Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-30
THE LABOR QUESTION IN PARIS.

The sketch OF the condition of the Paris
workman, given in special letter In this
issue, from NJ. Jules JOffrin. one of the
Socialist deputies, is very interesting one.
It contains several points which ought to
suggest important reflections to all who are
interested in the labor question in any part
of the world.
One Of these points is the fact demon
strated in Paris, that although the wages of
the Paris workman have risen largely in
the past fifteen or twenty years, the advance
cost of living. M. Joffrin is right in saying
than an increase in the price paid for man
ual labor is no safe criterion of the pros
perity of the working classes" 1t is what
the wages will effect for the workingman;
the comforts of living that they will obtain
for him; and the consideration in society
that he can secure by his work, that de-
termines whether the laborer is well or poorly
paid. The specious plea by which trusts
are supported on the ground that some of
them give slight increase in wages to their
workingmen, while raising the cost of lie
laboring classes, is fully exposed by this
fact.
The influence which female labor has had
on the social and political position of
French women is rather peculiar to the
French. There is something akin to it in
the improved position of women In this
country who are able to enter into the pro-
fessions, and take rank in work requiring
mental labor; but it would surprise Amer
leans to learn that women who work in the
industries that are open to them by the
mass, are more influential than if they were
solely occupied as mothers and housewives.
Indeed, the general opinion is SO far to the
contrary on this side of the ocean that most
people seek for a remedy for the surplus of
poorly paid female labor in the direction of
increasing their employment in the domestic
circles.
A very valuable suggestion is conveyed
in the statement that the municipality of
Paris has aided the workingmen, by giving
out contracts to workingmen's associations
and corporations, and even advancing
money where necessary to make that
success. We believe that this practice con-
tains the germ of the solution of many
of the labor problems. The great
cause Of troble in most labor questions is
the distinct division between the laboring
classes and those who employ them. If the
laborers were largely their own contractors,
&la& -seia he 20
lessened. Moreover there is decided
question whether there would not be dis
tinct economic gain in this method.
OF course such plan would not be prac-
ticable in all industries; but there are many
in which investigation might show it to be
not only possible but advantageous. In
building, for example, contractor will
take the job and distribute the various
classes of work among sub-contractors, each
of whom furnishes the workingmen, for
each species of work. 1t might be salutary
to inquire whether tine profits that the
various contractors and sub-contractors
must have do not materially increase the
cost of building, and whether if associations
VI OVuAu bS SuPAoyc0 W soAS
contracts for work, of such sort, they might
not at once lessen the cost of building and
secure themselves better wages. If an as
sociation of common laborers were formed to
take jobs of excavation, they would be
likely to work with better will than when
they are paid by the day, no matter
whether the work goes well or not.
One of the vital economic questions of the
day is whether the middle man is not given
by custom an excessive profit. As long as
the middle man does his work more cheaply
than any ono else does it, the presumption
is on his side. But the example of Paris
shows that an experiment is being made
there which suggests the possibility of
bringing the workingmen into direct con-
tact with tine consumer, in certain important
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