Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-27
WAGES IN ENGLAND AND
AMERICA.
Some Comparisons That Are Not
Altogether Favorable TO This
Country.
Netc York Sun.

We are constantly told that the manu-.
features of the United States can not
hope to vie in foreign markets with
those Of Great Britain, so long as skilled
labor can be procured more cheaply in
the latter country. Two years ago we
pointed out that there was by no means
so great a difference in the wages earned
by English and American operatives as
was generally supposed. 1t is now main
tanned by Manchester mill owners that
their workmen are actually receiving
higher pay, in proportion to the time
they work, than they could obtain in
Massachusetts; and it must be owned
that the data collected by Consul Shaw,
and forwarded to the State Department,
go far to confirm this assertion.
1t appears that in the great manufac-
turing districts of East Lancashire the
paw of weavers in the year 1880 ranged
from s. 81 to IS Ga, subject, for part
of the twelve months, to reduction of
ten per cent. The average earnings of
weavers in the mills of Massachusetts
during the same period varied, accord
ing to the skill of the emplOye, from
81 50 to IS 70. In Lancashire the weekly
earnings of ordinary spinners were from
81 20 to IS 20, while what are known as
master spinners obtained as much as $12
At the same date in Massachusetts spin
ners of all grades received from 81 o. to
SO 30. The average wages of the men
employed IN the Massachusetts factories
is IS 30 a week, while in Lancashire the
average earnings of full grown male ope-
ratives is IS. The pay of women and
girls is from So 09 to IS GO in Massachu-
sets. and from So 40 to 81 30 in Lanca-
shire.
At the first glance these figures seem
to indicate that the American operative
is slightly better off than his fellow
workmen in Great Britain. But we
have not yet considered the difference in
the hours of labor and in the purchasing
power CT money. In the Lancashire
mills an operative works but So hours
week, whereas he must work go in the
Massachusetts factories. We must bear
in mind too, that the hours of labor
exacted of factory hands in the other
New England States are usually from &C
to SO per week, although at the same
time wages are generally less than they
are in Massachusetts. A little calcula.
ton will demonstrate that, in proportion
to the time exacted, the wages of skilled
labor in cotton mills at all events, are
not even nominally greater in the United
States than they are in England.
When we investigate the purchasing
power of money, we find that while
bread is cheaper in Massachusetts than
in Lancashire and meat not much dearer,
yet The cost of woollen clothing, of
tea, coffee and sugar, as well as the rent
of lodgings, are much higher in the
manufacturing districts of this country
than in Great Britain. We cannot well
escape the conclusion, from these st It's
tics, that at the present time skilled
labor does really cost more in Great
Britain than in our Eastern States.
When we weigh the practical bear
ings of this fact, and remember, too,
that as regards cotton manufactures, at
all events, we should be able to procure
the raw material more cheaply than it
can be sold in England, it does certainly
| appear that our manufacturers will be at
10 distant day in a position where they
can undersell their British rivals. We
! observe, however, that last year, accord
ing to reports of Consuls from all
parts of the world, a higher price was
everywhere demanded for American
than for British cotton goods of low
grade. 1t is said that English fabrics
| can be sod at lower rate, simply be
| cause they are adulterated, and that in
some foreign markets, as in China for
example, the quality of cloth is a matter
of much less importance than the price.