The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-10-28
WAGES IN GERMANY.
Interesting Facts Concerning the Earnings
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of Tradesmen.
Some of the pOpulist speakers have
declared that the only real issue be-
tween the great parties is that OF la Dor.
They even attempt to pose as the special
advocates of labor, especially organized
labor. Their sincerity may be ques-
toned. for under no circumstances havs
they ever been known to favor organ
lied farm labor, the poorest paid, the
year round, in this country. None of
them pretend that foreign labor is
as well paid as is paid in the
United States, but they do advo-
cate a system of commercial re-
lations with other countries that
would reduce labor to the same level as
at present found in those countries.
That is, they advocate that System here
in Kansas, though they have been lib
eral enough to advocate protection to a
certain degree in some of the southern
states which 90 not depend upon agri-
culture While we know that many
Germans, who comprise a large part of
our best citizenship, came to this coun-
try to better their condition, the wages
paid there are not of general knowl-
edge.
Consul Warner at Cologne has fur
nished the state department valuable
statistics relative to wages in Germany.
These statistics were collected by the
various trades unions at the request of
the bureau of state attorneyship and
embrace replies from 9O6 cities and 924
unions. Wages have increased in only
seven cities, declined in 229 and re-
manned stationary in go. In ZIG cities
want of employment existed for long
er or shorter period. Machine indus
tries, representing 400 local unions
with 10000 members, show that there
were only two places in which wages
have risen; in seventytwO they have
declined and in 232 they remained sta
tionary. Food products at the same
time have been dearer Only 211 places
out of 500 cities showed full employ
ment, while in thirty places almost
complete stoppage in work existed.
A Berlin machine worker writes; "A
family of five persons requires per week
for food articles, 1851: for house rent;
S1.32; contribution to sick and invalid
fund, 10 cents; taxes, II cents; newspa-
pers, etc, s cents, and for clothing, 50
cents, a total of S6.49 per week, or
S33S 16 per year. This reckoning is
from the mark at the rate of mark
4.15 to the dollar. by continued work
such a workman earns during the year
$4,000
A Berlin bricklayer writes: "A brick
layer or carpenter earns per year, less
the frost and rain days, 1858. Such
family of seven persons needs yearly
for food articles, 5000. 4S; for rent. S64 60;
taxes and contributions, S11.S0; cloth
ing, etc, $40, or a total of 1925. SO. This
deficiency must be made up from what
the wife can earn by sewing, etc"
A bricklayer in Erlanger writes:
my family consists of myself, wife
and five children. In 1891 | earned as
first workman in a stone quarry 1892. SO
a year. Ordinary workmen earn from
$50. ~ to S1S7.95 year. Cost of living
for the year was as follows: Food
articles, s23S.3 81; clothing, s56. IS; fires,
s11 so: shoes, $40. 80; beer, S2795; rent,
s2s o.; total, S393.25. My wife and chill
dren had to work to make up the de-
ficiency, $500 - year"
In the eastern and western part of
Germany, as well as in the northern
and southern parts, the workman alone
cannot earn sufficient to support his
family. 1t can be reckoned as requir-
ing on an average for a family of four
persons s.. 81 for food articles per week,
and from 50. 81 to 1885 per month for
rent for tolerably good house. This
makes for food articles and for house
rent minimum of $21G.sG. and the
earnings can be taken at maximum of
1852. 65.
In Essen a machine worker writes:
"a family of four persons earns yearly
s27OGO, and expends for house rent,
$50 -; for food articles, s192.77; cloth
ing, SIS. 10; taxes, $3.50; insurance and
contributions, s1s.s9; showing a de-
foiapeyr nf cox IN -