, 1874-03-08
pbp Gblfapn M2ibuue.
Sunday Morning, March 8, 1874.


sA%- ~NA@------
laboring classes in the different nations OF the
wcrl1. Lord Clarendon thereupon addressed
circular to all English Diplomatic Agents and
Consu1s wherever stationed, directing them to
report to the Foreign Office, l, the rate of wages
2, the cost Of living; 8 the sanitary condition Of
the ;ahorinz classes, tho character Of their
dwellings, sea F., quality OF work executed By
them in the t..<>.7n+ quarters Of the globe. Be-
fore many months had elapsed, compste reports
we're received from thirty-one different countries
The results are to be found in q large volume
Of 1000 pages, entitled Further Reports from
Her Maiesty's Diplomatic and Consular Agents
Respecting the Condition Of the Industrial Glasses
and the Purchase-Power Of Money in Foreign
Countries" published in London few years ago.
The book ia q book OF facts and figures, not OF
comment or defamation, and it teaches lesson
which trades-nnions and others will do well to
ponder. It shows that the laborer and mechanic
In the United States is better fed, better
clothed, and better housed than anywhere else
in the world. It shows, too, thht his relatively
better condition in this country is owing, among
other causes, to the grester security Of capital
here. to the higher average education Of the
people, to our political and social security and
thnt these are the factors VIII ich everywhere de-
termine whether the 1aborer shall be well OF
poorly paid, comfortable or wretched. It de-
monsvrates that the only way to better his lot is
to do away with all antagonisn to capital and
capitalists, to allow capital to accumulate, and
invest 1t with every possible safeguard.
When the American lAborer compares,
Or rather contrasts, his condition with
that Of the labore1s OF other countries,
he will be more satisfied with it. When
he learns the cause-if ha will learn it--cf his
relatively greater comfort, he will talk 1ees of
trades-unions, strikes, 1ock-outa, and identify
bis prosperity with that Of the community in
which he lives.
Starting from Turkey in the East, and travel
ing towards the West in an almost direct line
til we reach California, we find the condition Of
the laborer steadily improve. In Turkey, VIC find
the maximum Of misery; in California, the
maximum Of comfort among the 1aboring and
industrial classes. In Kurdistan. the laborer is
found uniformly in mud hut without windows
His poverty Is the most abjcct for it his native
village affords him no employment he ia fo.bjd-
den BY the Turkish law to go beyond it in search
Of work. The agricultural laborer earns about
$40 year, his son may earn S15 more,
his wife and daughther together So
year. His food is entirely vegetable.
His clothing consists Of few rags. When the
harvest is good, he manages to exc ont an exist
ence. When it is bad, lie goes into debt, which
failing to pay. he becomes 3 slave. The tax
nsseased on every such family is 81 year. In
The cities the industrial population is divided
into three classeH,- -hand-weavers, mi1lers, and
artisans not embraced in either OF these two
divisions. a hand-weayer earns from 455 to
s125 gear the average is s65. Il young
woman or boy Of Is years OF hse, the remunera-
ton is 412.G0 q year. Taxes are per cent
year On the income earned. II the tradcsman
falls into debt and is not able to pAy it when
due, be becomes the chattel personal OF lis
creditor, and transmits that character to his
children. Like the agricultural laborer, be lives
in q Sretched hovel without window.
In Anatolia, every 4aborer or tradesman Is a
-a1l-t1ades, earns Is cents day, has no |
h1ed habitation, sleeps In the open air, in the |
entrance TO q mosque, or among the ruins Of |
past maenidcence. Capital 1eaYes the country, /
for there is political OF eocial security. Those
who have saved little money either hide it or
invest it in the shape Of costly ornaments for
their wives or, ii they loan it out, great is |
the rizk that it is at GO per cent interest. In |
Turkey in Europe, the lahorera are divided into
guilds or corporations, their wages varying from
Is cents to 65 cents & day. The quality Of their
man labors with the musket on his shoulder,
and the merchant tends to his business with
brace Of pistols in his belt. In Russia, the labor
CT Ii ont Of work for half the year. which half he
spends in getting drunk in his repu1sive home.
de wears his sheep-Ekin al the year round, day
Ind night Very often he lives in garret OF
oellar with herd Of his felow-laborers. Still,
Rnssia is growing out Of this condition Of things
She is entoring on a new career.
In Germany, the 1aborer works twelve hours
Jay. Children Of both sexes work. Living is
extremely frugal In the cities it is seldom that
he laborer has more than one room. Here his
'amily lives, sleeps, eats, cooks, washes. Few
,oople have less to spend for amusement or
u1ury than the German laborer or tradesman.
n Belgium, the condition Of the laboring class
j not remarkably good, considering the wealth |
nd industry Of the people. Its one great evil,
lowerer, is over-population. Fresh meat is
ecn on the table perhsps cnce or twice week. |
What has just been said OF Belgium may be said j,
70 altogether too danaly peopled. {
Coming to the United States, vt find tho {