The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-27
BLAINE QUOTED ON HIMSELF

BLAINE QUOTED on HIMSELF.
When James G. Blaine was Secretary OF
State he made report TO Congress on the
"Cotton Goods Trade Of the World" dated
June %, 1881, in which he made the fol-
lowing statements
Owing 10 the different arrangements Of the En-.
Pllsh and American tables Of wugcs, II Is difficult
Ia give comparative analysis thereof, which would
show NJ glance the difference In the wages Of the
operatives of both countries
The wngcs Of spinncrs and wcavcrs In Lancashire
and In Massachusetts, according TO the foregoing
statements, were rs follows per week splnnon,
English, $50 to $40 master spinners running us
high as sl2l, American, s7O7 to $1,000
Wrayor: English, 9j.sl ~ sJc, subject, Mt the
date on which these rates were given. to reduc-
don Of 10 per cont American, SLs2 10 ss.1j
The average wages Of om ployes in the Masslchu-
sets mills H. rs follows according 10 the official re-
turns Men 49, 30 women 500, male children SILL,
female ch llren sins. According 10 Consul shaw =
| report the average wages Of the men employed In
the Lancashire mills tho lst OF January, 1850,
wa, about $500 per week, subject Ia reduction of
10 yer cent women from $40 To $3.50. subject TO
| production OF 10 per cent
The hours ~ labor In the Ian ashire mills are
nftysiX IN the Massachusetts, sixty PEI week. The
hours Of labor IN the mills IN the other New En-.
! gland States, where the wages are generally less
unu In Massachusetts, are usually siNty.slN Ia six
| LYNNE per week, Undoubtedly the inequalities
IN the wogcs Of English and American operatives
srv more than equallyod by the greater efficiency
oi the latter and their longer hours Of labor. II
tbis should prove 10 b. u fact IN practice, as II
seems to be proven from Official statistics II would
be a very important element In the establishment
Of our ability to compete with England iOr oui
share 81 the cotton goods trade OF the world
In the ;wo prime factors which may be said "a
form the basis OF the cotton manufacturing In
| du,iry, namely, raw material ard lnhOr, we hold
the advantage over England In the nrst, aud stand
upon nn equality with her IN the second.
Having the nav material at our dooIs, II follow
that we should be- able IN convert Il into mnnuGc
tups, nll things being equal. with more economy
and facility than eau be done by England, which
imports our cotton and then manufactured In hcl
mills The expense Of handling transportation, ant
| commission must be An important item IN this r.
gard. ~ compared with our turning In the fbr
from the cotton fields To our mills aud shipping 4
In the advanced form OF manufactured goods ADD
10 this the secondary TACT that II co.ts "a, no NOR
Ia handle aud manufacture the same han II cost
| In England. aud We stand ON an unioubtcd equal
ity, thus inr Ia the mco of competition.
When Mr. Blaine returned, home aitel
his tour Of Great Dritian, on top Of Car
negie's coach, he made speech in New
York which il was given cut was specially
prepared for the workingmen. In this h,
insisted that the Irregularities IN wages
and condition between the working people
OF England aud those Of this country wcrC
80 great that II was pcrccpliblo even u
travellers. Tho condition OF tho English
working people was generally abject and
pitiful, and that Il was the result OF
the free trade which had made
the whole world contributory to the Grst
Of manufacturing nations How false
this is may be gathered from Mr..
Blaino's own report compiled 10y him
from the reports Of the Consular agents
Of our government, every one Of whom at
that time were RepubicanA II is true
that seven years have passed away since
II was made, but in that time there has
been no change in tho condition of the
British working classes that has not bad a
direct upward tendency, that has not
either increased their Wages or increased
the purchasing power oi thor wages; and
We know from social and sanitary sta
iisiics that The means and methods for
healthy and safe living have been steadily
increased and tia, cooperation has been To
them more and moro Of blessing and
encouragement. For statesman who
has been dubbed the "uncrowncd mon.
arch" Of bis party. Mr.. Blaine, Il thus
appears is the greatest blundcrcr Of his
age.