The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-07-25
from The Springfield Republican,
Wages and Living,

Although wages have been pretty gener-
ally reduced during the last four years,
they have not as a rule yet reached the
average of 1860, much less Of 1873. Com
mon labor has fallen the most, as it always
does, and the common laborer, where he is
paid strictly the lowest for which men will
work, receives no more than in 1860. Ga
the farms, the wages of common laborers
have fallen, till stout man boarding him
self gets only 81 per day for odd jobs. But
the thrifty ''hired man" who engages by
the month, and is trusted to run tn ngs
faithfully in the farmers absence, has less
difficulty In resisting reduction. Fidelity
can't be expected of the floating class of
labor from the cities whose return to the
fields reduces the wages of inferior service
In the same way, in all places of trust
wkere reliability and wontedness to the
duties have high value, and where reduc-
tions would be likely to result in expensive
substitutions of new,and untried men, en-
ployers put certain just value on these
qualities and refrain from reducing wages.
The wages of skilled labor, including rail-
road engineers and fremen, are conse-
quenily from 30 to so per cent. in advance
of those of 1860, as the following table of
the rates paid by local corporations shows
1860. 1877.
Engineers. ..............$60 $67. $1,000
Flremen........... ~ 4O@40
Brakemen... ~ 4O@45
The wages of compositors, to take another
ready illustration, quite con1rmatory of
the present status of skilled labor, were %
cents per thousand ems in 1858, 20 in 1917,
2S in 1860, rising atterward to so during
the inflationist period, and have now fallen
to 40 and quite generally to 80, which
would be an advance of % per cent on the
wages of 1860.
Assuming as we may in general that the
wages of skilled labor rose 100 per cent Cor
doubled) during the period of expansion.
we should conclude that two-thirds of that
increase had been not swept away. Has
The cost of living correspondingly declined I
Without going into an elaborate investlga-
ton we should say that it had approximate
ly. Clothing and groceries have fallen
nearly or quite to the rates OF 1860; -four,
for few months has been higher, but no
higher we think than in 1856. and is fall
ing farm products and the products of the
garden are now nearing the former standard
ct sasaRGpfssv GGaa pses E@6S648s avgS f66e
creased largely in population, even after
the great reductions which have taken
place. Meat also is not a, cheap in New
England as formerly, and apparently never
will be.
We do not regard the situation of skilled
labor therefore as justifying the fierce and
vain struggle which has been precpitated
on the trunk lines against authority and
property, or even gloomy view of the fu-
ture of those classes of labor The tend.
ency from these employments to the farms
will gradually relieve them from the pres
sure for employment, as business reyives.
ALI classes have to meet their crisis in this
national experience. The classes OF
wealth have met theirs, and those of labor
must meet theirs. They can meet il best,
not by rapine and bloodshed, but by laying
off the habits Of extravaganza and personal
indulgence and intemperance which they
have contracted in flush times.