Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-30

SATURDAY, AUGUST
rise OF wages in Paris was greater than else
where, there was also a very marked ris,
throughout the whole of France. France i,
steadily growing in wealth, while her popu
lation is almost stationary, and the scarcity
4 of labor therefore increases wages. Tht
rise would be still greater were it not thai
there is a constant influx OF Belgians
| Italians and Germans, In spite of every
effort made by the French to eliminate
them, who help to keep down the rate Of
wages. But in spite of immigration, the
| rise in the rate Is constant and considerable
| DRAWBACKS TO PROSPERITY.
| It would consequently be mistake to as.
sumo that the Improvement in the condition
of the working classes is as great as would
seem to follow from the rise in the rate OF
wages. In the first place, the heavy taxa
tion caused by the war has added to the
| prices of most things, and the expiry of the
commercial treaties, by augmenting the du-
ties upon foreign goods, has still further
raised prices. Although, therefore, the con-
dition of the working classes is little bet
ter, perhaps, than it was 80 years ago, it is
not so much better as the rise in the rate OF
wages would seem to imply. Moreover, it
is to be recollected that for series Of years
there have been bad harvests, and that
bread, therefore, is dearer than it otherwise
would be- in consequence of the need of i'm
porting large supplies. And lastly, there
has been very great failure year alter year
OF the wine crop. The contention, then, of
| the optimists is not borne out by the facts.
notwithstanding the support it seems to re-
ceive from the statistics of wages. The fact
| is that there has been during the past quar-
ter of century a certain improvement in
the condition of the working classes; but
the improvement in the standard of living
has been so much greater that working peo-
pie in Paris really feel themselves as poor
| as ever.
The great aspiration of the working
women of Paris is to have little shop,
while her husband ever dreams of making
his fortune by some new invent tion, And,
in fact, his inventiveness is remarkable,
though be too often fails to reap the fruits
of it. This originality of the Partisan
workman. like many other of his good quail
tiles, is inseparable from the soil of Paris
Take the workman away from his native
city, and the languishes and sinks to the Or
dinary level of his class.
LEGIsLATING FOR LABOR.
the condition of the working classes than
all the philanthropists throughout France.
DIR. Chassagne, who on the eve of the last
elections to the Chamber published big
pamphlet on the work accomplished under
the Republic during the preceding 10 years,
has similarly analyzed the public acts of the
Municipal Council of Paris In justice TO
the latter body we may follow him briefly
through some Of his leading facts, which
are intended to show that some genuine re-
forms have been carried out in the interests
of the laborers.
First, as regards their daily employments,
their hours of work have been reduced to
nine hours per diem in all municipal under
takings. This reform has benefited zoo, 900
workmen every year, and covers wide
range OF contracts, amounting on an annual
average to $50, 600, 600. The scale of prices
fixed by employers and employed has also
been compulsorily enforced in municipal
work. It is revised once year, and has
abolished the system of bargaining, which
lowered wages and favored middlemen.
Next, contracts for the maintenance of
municipal buildings in repair have been
given out in direct manner wherever posi-
BILE, to workmen's corporations or associa-
tions, which have even received advances of
money to facilitate their tasks. Again.
workingmen's exhibitions have received
grants, which, in 1889 at the Paris Exposi-
tion, amounted to S1OO, 200. Deputations of
workingmen were also sent to Philadelphia,
Melbourne, Boston, Antwerp, London and
Amsterdam. Money is also voted annually
to private schools, intended to perfect the
artisans knowledge and skill. Higher
lectures for
POPULAR INSTRUCTION
have been created at the Hotel de Vile.
where the first two chairs were entrusted to
eminent professors, MN. Pouchet and Louis
Menard, and devoted respectively to biology
and history. The free Libraries have re-
ceived this year grants amounting to Sc, 400,
and the total number Of municipal libraries
now organized is 60. There was only one
institution of this kind under the Empire.
In order to assist the poor, in view of the
high rents paid in most parts of Paris, the
Municipal Council has established charit-
able fund known as Secure de Loyer, dis
tributed quarterly. It was raised in De
cember last to $l2, 900, ON the motion of M.
Strauss. Small tenants, again, have been
exempted from the personal and movable
tax, which is now paid by only 20, ,249 of the
inhabitants of Paris, 557, lit escaping scot
free. 1t is only in Paris that rents below
$50 are not subjected to taxation, while in
the higher rentals it is progressive.
Several of these measures are condemned
by short-sighted partisans as savering of
soclalistic tendencies. My contention is,
however, that any reasonable step tending
toI the improvement of the workingmen's
lot, and to his advancement in the arts and
crafts, cannot but simultaneously promote
the interests of his employer, and finally
those of the public.