Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-05

ing, because unnecessary to point the ex
cess of American wages over those prevail
ing in England.
Standing alone, the foregoing facts might
provoke some American admirers of the
English economic policy to observe, that
while wages are lower in England than
America the cost of living il corresponds
ingly less. If this were true, the variance
in the reward of labor in the two countries
would argue neither for nor against the
wisdom of the policy of one country or
the other. Tine true measure OF labor's
compensation for what it produces Is the
comforts or necessities the laborer may al
ford with the money value set upon his la
Dor. 1t follows that true appreciation
of the relative return afforded to English
and American labor, as cited in the wages
paid to each can only be had in connection
with a reliable statement of the cost of
living This must, of course, include the
ruling prices of the principle articles in
the common dletory of the countries con
sidered. Ny American readers are sufl
GENTLY familiar with the prices they pay
for the principal articles OF common con
sumption to render statement OF prices
in the American markets unnecessary. 1t
will, however, be Interesting to consider
the limited measure of difference between
the purchasing power of dollar in Eng
land and a dollar in America, as will be
apparent in the prices that follow, and
which were quoted TO me by London
merchant within tbs present week. The
price OF bacon, varying with the quality,
from II to 81 cents per pound; ham, Ca
madam, the cheapest at II cents and Irish
at % cents; butter, % to 81 cents; eggs,
French, IS cents per dozen cheese Amer
lean, the cheapest from II to 10 cents per
pound; peas, cents per quart: beans, s
cents per quart; rice, 5 10 cents per
pound; barley, 3 cents per pound oat-
meal, 3 cents per pound wheat Hour TO
3 cents per pound sugar, to I cents per
pound, and coffee from "a to 36 cents per
pound. The prices given are for only the
average gra lie in the quality of the artl-
Giles in question any lower prices quoted
i'll the same connection, purportlng to
give the cost III the English market, mus.
contemplate a concession, by the buyer of
quality to cheapness. The prices cited,
considered in their proper relation to the
wages of the English workman, and CON
trasted with the wages and cost of the ar
tlcles the American mechanic or laborer
consumes. furnish the only argument re-
quired in retutation of the oft repeated
sOphistry that the cheapness OF living in
overwhelmingly mythical-places the
English laborer ON par with his compeer
in America.
The devoted American disciple of Eng
llsh me hods is wont only to view the cOnd
lions of the masses, as they appear on the
surface, and knowing that the industrial
classes continue to live, move and have Il
being, he assumes that the conditions OF
their existence are satisfactory. 1t is only
necessary, however, to delVe a little into
the home life of the English laborer OF al
tlsan to discover that there is a deplorable
lack of the essentials of comfort, health
and happiness. His home, be the size of
the family what 1t may-untll the children
have come to years of Manifestations
exceeds three rooms, and far the greater
number have but two rooms, while the
less fortunate are limited to but one. The
apartment or apartments, as may be, are
usually but plainly furnished, and are en-
urely wanting In many of the convenience
es and comforts that have becoms com
monplace in the home of the American
mechanic. The two room dOmicile is pro-
vided at cost of shilliugs to Z shillings
pence or the equivalent of 81. "A to 81 is
per week, while the occupant OF the more
pretentlous three room establishment is
subject to a rental of shillngs to 10 shil
lings pence, or 81 l6 to S252 per week.
But even the frugallty represented in the
restricted size of the home does not tell
the whole story of economy enforced by
the limited income of the head of the
h usehold. The clothing--cheap as the
pest Is boosted to be-must be of the plain
est, and cannot be replenished oftener
than absolute necessity demands. Nor is
this all, for the most vital phase of econo-
my compelled by existing conditions is
found i'll the plainness, not to say the in
adequacy of the food consumed by the
English mechanic and his family. Meat is
eaten as a luxury and not as Il daily essen
tlal, as in America. Its omission from the
English workmau's daily dietary is due, |
not to his lack of fondness tor 1t, but to
his want of the wherewthal to purchase
1t, and that he would readily append it to
his every day bill of fare, if his income
would afford 1t, might be inferred from
CarlyleS laudatory comment on the sub
1ect in question. He is credited with hay
ing SAID, when speaking to Emerson OF
America: The best thing know of that
country Is, that III 1t a man can have meat
Tor his labor" 1t is an easy step to the
conclusion that the conditions which pro-
woke the compliments of foreigners, ana
are an equal source of satisfaction TO
Americans, are worthy to be perpetuated
by way OF conclusion, | doubt If | can
icans VINO would ape the English to look
before they leap" than by submitting
paragraph from recelt issue of the Lon.
don morning Post. "That sense of hui
NOR, " says the Post, Unjust be remaIkab-
y deficient in some of our free trade econ
omlsts, or they would see in the figures
which are gwen in reports singular com
mentary on some of the dearest assump-
tons of Mr. Golden and his followers.
facts, however, do not appear to count
with many OF these doctrinaires, or the re-
marKaoie manner in which the industrial
progress of the United States controverts
their economic view would lead them to
gravely question the advantages to be de-
rived from the one sided policy to which
lhls country stands committed"
w. /. DAvENNY.
Races at the Dog Kiyer Fair.
At the Dog River fair at Northiield Fri |
,l..,.