National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-10-08

and development Of the iron and steel Industries
of the United States, and another on the cultiva-
tiou and manufacture OF silk. The statistics Of
wages and the cost Of subsistence in the United
States sre- 70 lowed by some lust and pertinent
comments on the condition Of our working classes,
from which we make the following extracts:
"The great advantages enjoyed By the work.
those Of the same class In the Old World, are
sufficiently attested by the deep and steady cur
rent Of emigration which sets toward our shores.
One OF the most conspicuous Of these sdvan-
tsges consists IN the equality OF political rights
with which the workingman is here invested, and
the comparatively high respect and dlgnity At
tached 10 his calling; but not less SOM anu
decided are the advantages connected with aoun-
dant employment, good wages and tho suostan-
ss s,, ,h Oh me Is rue tnSs n oI crsSat
has been largely developed, our country has had
its occasional financial crises, accompanied with
commerce and Industry; but such effects have
been comparatively transient In their duration,
and the normal condition of the country has been
enjoyed elsewhere; and rarely il ever in the his
tory of the world has national prosperity been SO
largely shared by those usually depomin ated the
working classes"
"In some Of the manufacturing towns and vi I
lagos Of New England, particularly the seats OF
are represented to be in o sanitary condition that
is far from satisfactory. Such conditions are how
ever, quite exceptional, and the masses Of work
ing people throughout the country occupy com.
Portable homes, enjoy an abundance Of good food
and comfortable clothing, with opportunities for
good common school education for their children,
and possess a degree of personal Independence
not enjoyed on large scale by any other laDering
population on the face OF the globe.
"Tbis statement Is true not only In regard 10 the
workmen of the rich agricultural regions of our
vast interior and the prosperous manufacturing
towns with which those towns are dotted, but also
to those Of Philadelphia mot more famous Ter Us
Industrial eminence than for the comfort OF its
workmens bomes) and most Of the manufacturing
towns of the New England and Middle States"
with respect to the dwellings of factory opera
tiyes in the exceptional localities It may, however,
be said that wherever their sanitary condition Is
seriously had, It is believed to be the ftult OF
manufacturing corporations which own the tene-
ment-houses occupied by their employees. while
operatives employed by individual manufacturers,
who live among them and take an active and OBJ
servant interest in their wellbeing, are far more
comfortably situated. In q recent investigation,
conducted by the Massachusetts bureau Of statis-
tics OF labor, IL was found that, out of 1913 tene
ments examined in different towns In that state
2s8, or upward of 70 per cent, were worthy OF
being reported good while los, or less than q
per cent, ranged from fair to very bad The
apimadversioDs on the poorer class of tenements
contained in the reports of that bureau have at
tracted public attention to the subject and there
lie good prospect that, either through the action
of the State Legislature by the force OF public
sentiment, abuses of this kind Will soon DO RENE
died"
The statistics published 10 this pamphlet are
such must be of great practical utility, both to
those who seek Information on the labor question
as students of political economy, or for the pur-
poses of legislation, and also to employees and
work people in all the leading industries, each OF
whom may thus be enabled to compare the rate
Of wages and the cost of living in his State
section with the wages paid in the same indus
tries ard the prices OF the necessaries OF life n
other portions Of the country.