The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-07
g34OluD
The Alleged Improvidence of Working.
men.

A standard text for edifying homilies and
one OF the stock arguments against casual
philanthropy is the alleged iDtemperance
and improvidence OF the wage-earning
classes. Now we are far from denying
that there is ground for the assumption.
Indeed, the earnestness with which sobriety
and thrift are inculcated by the officers OF
trades unions and other labor associations
seems to attest lively consciousness
Of considerable shortcomings. That too
much, however, has been taken for granted
about the want OF frugality on the part OF
workingmen Is now established by the care
full data collected in England by an observer
ofunquestioned competence. Mr.. r. w. DALE
has undertaken TO show In the Contemporary
Reuielr precisely how much surplus an Eng
lish artisan has TO waste. and how far as
matter Of fact that surplus Is wasted.
1t is known that Mr.. DALE has been long
engaged in studying the condition Of Lon
don workpeople, with special reference to
their earnings and expenditures at different
epochs. His data are concerned exclusively
with the so-called Metropolitan District.
but this embraces nearly four million inhab-
itants, no small fraction of the national pop
every calling whose followers come under
the generic name mechanic and OF every
species OF work which may be termed pro-
ductive rather than distributive, is infinitely
traced through period OF thirty years.
Without scanning the statistics in detail,
we note the broad conclusions to which
they point. For example, in the best paid
and most thoroughly organized trades the
rise In wages since 1s47 amounts TO
1888 per week, or about 80 per cent
That this gain Is nominal Is proved
by the decline in the purchasing power OF
money in an even greater ratio. Mr.. DALE
points out that the wholesale price OF beef
in tho metropolitan market has increased
40 per cent and that OF mutton so per cent,
within the same period, while the retail
prices not OF prime joints but OF infe-
rior pieces. has been advanced not less than
70 or 80 per cent With the exception OF
bread. which Is but little dearcr than it
was in 1913, all other provisions exhibit
prOportionate rise. Thus vegetables
have gone up in many instances 100 per
cent. House rent, too, has nearly doubled,
and the enhanced price OF coal at present
is not far from so per cent. more than
formerly. or course the folly Of taking
wholesale rates as a test OF cost to the con-
sumner ought to be self-evident, yet many
previous writer's ON the subject have been
guilty OF it. Mr.. DALE is careful to mark
the prices OF the retail shops, Just as in es-
timating the amount earned by workman
in year he does not forget to make rea-
sonable allowance for loss Of time.
From all these figures it results that
skilled artisan in the British metropolis has
very little money to throw away on luxu-
ries and intemperance. Taking the high
average wages OF $3.50 per week, or say
$3.50 per annum-whch are only obtained by
iirst-rate mascns, compositors, and few
others--and reminding us that the average
family of working people Is assumed to
comprise five persons, Mr.. DALE proves that
after paying for rent food, fuel, fees for
schooling, and the small subscription TO the
trades union, the surplus available for
wearing apparel and other necessares does
not exceed 25 cents per week. To demon
strate the fairness ofthe computation leading
| to this striking conclusion, we need only cite
one detail, namely, that but 90 cents per
week are set down for the nourishment OF
each of the three children. 1t is fund,
| therefore, Of 20 cents per week TO which
| lirst-rate mechanic must look, not only for
| the clothing OF himself and family, but for
the wasteful extravagances In which no is
reputed TO indulge In fact, Tor the average
workingman In London prodigality Is well
nigh impossible.
Thrift however, may DO evinced In triiies,
aud Mi. DALE demonstrates that the Eng