Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-01-26
SATURDAY. JANUARY as. 1854


give u true anu CORRECT comparison Vi
wages between this country and inEng-
land, has taken the woollen trade,
which is one of the leading industries
of both countries, as the basis of such
comparison, and at the same time the
wages paid in France and Germany are
given to more freely illustrate and show
the more favorable difference in favor
of the United States. The comparison
is made and published at the request of
a gentleman, who, like many Others, are
seeking light and the truth upon the
subject, who have hitherto been favora-
bly, inclined to free trade dogmas, The
accuracy of the figures are vouched for
by gentlemen interested in the woollen
trade from the countries named The
wages named are for week, and the
comparison is for the year 1882.
In that branch of the trade called
wool sorting, men are paid in this
country 81. As per week; inFrance S.. SO;
in England 1915 in Germany $3.50.
Young people are paid $5.12 in this
country ; in France 81; in England
81 80, and in Germany $l.90.
In the spinners' department men are
paid S12 in this country; in France
$3.50; in England and Germany So
each. Spinners are paid in this coun-
try 500; inFrance $6;inEngland $5,and
in Germany S5.25. Women are paid in
this country $6.1S, and in France, Eng
land and Germany 81 each. Young
persons are paid in this country $4.Sl ;
in France - in England 81. so, and in
Germany Sl.90. Piecers are paid in
this country s.; in France S. in
England $3.50, and in Germany $40.
In the weayers' department men are
paid in this country 1888; in France
$4.67 ; in England $4.S0, and in Ger
many A.25. Women are paid in this
country $7.45; in England $3.4S, and
in France and Germany "a each. Me
chanics are paid in this country S13 43
in France &c. in England $3.50, and
in Germany s.. Laborers are paid in
this country 1858 in France 1913 in
England S. %, and in Germany 81.
while a woOllen manufacturing estab-
lishment in this country pays SS9.5S a
week to twelve persons engaged in the
occupations named, France pays the
same $49.69; England $45 %, and Ger
many $3.50.
1t would appear that about one hun
dred per cent more is paid for such
labor as we have named in the United
States than in any Of the European
countries named. From the most re-
liable figures that can be obtained it is
shown that from fifty to seventy-five
per cent. more is paid in wages in the
cotton industries in this country, than
in boastsd free trade England. The
Press pursuing the question farther
says that taking the woollen, cotton
and silk industries and punching them
together the comparison will show that
operators i'll this country earn from 100
to 100 and in some cases, 200 per cent.
more than in Europe In the flax III
dustry, once leading employment in
Ireland but crushed out by English free
trade, the wages in this country are 100
per cent. greater than in England.
Should we turn to the iron and steel
industries, the per centage in favor ofthe
United States is even greater, while the
purchasing power of a dollar so far as the
wants of the workingman are concerned,
is about the same here as in Europe,
though the European workinglnan is
obliged to get along with much less of
what the American mechanic regards as
the necessities of civilized life.
We commend the figures we have
used in this article to our free trade
contemporaries, especially the New
Castle Star, and would advise the latter
to make use of them instead of the
old hackneyed campaign free trade fig
ures used by it few weeks ago, that
were only invented for free trade cam
paign purposes and which have become
obsolete and worn out
We would also most heartily com
mend the foregoing comparisons to the
careful consideration Of William Dean,
senior member of the largest woollen
industry in this section of the country,
and who occupies the anomalous dis
tinction of being the most ardent free
trader in this section also.
1t is very easy TO be free trader in
this country while growing in wealth
and prosperity under protection as no.
body knows better than Mr.. Dean.
Lastly,we commend a careful perusal of
the figures given to all classes of work
men who, under al occasional hard
time stringency, are beguiled into look
ing favorably upon free trade az a re-
lief. If they can scarcely make ends
meet with the wages they are getting,
how much nearer would they make
them meet if they were reduced to the
standard
Another School n Ouse Needed.
THO OF ba t;1;t;,o va th,t ba