Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1874-11-26
A@erican a.A E~repsaa wages.

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Some careful statistics have been collected by
the national bureau Of statistics and by the Mas.
sachusstts labor bureau, showing how far wages
for mechanics and lsboren correspond in the
United States and Europe. The figures are for
the year 1872 and arc reduced to United States
currency. A comparison which has bsen made
Of the highest rate Of wages paid In different
couatries for given branch shows tho follow
ing facts n- ..Fr
The xeekly wages Of an ordinary farm laborsr
in Massachusetts, are 20, with board, which 10
undoubtedly equivalent TO go. The highest
t8l7 without board in Kent 1851 ; in Devon
shire and Cornwall, $A.08 in Ireland, 4491,
without board in France the highest weekly
wages arc e2. 81, with board in Prussia e2.85
in Denmark, $1.43 in Italy, s3.ss-sll with
board.
The difference in the trades is even more re-
markable. A blacksmith In Massachusetts, re-
ceives $1S 10 per week in England, e7.09 in
Scotland, q. 82 in Germany, 90 75; In Prussia,
972o in France, tG0l. In the bookb,nding
business the wages are equally remarkable il
Massachusetts, ~ compared with England. A
frst-class hnisher gets e26 in Massachusetts,, and
$l0.8 in England . f0rwarder earns el8 here,
against co. 80 in the old country female folder
u paid ~ In Massachusetts,, and 1881 in Eng
land. Again, in the great trade Of MAssachii-
setts In boots and shoes frst-class upper-cutter
will earn 4ls, while the European il paid o. OS;
the female machine hand il paid s10, aud o. 70
in Scotland mender Of shoes earns tl5 here,
against Se.53 in England, $6 rs in Germany,
S4,38 in Prussia, and 1888 in Italy.
In the building trades which are the most OK.
pensive here the difference Of wages between
the two continents is enormous. hrst-class
moulder Of brick earns e2O.T with board In
Massachusetts,. and s5 ~ without board In Eng
land. A mAson is worth s24 here against al0.f7
in England, cess in Scotland. u. 80 in Prussia,
and s3.2l in Italy. A bricklayer ia paid a2i
here sgsinst $1017 in England and 1884 in
Germany. A plssterer commands S24 in Amer |
ica, while his wages in Europe vary from 5000 |
eli in Massachusetts,, while in England he |
would earn e10.17, in Scotland S762, in Germa- |
ny 1925, and in Switzerland $50. Plumbers |
earn the comparatively low wages in Massaohu- |
sstts Of els in England they are paid es.7s, in
houses the wages::here are sls, to about ss in |
Europe. In painting they are $l7, to about $40 |
in England, and about el2 in Germany.
II We come now to machine work our wages
do not show 80 great . superiority to English
slL A sgainst s12.25 in England and $il.34 in
Prussia- Machinists, iron-mouldsrs, pattern
makers and the like earn about double what they
do In England and treble what they would in
Germany or France. In Prussia, however, this
class OF work is better paid. In osbinet-making
per cent higher than English or Prussian and
some three times what they are in Germany,
France and Switzerland. Again, in the manu-
facture Of wagons and carriages, and in all kinds
Df wheelwright business, wages are fully double
the English and treble those on the continent
The same proportion seems to hold good of
most kinds Of cotton and woolen manufacture.
In the iron manufacture, in which the English
nave shown such great skill aud success, this
,sme proportion is found, namely, that the
American wages are generally double the Eng
ish, and nearly treble those Of the continent
The figures would seem to show that the Amer
can mechanic and artisan receives from double
% quadrupe the money return received by their
ellow-laborers IN Europe. Tne purchasable
,ower Of this money is a. great as regards Arti-
lies Of prime necessity ~ in Europe such facts
how that our country offers to laborers and me-
hanics an exceptional position, no where else to
70 found in the world. The great cost OF living
o the middle and salaried classes here ~ COM
Jared with similar ones in Europe, is part of the
contribution which all make toward the prosper
ty Of the laboring class. 1t is true that this
lass during the last year have suffered some
o%ses, but these 1t is believed, have arisen from
emporary causes, and will not affect their per-
nanent condition Of prosperity and comfort.