Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-09-28
EUROPEAN WAGES.
A Speech Delivered at a Meeting Of
the Home Market Club, at Bos ton.
By Hon william T.. Fr Q of Maine.

CLUB: When l was abroad last summer |
took more Interest in men and in women
than | did in churches and ruins, In
architecture and painting.
We have some wonderful advantages in
this country of ours N the matter OF
maGufactu over any | visited; | be-
lieNe over any in the wo Id. livery con-
ceivabie thing that we need 10 make us
great manufacturing nation Is spread
out here for our use; ninety one hund-
redths OF IL to-day ly ng as untouched as
when planted there I'm the earth by the
finger of the Almighty. Again, as this
meeting tonight Illus rates, we have the
most active, earnest, vigorous business
men that are 10 be ioun on earth
Now, why don't We manufacture for
the word Why did we bring INTO our
own market last year. mean the year
which ended June 10th last why did we
bring into our own market 25o 600
worth OF silk goods You can manu-
tacture every yard of them here. Why
did we bring from abroad $4,000 600
worth OF cotton 20 Dis m. de out Of cotton
raised IN our own land? WIZ should we
import 81 800, 600 worth OF wooden goods
VIII should we import 80. $50 coo worth
of manufactures of iron and steel? why
d d we import last year $3.50 coo worth
of glass Why id we import s., 40, 600
worth of pottery Why did we i'm ort
Sl2, 2S0. coo worth of manufactures of
hemp, fax, and I tie Why, there is but
one reason, Mr.. Presid, mt; in the race we
are handica ped han ic pped 10y cheap la
Dor IN Europe and no other reason can be
gi, Ell. The Quesi II as to whetl er or not
tEey have cleap labor in Europe is
question that must he met and must be
understo Il by men who leg slate on this
snb ect Of Protective tarih. or revenue re-
form, or Whate er they call it. | know
that Free Traders say there is little diff
ference between here and there. | know
they say that when you take the cost or
living into consideration there is no prac-
teal ii .or nee; that is the usual state
ment, "a though the cost of living had
anything to do with it Il is the manner
OF living that tells the story.
ITALY
Now, let me give you few illustrations
Of what i saw. and they will be facts,
not ancies ! viii start with Italy. /
went into cotton factory. Tie agent of
this co ton mill happened to be Germ an
who could talk in-lish enough for me 10
understand inquired about his opera
tive'. He said they were first ass work
men; good p ope; they did not under
stand machine y very well. but they were
said 4: What e the average wages
you pay in your cotton mill here in
Naples Nv ell, said he, -, paw OH
the average about - a week. Well,
that was the Old cry. and didn't believe
ii. I'D /: viii you be kind enough to
tell me how you make your average"
''Yes, said he: - have to put about
two skillf men in each room, because
italians do not know m CHI about ma
chnery, and these men are fng'i hmen'
am obliged to pay them a little be ter
tn English wag In order to get them,
and pay them about 81 or IS a week. "
"Wel' said ! what do yu pay the
rest?' II pay my women from Is to IS
and 20 cents a day, and my men from 35
to ~ cents a day" i hat is the way he
got his average Vow, out Of the hun
dreds Of people emp Dyed, there was not
a score of men there work nc for : or :
a week. not a score. : nd that is true
in England. in Scotland. in reland, in
ermany, and everywhere else where yoI
undertake to in out the wages They
will speak up and say. I'VE pay from s.
a week up to Il ~ And you get TO the
botto of il and you will find that they
have two men at SlJ a week, and
eco at So week. So that the great
bulk, the 0 out OF a hundred at work in
a day for four out Of five in the mill were
women. How will that be for competit
ION when Italy gets 100 mills or 2oOmils!
went whore they were manufacturing
the granite and marble VIII CHI lad been
quarried. | found that q e average rates
of wages OF men was ron 40 To 80 cents
per day, tie most skilled letting 80 cents;
and tt az they regard a. a Aigh price. We
pay four dollars day here for the same
man. ] aske my driver what he got and
he said he got 20 cents a day and the
little nips STRANGERS give him. | went
out with him great many times and he
always carried his dinner with him.
Here is a Free Traders cheap living.
asked him three times to show Inc his
dinner, and he showed it to me. and
every time it was maccaroni and grease.
''But he was happy, was he not sa s
the free Trader. The happiest man /
ever saw in my life. But do YOU want
your labOring men and women 10 live on
maccaroni and grease and be happy
| went up 10 ell ce and went into the
20 eminent lace factCry there. | found
man in charge who cou d talk English.
He showed me first the wo k, and it was
superlatively magnificent laces from s.
10 500 yard. 1 tLen went into the
work shop. There were perhaps 200 or
100 women and CIR 5 at work. l spent
two or three hours III looking through the
concern ! finally settled upon one
woman who was doing remarkable work.
she was apparently about 20 years Of age.
but did not turn quito be, thin over 90.
She was working at piece of thread lace.
My recollection Is that she was using 200
bobbins at time. She would move them
with such swiftness that | COLD hardly
see IN m when hey moved. said |: "Mr.
Blank, that woman is very expert.
Said he: 'She is the most expert woman
in this factory: that woman las worked
here 40 years. Well, | remembered it.
| then went into his Office, and said |:
''Will you be kind enough to show me
your pay-roll?'' said he. IL will, with
pleasure: i have nothing to conceal. He
showed me his payroll ''Now," said J,
point me out the name of the woman whom
| Jaw working there, who had worked
there 40 years. He pointed it out.
IIDxx do tha