Daily Republican., 1885-10-19
The Labor Question.

Average highest weekly wages to
men In Massachusetts $25.il, In Great
Britain $1I.36.
The average highest weekly wages to
women, MassAch usetts, 1857 England
81 10.
The average highest weekly wages
paid to the young, Massachusetts, $6 "a
Great Britain, 500.
The average highest weekly wages
paid to children, Massachusetts 4.64
Great Britain Sizes.
The average lowest weekly wsges
paid to men, Massach usetts 81. %; Great l
Britain H72.
The average lowest weekly wages |
paid to women, Massachusetts,, h.6l
Great Britain $2.N.
The average lowest weekly wages |
paid to the young, Masssch usetts q 36
Great Britain $1.66.
The average lowest weekly wages
paid to children, Massachusetts, $500
Great Britain go cents.
The average weekly wages paid TO
men, Massachusetts, $ll IS; Great Brit
ain IS 20.
The average weekly wages paid to
women, Massachusetts Is % Great
Britain So 81.
The average weekly wages paid TO
the young, Massachu setts $50 Grea.
Britain 81. 40.
The average weekly wages paid to
children, Massachusetts 1881 Great
Britain 10 cents.
The general average weekly wages In
Massachusetts, Is higher than In Great
Britain by 4S % per cent
The foregoing comparisons are taken
from the Philadelphia Ledger, and
therefore they are not OF our own max
ing. What is meant by the class called
the young we are not able to dedne,
though 1t may mean apprentices. In
every case it will be noticed that the
wages paid to children are ridlculously
low In Great Britain compared to those
paid in Massachusetts,, the total aver
ages showing that the wages paid In
Massachusetts,, to that class OF labor, are
1881 q week to 70 cents inGreat Britain,
or nearly Ave times as much in Masss.
chusetts as in Great Britain.
We refer to these statistics that the
labor population Of our own city may
ponder over them, and ask themselves
why this great difference in the pricel
Of labor ?
There must be some cause for II, or Il
would not exist, and whatever Is tn,
existing cause should be known, snC
the causes that led to such low wage
In Great Britain, be avoided in thi
country. There ara large mum bers G
political demagogues who will try t
get in the frst word and tell us tina
the reason wages are low in Ores
Britain is that living there is cheapt
than in this country, and that on
dollar will 60 as far there In the pul
chase Of the necessaries Of life as { "
dollars in thig country. We hear
great deal Of this kind of stuif used Il
argument from the campaign stumj
and the dear, dear laboring people al
called upon to rally aud strike dow
the .iniquitous. tarif,s that lmpost
high prices upon wo)llen goods, ha
an such other articles az Great Brita
can underseli US with by her system
cheap labor. As a mater of fact So
of clothing in Great Britain costs near
rs much as a suit in this country, an
even If 1t did cost three or four dolo
more here than there, couple or thr
GAYS WOTk al UuO hlkhtE NaSNo pa
here, makes up the dffsrea,e .
another matter of fact, it is well know
that table living is as expensive
Great Britain as in this country. r.
Is proven by the fact that beef, Dor
grain and -four, the staples OF life In Il
country, are exported to Great Brita
If our producers and merchants did
get as much for their merchandise
Great Britain as they do at home, III
would not export their goods In I
face OF these facts we cannot see h.
table living can be cheaper in CIR
Britain than here. Then imagine
condition of the working classes
Great Britain who are compelled to |
az high for the table uecassaries @;
az we pay In this country, where wa
are nearly fifty per cent. higher than
Great Britain. This ex plains the or
influx of labor immigration fr
Great Britain TO the United States.
spite of the better living we are told
labo.ing classes enjoy IN that coun
they seem very glad to make the
change.
There certainly can be no denial,
leest no successful denial Of the
that the low wages paid for labo
Great Britain enables the manufactu
of that country to manufacture e
cheaper than they can be manufact,
in this country, and In many insta
that they really pay the tariff imp
by this country, and still undersell
market.
Workingnen must readily see
this is done at thu Expense Of labor,
they should "a readily see that
lower the tariff is made, that II
lower must wages become to or
American manufacturers to com
with British IN snufacturers.
Now, then, when did labor begi
get scarce in this country ? Wher
wages begin to come down? Let
est ~orkingmeD, not political d
gogues, ans wer these questions.
it not since tariff tinkering CONNER
Was 1t not since the Democrats
possession Of the lower house of
gress. True, we admit that they
got the Senate entirely, but 80 ne
that Senator Bsyard was act
elected President pro TEN. OF that
some four years ago, and served
two days. But we admit also th
Repu blioaus are not protectioni sts
few free trade Republican, that W
the party went over to the Dem,
in the last Presidential campaign
assisted to elect Cleveland A fe
trade Republicans In Congress az
the Democrats to reduce the tar
certain specified articles, and a |
lican President waa com nelled