Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-07-05
TARIFF AND WAGES.
A Lancashire Lad Pays his Ad-
dresses to MIR. Spencer.
Los ANGELES, July 2. 1888.

A Lancashfre Lad Pays his Ad.
dresses to MIR. Spencer.
Los ANGELES, July 2. 1888.
EDITORS HERALD: / noticed few
days ago, in one of the Republican city
papers, an article by one S. F. Spencer
entitled "The People and the Tariff. u
As the article in question consists main.
ly of the usual prevarications which pro.
tectioniats seem compelled to make, and
as letters containing similar twaddle are
likely to appear during the forthcoming
campaign, perhaps some of your readers
may be interested to know little Of the
other side of the question.
The author of the above named article
evidently bases his remarks upon Con-
sular reports, and SO on, which, mas
much as they have been compiled from
reports of Republican Consuls abroad
and as the information relative to Ameri-
can wages has been cleaned from mill
owners and agents in this country who
are interested in maintaining the high
tariff, l say on this account not much
reliance can be placed upon them.
Referring to the article in question,
allow me to ask the author, "Why is it
that although the rate OF wages in Eng
land is, according to his own showing,
lhI ulSuoT tIdu Ill COutilcHtdl IIuiOpcdu
countries, yet the cost per spindle OF con-
structing a cotton mill is from 1919 to
$7.7S in England, whereas in France and
Germany the cost is from SO. SO to SO. .65 ?''
Curious, ISM it., that in free trade Eng
land, where wages are SO much higher,
yet the cost of building and equipping
mills should be so much less than in
protectionist France or Germany, where
wages are small, and this notwithstand-
ing because 80 per cent. of the cost is
labor"
Now in regard to the comparative pay
of operatives in mills, perhaps few
statements from actual knowledge may
be interesting. A fair comparison will
be between the mill workers of Lowell,
Mass, and a similar class in Lancashire.
For instance, mill machinist with
whom l was acquainted at Lowell re-
ceived $1.75 per day, or $10.50 per week,
which was more than the average pay.
In Lancashire he would have been paid
about 80 shillings, or 1920 per week.
On the other hand, mule spinner in
Lowell has very hard work to make $3.50
or $40 per week. In Lancashire he would
get actually more money, with the fur
ther advantage that he would have a
"piecer" who would "mind" half the
machine, and boy to sweep and put in
"rovings." Besides all this, the Lam
cashire operative works three and half
hours less time per week, and has a
vacation every Saturday afternoon, as
we'll as working day divided into easier
stages, the law obliging mill
owners 10 run their machin-
cry no longer than four hours
at stretch without stoppage of at least
half an hour for meal. In the column
of wages paid to skilled workers in the
United States it would be nearer the
truth to erase the right hand figures
named by Mr.. Spencer, and put down a
brick-layer for instance as receiving $12
per week, not $12 to $15, carpenter as
receiving 80, not SO to $12, painter as
receiving $40 per week, not $40 to SIG.
To give the highest rates to one or two
individuals possessing special knowledge
of trade, and on that account peculiarly
valuable to their employer, is not fair
way of quoting the regular, current,
averages. The Report is careful not to
mention the highest figures paid in other
countries. And why, if protection keeps
up pay, are wages higher in free trade
England (much higher indeed) than in
the European countries where pro-
lection exists? Again, as regards
that very numerous class OF
men generally called laborers.
A man whom knew in Lowell, and
also in England years before, tells me
that he gets SO per week of six days in
Lowell for the same kind OF work for
which 1 personally know that he re-
ceived $3.50 in England f for week Of
five and one-half days. These facts do
H.,or ofo ot cfo
that in Europe working men "do not re-
ceive half as much pay as do ours
One dollar per day is the general average
for laborers in the Lowell mills, whilst
many of them get no more than 80 cents,
and some even less than that. In re-
gard to the female help, a good weaver
in Lowell averages about $22 per month,
if she works full time, but in order to do
this she has to run five or six looms.
Some weavers. l am aware, have got as
high as $32 by running eight looms. In
Lancashire good weaver averages SIG
or $18 per month, but only runs three
looms. What is the natural conse-
quence? In Lowell almost every weaver
is so played out that her health suffers,
and she has to loafe day or two every
month. In Lancashire, on the contrary,
with much less work and day divided
up into far easier stages, a girl can work
without injury to her health, has vaca-
tion each Saturday afternoon, and regu-
lar holidays of two or three days dura-
ton at Witsuntide and other times.
Which of these is the slave, the one who
runs six looms for sixty hours week, or
the one who runs three looms for fifty-six
and half hours, and has half days
vacation weekly, besides the other holi-
days named above? Another important
point Of difference is that whereas in
New England the factory population has
to be largely and constantly recruited
from the country villages, in Lancashire
this is unnecessary, as the health and
vigor of the townspeople is sufficiently
good to keep up the supply of help all
the time. clip the following from my
latest English paper, showing that the
rate paid for weaving certain kind of
cloth is forty cents per 100 yards in Low
ell, whilst in Lancashire the rate is fifty
one cents for the same length. This
surely does not indicate that in the
United States the relative proportion of
wages to cost OF finished article is greater
than in Lancashire:
An induiry has lately been conducted