The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-12-22
.W0RKMEN'saW
IN THIS COUNTRY AND ENGLAND
The Diferonee In fnror Of tho American
l.nborer-uo Is hctter Housed, Fed and
Clad Than Ills European brother,
Secretary Frclingiuyscsl's Report.

| 1A'ShSHus oeh il'tS sent u v0luMtlOltS let
tcrto the House Of Representatives review
ihg the reports from Consuis OF tho Unite,
States in relation to the state Of labor /,
Europe In his remarks the secretar,
says: british results aro principalI,
selected for comparisons, as English wage
are, generally speaking, tho highest IL
Europe, and English trado conditions
have more in common with American Gus
toms md usagcs thnn those OF other coun
tries" lie saws:
1t appears, BY comparing tho cities O.
Europe with those In tho United States
that bricklayers and masons in Chicago
are paid very nearly three times the wages
and plasterers nearly four times; slaters
three times; plumbers nearly three times
carpenterstwicc; blacksmitlls twice; book.
binders more than twice; bricknnker,
nearly three times; brass.founders and
cabinet.makers nearly twice; confection.
ers twice; cigarmakcrs nearly three times
coopers once and half rs much; draw.
men, icamsiers and street railway drivers,
nearly twice; dyers, more than twice en-.
gravets,. nearly three times; furriers,
twice; horscshoers, three and one-hali
times; jewellers, more than one and one.
half times; lab8res, porters, &C., more
than twice; photographers, three times;
telegraph operators, twice and one-hali
saillnnkcrs, more than twice; printers,
twice and one. half; saddlers and harness
makers, uiofetftan one and one.haii times /;
stevcdores, more than twice ana one.
fourth times; tailors, twice, and tinsmiths,
one ond three.iourths the wages paid to
similar trades and oallings in London.
PRICES or TILE SEcEssARIEs.
OF the relative prices OF the necessaries
OF life, the Secretary says: 1t is frequent.
ly asserted that the cheapness OF living in
Europe more that equalizes the lower
wages there paid. In volume on labor
in Europe. published by this department
in 1878, it was shown that the prices OF
food in the United States were actually
lower than in Europe, and that the work.
ing classes in the United States could pur.
chase moro and better aliment, dollar for
dollar, than the working classes in any
country in Europe. Contrary impression
is probably due to the fact that working
people in Europe live more cheaply than
working people in the United States from
which it is inferred that the purchasing
power Of their wages is greater than the
purchasing power OF similar wages here.
1t appears from reports that the Ameri-
cap workman consumes more and better
flood than q mechanic or iaborer abroad
does, aud that the cost OF his food is as
small in the United States MS in Europe.
AS TO FOOD.
It should be borne in mind in making
comparison, that the better classes OF food,
beef, mutton, veal, butter and rice, are not
only for the most part cheaper in the great
cities OF the United States than in Europe.
but they are hero daily necessary for the
tables ol the better grades OF fskillcd work.
men. They are rarely absent from some
one meal Of the day, and often present at
morning md evening meals While con-
current testimony is that even TO the best
paid working classes OF Europe they are in
the main luxuries which are seldom en-
joyed. The lower classes in Europe us,l-
ally cat darker or black bread, SO that
even wheat flour and wheat bread may
be set aside with meats as furnishing no
sufficient basis for comparison. Working
classes in Europe live mainly on black or
rye bread, potatoes, cheap coffee and tea,
! vegetable soups, and lard and olive
oil OF low grade take the place OF
butter. The standard monday meal OF
workingmen OF Mayence is thus given by
Consul Smith: Potatoes and little meat,
with peas or beans, cooked together in a
form thick rs soup, to which little green
cabbage or lettuce is sometimes added.
This dish they eat day after day, with very
little change in the character OF its con-
tents Of in the manner OF its preparation.
This is the dinner eaten ut his work. The
food Of the wife and children Mt home is
said to be cheaper and less nutritious. =,
1t should not be forgotten that the ma
nipulation Of food supplies, after they
reach England, is conducted on the most
economic plan, under the beniiicent con-
troll OF the great cooperative societies.
Everything is done that can be done to
bring tho producer and consumer as di-
rectly and closely together rs possible,
and competition for custom which pre-
walls, keeps the handling cost at the low
est possible minimum, SO that the prices
OF cooperative stores Of England approxi-
mate to the wholesale prices elsewhere.
In general, clothing can be purchased
cheaper in Europe than in the United
States, especially clothing of the higher
grades. As to the relative quantity and
quality OF theclothing, basis for identi-
cal comparison don't exist. The same in
tluence which prompts hisher.paid work.
men in the United States to purchase
better and more varied food than his
European comrade, extends also to his
clothing, for he buys more and better gar
ments.
HOUSE RENT f'f.
in Europeis apparently lower than here,
but habitatiops are usually inferior to
those in the United States. In Dundee,
one OF themost thriving industrial centres
in Europe, $3.50 persons live in $500
houses OF one room each 74,S74 persons
live in 1G,lS7 houses OF two rooms each.
OF workingmen's homes in Manchester,
Consul Shaw writes: "Great numbers OF
houses visited by me, contained only one
living room, and this served as parlor
| l;t.Inu div II, a. room Siftinu.roo,,, and -,