The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-20
WoRKMEv and WAGES IN ENGLAND.

|
things has certainly changed for the better here.
and in our own country the workingman is by
| no means as we'll off rs In former years: yet the
British workman Notwithstanding the i'm
| piOvement in his circumstances In the last ten
years. Is still in Il much less desirable position.
both socially and materially. than he seeks. For
few years following 1870 British trade flour
! ishcd wonderfully and wages. especially in the
| manufacturing industries. took II sudden bound
| upward. This prosperity. or apparent pros
pcrY continued even through the year 1874.
and scarcely seemed to be affected even by the
panic in tho United States which was very
severe in the latter two years. In 1875 there
was n visible check in their prosperity. and
each year since has told very severely against
| British trade. When tho sale OF products fell
| off so seriously the prices of goods inevitably
| went down. and then wages fell. At first the
| employers seemed to believe that reduction Of
| five per cent. generally would be enough and
throughout the first half OF the year 1877 the re-
| ductions were not often above that figure In
| the Inter part Of that year. however and thus
| far in 1878 the demands Of the employers have
been more nearytwolvc per cent. and they have
| often asked as much seventeen per cent The
British workman is Il striker at times. and. as
may bc inferred. very few reductions were ac-
ceptcd without the protest of II strike.
The year 1877 will BE- remembered rs year
| OF numerous and prolonged strikes through
| out the whole kingdom. and the present year
| Is starting out with a fair prospect OF rivalling.
| If not eXcellng. its predecessor. Tho strikes
Of the last year grew out OF very opposite causes.
! The manufacturing industries were very uni
vcrsally depressed and the strikes here were
! in opposition 10 proposed reductions Of wages
| The building trades on the other hand. were
reasonably active and in few cases thore was
| Ia JppnnnI for
could be had. and hence. in these trades 1t is
not 10 be wondered Mt that several prolonged
strikes grew out Of n demand for higher wages
on the part OF the workmen. In nearly every
cuse the strikes for higher wages ended in the
men going to work ut the former figures; and
in the strikes against proposed reductions the
men were not further successful than that they
may have gone TO work ina few cases on some
what less reduction than the employers had at
first asked. At present the building trades are
also becoming dull. and the number of work.
men Is now usually In excess Of the demand.
year ago the stone masons OF London. who were
getting nine pence an hour struck for an ad-
vance; now the strike has ended and many
mnsons are working at even lower rate than
nine pence.
England pays her Judges Lord Mayors and
other high officials enormously but artisans.
clerks. laborers. school teachers. and domestic
servants are striking examples Of opposite
practice. In the schools under the control of
| - III. ii, -. so.o =, .' -, 49,,
,,r,a,or ,,,,,r., 10 no, ,ono,, aho,,o $40
- n,,,,,,a. ., ,,oIo ,,aoho.s o,, an, ,,l,,,od
~, ,ha Ton,,or Sch,ol pn.r1 a, ,hos,' ,ra,,os
The ordinary Office clerk gets about the same
wages rs the school teacher. and considers his
occupation rather more eXaltng than that OF
the latter. The school teacher is commonly
r,cid,s liza in ,,onhir,, ro,,o,od dir,,, chi,lror
| -. ., 80, 49,, Ill IT, Iii s,aI,;. 10, 90
dor,oI ,ob1oIs ,onI r,o,,os ore ,atJ I'M, in nh
n,hnrs ,h, ,,o.,,s ~, ,n"chnrs ,rc f,lly ao mar
,.,, -. g. tr ,h..,,,ios a,1 ,,,,.rs -, ,ha
r.nt,,1 S,,,,s or1inar,. lob .h,' ,,,,,iI ,o,
,,,n,I In ,l,, Tr,i,a1 S,,o. oro ca,,,,,, l.,
I,,,,,r ,'.,,o, sqn Wooil.n ,,,,Is or., ,he,,
apd mons clo,hin,, IL s,or.al,. r,,r, ,han hnlf
a. ui,,h ~ 4, ,hn I-ri,od St,,es. mi bo,ca
clerrs ord Teachers ara nhla on such pnltrv
wages IN keen nm n kind Of chenn pinchinc re-
spectnbility that Americans know nothing
nbout They must understand the nrt of emitting
close corners financially. for their margin il
very small In the matter Of food. the Britons
manage 10 live rather economically. too: for.
thourh food Is much higher than in the
Tinted states the style Of living is very
nirer.n, Americans nl,vnvs hnve a variety Z.
IN. English do NOT. and Tins manage TO spend
mo- more, pernnp.. than an American family in
tbc same circumstances though II thev were
,.,li. in tho snn,c style II would doubtless cost
ro,rl, t,vice A. mueh. know that n dollar will
Lp, M lonst tllty per cent. mora of good hearty
Twin, in New York than In London. and vet n
c,rroe nondent of the London Times. writing
from, Cow, Yorl, SAYS TINT the cost of living is
VI ~. l.. -, - o. -,
higher IN New lork thah IN L"h"oh' ohe Oh
US has investigated badly. it seems, and yet |
Have been in London long enough to find the
matter out very 'hoTouEhY'
l.aborins mems wages here must be about
fine same ns in the United States nj present.
N..,t e., t,ai.., ,l.,,,,., - man mos, ho found
ABOUT III" uo'hS pleh'y Oh men may NC iouhu
working AZ from 10 to ~ cents n day. but in most
.r,nlo,ments ,,n.tilled labor IL mid from 90
-, ~. a., - ,,.,,' -,
cents To- q d"S 'hihN tl"' Is lower 'i'"n III
New York but not seriously So, perhaps The
y,,,,s, .orrasrondant .ovs thnt unskilled labor
'""' ,.' ca, VA, ~, -.
Is PAM from ~ cents 10 Sl'zo III New 10TH.
English middle and lower class families send
,h.,r ,bulrep on, g., s,rvi.c M so,ne Find very
~ N'''','. " ~ y, H.. 49," =, ~ -
carry. ana lh"uSh lhey max" uul from sl'ou 10
Ill. NJ