Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-09-07

the Clyde, may be accepted as reliable and
fairly representative of the wages in the
several lines of industry indicated: Car
penters S. "a to 81 20 per week caulkerS
81 "a to So ~; joiuels, $500 to 1854 black
smiths about ~ ~ and machinists from
81 "a to Sc ~. The figures quoted cover
the wages of fully IS per cent of the men
employed in the complete construction OF
a ship, besides which, of course, there are
furemen and superintendent who get |
somewhat higher wages by reason of their
advanced positions.
Nor is 1t merely in the iron mills and ship |
yards that low wages prevail, but the |
building trades, which are in measure
dependent for their employment upon
these principal industries, are likewise I'M
derpaid to distressing degree, rs | learn
ed from men interviewed at their work. |
The laborer who digs for the foundation
of a building receives the equivalent OF 81
cents per day for 10 hours work. The
mason works nine hours and receives from
Sl0S to Sl36 per day, and his helper earns
about 50 cents, while the house joiner
earns from 81 26 to Sl44 per day. Bad
weather and slackness of work leave the
mason dependent upon the proceeds OF
| eight months in the year, while the joiner
must bridge over at least two months of
| idleness.
The wages are miserably low, but a
statement of wages and nothing more
would leave the story but half told, and
those who entertain an optimistic view of
| the foreign labor situation, would hasten
| to iuterject the observation that while the
wages are small, the cost of living is pro-
portionately low. Should that be true the
American mechanic would have no ground
on which to build his boast that he is bet
ter off than are his fellow toilers on this
side the water.
/ "Our prayer is for free trade with the
! United StateS,o was the frank admission
freely made to me by Il Coatbridge iron
. manufacturer but few days since. The
reason was that with the cheaper labor of
his mills he could send mis- product into
| the American market, and should his
prayer be granted the employees of Ameri-
can mills would be compelled to submit
! to reduction of their wages to a level
with the wages now prevailing here. The
change of economic policy that would in
vite the competition of the American la
borer with that of Britain lends interest
to the question "Will the wages of the
mechanic in Scotland, where free trade
prevails in the commodities he consumes,
buy as many comforts as are enjoyed by
the American mechanic p
| The wages received and the cost of the
necessities of life furnish the basis upon
| which the reader may build his own con
cluson. The wages of the Glasgow me-
chanic, as already cited, exhibits his COM
fort purchasing resources, and following
to i cents per loaf; potatoes, II to 10
nts per stone of ii pounds; flour, Ii to
20 cents per stone; eggs, II to - cents per
dozen cheese, 3 to lG cents per pound ;
sausage 10 cents; bacon Is to - cents ;
butter, IL to "a cents; beef, rO3-t, 20 to y
cents per pound boiling piece. 5 TO ii
cents steak, Ii TO 20 cents ; best steak, 81
cents mutton, 10 TO 20 cents according to
the cut chops 20 to "a ceuts; coffee "A to
80 cents tea, IS to IS cents and sugar,
fs.1.. lt..f
cents.
The average mechanic is rarely able to
afford for living apartments more than
two rooms-"a room and kitchen"-and
in these the family, however numerous,
must eat, sleep and exercise all the phases
Of existence from the cradle to the grave,
in sickness as well as III health. One room
is devoted to the preparation of the meals,
while the other must serve as dining
: room, bedroom, sitting room and paror.
The tenants may feel their cramped condi-
ton, but their slender finances Will war
rant nothing more extensive in its accom-
= mOdatiOuS. There are thousands less for
. tunate who have but single room, while
l ii is IA rare exception that mechanic at
? tains to the dignity of two rooms and a
kitchen" The room and II Kitchen
rental in respectful quarter of the city
is from $40 to 800 per year, and the add
: tional room adds about $40 TO the yearly
1 expense. The mechanic VINO can make
ends meet ana nave an AFTER Work SUIT
2 coat and vest of BanuOckburn tweed with
cloth trousers, the whole costing from 81,
5 to $l3-is among the fortunate and is
b, counted thrifty, while the wife of the me
e Chanic who has a cloth dress i'll which Sht
| would let her neighbors see her go to the
a kirk on Sunday Is the exception rather
t than the rule.
t | have refrained from exaggerated pict
;, ureS of the conditions rs | have fOunt
Il them nor have | painted the worst, Whlci
d might be regarded as exceptional. Gh'
5 conditions as they average are open 70
t. contrast with the enVil OnmentS of tn
Z American mechanic, and in that cOnneC
ii ton the opinion OF an Intelligent Glasgow
= mechanic, one of the few EXCEPTIONAL,
e well to do, may not be improperly pre- 9nl
q ed here. Speaking OF the condition of tn
r ma j)rlty OF his fellows-the men wit
II whom American free traders would lnvlt
y mpetition-he said: They simply eA
Il list. 1t is a struggle from beginning I
n end. The Glasgow mechanic is unable t
u obtain the legitimate fruits of his labor
}. and however provident he may be, he WI
II not have enough to maintain his famll
If respectfully. He has no chance OF in
s, proving his condition, and he cannot e>
r, pect to rise above the common level II
W becomes disheartened, and it should NJ
&c he surprising if he seeks forgetfulness {
W visions of plenty in the Glowing bowl
is The Scotchman has but one chance wheI
n the American has 10 for improving hi
L condition"
ar w. |. DAVENNY.
IS Father Tayior's Prayer.