The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1890-09-19
PAY OF LONDON POLICEMEN.
Interesting Facts Regarding the London
'sPeeIer'' and the New York sCOp.'


Interesting Facts Regarding the London
''Peeler'' and the New York "Cop.'
A noticeable feature of the Free trade
propagandism now actively being con-
Quoted throughout the United States is
the reckless manner in which preposter
ously absurd statements are made by
those whose eagerness to convince the
people that Protection is an unmitigated
evil overbalances the natural reluctance
which men usually have to being placed
on record as authority for statements
which have no foundation in fact. The
most frequently recurring absurdity is
perhaps the one which maintains that
although nominal wages in this country
is higher than in England, yet the real
wages of labor is not, owing to the
greater efficiency of American workmen
Again and again Protectionists have an
swered by pointing to the difference in
| the rates for field work, where equal
amounts of labor in the two countries
receives widely differing rewards.
| The facts brought out by the late
strike of the English police have given a
new glimpse at another phase of the
question, viz, the joy of English police
Their wretched condition, when COM
pared with that of American policemen,
affords an illustration of the great diff
ference between the British and Ameri-
can standards Of wages-i g., the pay
given for similar and equivalent services
in both countries. Below are extracts
taken from The New York Times, pa
per always anxious to hide or extenuate
the damning facts of the deplorable con-
dition of labor in Free-trade England,
for it appreciates their force as irrefuta-
BILE arguments against its own Free
trade doctrines.
The Times correspondent in speaking
of the London police says:
'The policeman there resembles the
New York officer in little beyond his au-
thority and the wearing of uniform and
insignia. In respect of discipline, esprit
de corps, chance of promotion, pay and
public respect, the 'peeler' is the in
ferior of the cop and no parallel can
be established between them.
''The London policemen were i'll paid,
and finding no other method of remon-
STRANGE or coercion they struck like so
many trades unionists. The justice of
their cause appears incontestable. There
are five grades of constables, and the
pay is from PA to $32 month, or a
mean of $2S a month.
"Few American visitors to London have
failed to notice how alert is the bobby,
not only in the pursuit of the 'nimble
sixpence, butthe plebeian penny as well.
London officers will do many services
that a New York policeman would scorn
to perform, such as holding horses and
parcels, running of errands and making
purchases.
"The most common illustration of how
the London policemen exc out living
is to be had at the popular street cross.
ings. It is odd to New Yorker to see
women, and often men, on nearing one
hunt for a small coin, generally penny
and give it to the officer after he has
acted as pilot among the vehicles and
through the slush."
The same writer describes the lot OF
the New York policeman thus:
"Once in the third grade, at salary O!
81 900 per annum, the policeman knows
that the future has the following chances
and advantages for him:
''First-Second grade at 81 100 per an
mum.
''Second-First grade at 81 200 per an
mum.
''Third-Promotion to roundsman, ser
geant captain, inspector and superin
tendent.
''The London policeman has no such
advantages Every New York superin
tendent except Messrs. Kennedy and
Martsell rose from the ranks to salary
of $500 month. The pensions of the
London police are sure, but ridiculously
small. The highest is for continuou:
service of twenty-eight years, and is two
thirds of the pay. This for first elias:
constable would amount to less thar
$3.50 week"
The above is recommended to the care
full consideration of e-traders of every
shade and stripe, for we submit that il
this case at least no mo difying consider
ations as to different degrees of efficiency
can be adduced to explain away the mis-
cradle remuneration of labor which i!
customary in the only country where
Free-trade has had an opportunity tx
work tO IFS 1ooica1 resIllts