Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-11-06
FOREIGN WAGES.
How Would California workrnen Like
such Wages Here?
rL'ror, tho C,I,5r.,c,, T--;j,,ra.1


such Wages Here?
From the Chicago Tribune.l
The recent reports Of the United States
Consuls at Breslau and Brunswick, Ger
many, give some interesting figures in the
form Of wages paid TO laoorers in that
country. The former reports that agri-
cultural laborers, working an average of
twelve hours per day, receive from Sl9 to
S23 50 per year, besides certain amount
of farm produce-about thirty bushels of
rice, peas and barley. The laborer's wife
is bound to work IN the field whenever re-
quired, and receives for a days work in
summer the munificent sum of from IL to
II cents and In winter of from 10 to u
cents. Miners and mine laborers receive
52s cents daily, and women who may do
this kind of work from 12a to Is cents.
The Brunswick Consul, writing Cf agricult-
ural labor in that Duchy, says:
In the level country the wages of a
man and wife aggregate SI94 20 per
annum, while in the mountainous districts
man and his wife, assisted by child,
earn but $lS4 50. In the district of
Wolfenbuttel the laborer receives a cash
wage entirely at 35 cents per day, summer
and winter, working time 5 to ii A. M.
and l to s P. NJ. Women are paid 10
cents for the same time. A man will earn
| from 59@ to Il cents per diem moving,
and a woman from 20 to 35 cents for gath
ering behind the scythe. Men and women
both earn from 80 to AZ cents per day hoe
| ing and from A to SO gathering beets"
This is the condition of things among
foreign laborers, and it is about as mis-
! cradle as can be imagined. These same
laborers come TO this country to better
their condition. They find work at six or
eight times the wages paid them abroad,
and it is needless to say they live six or
eight times as well, or can if they are
so disposed. After having bettered
their condition, there are certain
number of theIn-Socialists, so called
| who at once combine to bring about
strikes, demand extortionate terms of their
employers without reference to the pros
| perity or profits of business, and league
| themselves in hostility to business inter
ests. If their demands are refused, then
! they join societies whose object is to break
down all business ruin all labor, destroy
property, menace the peace and good order
of society, and defy the laws. They tramp
the streets with red flags and cheer dema-
gogueS who advise them 10 rob and burn
buildings and hang capitahsts-every man
being considered capitalist by them who
persists in working, saving his wages. own
ing his home, and asiuirirg 4 little prop
erty. They demand that everything shall
be divided up in common, SO that they may
live without work.
This is the return too many foreign la
orers make to the country, which has bet
tered their condition, which pays them six
or eight times the wages they received at
home, and makes it possible for every one
Of them by ordinary thrift and economy
and abstinence from the vices of the
saloons to lay up money and procure homes
for themselves. Is there any term sufIi-
GENTLY strong for such ingratitude, and
does it not show that they are determined
not to be satisfied with anything until
the State pensions them so that they can
live in idleness? If they are not satisfied
here, however, would it not be more con-
sistent for them to go back to the country
from which they came, where by twelve
hours work day they can scratch to-
gether $50 or S25 year and a few Bushels
of peas and rice, and if their wives are
able-bodied they can earn the munifcent
sum of II cents day.