel that have The right TO speak for
toiling men to toilins men. | was born
here in your county Of Stafford. ! was
born in poverty want sat BY my cradle.
know what 1t is To ask a mother for
bread when she has none to give. left
my home at ten years Of age and served
an apprenticeship Of eleven years, receiv-
ing months schooling each year, and at
the end Of eleven years Of hard work,
yoke Of oxen and SIX sheep, which brought
ine eighty -four dOllan. A dollar would
cover every penny spent from the time
was born until was twenty-one years Of
age. know what It is to travel weary miles
aud ask my fellow-men to give me leave
to toll | remember that in September,
1883. | walked into your village from my
native town, and went through your mills,
seeking employment. II anybody had
offered me SS Or 50 a month, should
have accepted 1t gladly. | went down to
Salmon Falls, went to Dover, ] went 70
Newmarket, and tried TO get work, with
out success, and I returned home weary
but not discouraged, and put my pack on
my back and walked to the town where |
now live aud learned a mechanics trade.
know the hard lot that tOiling men have
to endure IN this world, and every pulsa-
ton Of my heart, every conviction Of my
Judgment, puts me on the side Of the toll.
ing men VI my country-aye, Of all coun
tries.
an glad the workingnen in Europc
are getting discurtentcd and want better
wages. thank God that a man in the
United States to day can earn from three
to four dollars. in ten hours work, easier
than he could forty years ago earn one dol
lar, working from twelve to fifteen hours.
The first month | worked after | was
twenty one years Of age, I went into the
woods, drove team, cut mill-logs, wood,
rose in the morning before daylight and
worked hard until after dark at night,
and received for It the magnificent sum
Of six dollars And when I got the
money, those dollars looked rs large TO me
MS the moon looked to night. On the farm
on which | served an apprenticeship, ]
have seen the best men who ever put
scytbe in grass working for from fifty
cents to four shillings a day, in the longest
days in Summer. Yesterday visited that
farm. asked the men who were there
what they paid men in hayinc time last
Summer, and they said, from 50 to 50 so
day. This was paid on the same ground
where men worked forty years ago for
from fifty cents to four shillings, and took
their pay in farm products, not money. /
have seen some Of the brightest women
go into the farm houses and work for from
fifty cents to four shillings a week, milk
ing the cows, making butter and cheese,
washing, SPINNING and weaving, doing all
kinds OF hard work. ! was told yestcr.
day that many young women were earn
ing, in the shops, 81 day, and that those
who worked in houses were getting from
$3.50 TO $751; n week.
To-day the laboring men and women OF
our country are earning from three to four
times rs much in day as they could earn
forty years ago, and days work is shorter
now than It was then. After had learn.
ed trade in the place where live work
cd fourteen and fifteen hours day, month
after month, to earn about $40 month.