The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-05-02


New York Tribune in its investigations
has found that there is very crafty
ing increase. The wages paid to all
hands, men, women and children In all
branches Of the woollen manufacture
averaged 1898 annually in 1850 and
S347 in 1890, gain of is per cent. This
Is an Unexpectedly large increase pos
sibly due in part to the reduction OF
thousand In number OF children in the
mills of Massachusetts,, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New York and Pennsyl-
vania, where three-quarters OF the
whole number OF hands are employed.
As counterpoiseit should DO observed
that the increase In number Of female
hands was greater than in males,
which would tend to lower the aver
age Of wages for the later period
Reckoning according to quantity Of
secured wool consumed, the increase
in all branches was 25 per cent ,includ-
ing greater efficiency of labor per
hand at the later period.
The wages paid in all branches per
pound OF secured wool consumed av-
oraged 275 cents in 1879 and 1880, but
had risen to 95.7 cents in 1889 and 1880,
an advance OF so per cent. Tho guam.
tity Of cotton consumed in the manu-
facture of hosiery and knit goods
gained about 60 per cent, while the
consumption OF wool in the same
branch gained $50 per cent. In the
manufacture Of wooden and worsted
fabrics the consumption Of wool In
creased from 2SS 674,2s1 pounds to
2S3, o49,3lS, or about IS per cent, but
the wages paid to hands In those
branches increased almost exactly 40
per cent, again indicating higher eff
. fciency as well as large advance in
rate OF wages. In these the great bran
ches of the industry the average rate
OF wages was s299 annually In 1850 but
had Iisen to 1857 annually in 1890. u
gain OF 22,7 per cent, ....... ...
Because OF the marked change in
prices, which were unusually high in
1879 and 1880, the statements OF value
OF wool, cost of other materials and
value OF products, have little impor.
lance. The main fact is that this in
dustry, oven comparing the worst re-
cent year with its best ten years ago,
shows a noteworthy progress in
wages paid and in wool consumed.
Yet In the face of all this we are CON
fronted with the everlasting din of the
free-trader that wages under the Nc
Kinley tarill are decreasing.
American and French Workingmen
NJ. Paul Deschnnel,a member of the
French Chamber of Deputies who was
sent to this country few months ago
by the French Government to investl-
gate the labor question in the United
States, has been giving opinions in an
interview OF the difference in the con.
ditlon OF the workinguen in the
two countries. What no has to say
upon this subject is interesting as
showing the need there Is OF maintain
,S4ng the policy that has saved Ameri-
Gan wage-workers from competition
with the undergrad labor OF Europe
sThe !meriean classes he says, arc
Tar better paid better fed, better
clothed, better taught, and happier
than those OF france. and still more
SO than those OF other countries OF
Europe.
1t is almost disceuragiGg to me 10
have to go back to my country AM
paint a picture in my report whlct
shows such aeyntrast bctween In
condition Of things In America and il
France. Why, tile perfection of labol
organizations here Is vents, / may SAY
dozens OF years, In advance of any
thing which has boon dreamed OF il
France" ..
Being asked Il he thought 1t woul,
be possible to elevate French labor t,
the American standard, NJ. DeseAan4e
answered:
81 an afraid the tir1e IS a long WI,
of whom we shall see slch sy-teu D
labor organization iiourishjus III
France as you haze established here
The trouble ID the French laboru.
classes are toe poor to undertake I,
carry out such complicated system
1may go back and ten tteu OF all tlj
wonderful things ] have coon tina
their tellOS-worimen IN America Lav,
accomplished AMI they witt reply.
That is ali very we'll, Int how do you
expect US to do anything Ike tia
here In Franco > Who're arc we gOInl