The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-10-09

L,fe OF shs IAboring and Middle Glasses tn
Austria

Austria
limited States ConsulGeneral Gold
schmidt, of Vienna, sends to the State
Department very dark picture Of the
life of the laboring and middle classes
of people In Austria. It ~ picture
which will be totally unfamiliar to the
people of this country, even the poorest
of them. The people are harassed by
burdensome taxation. high prices OF food
and low wages.
In reference to taxes the ConsulGen-
eral writes:
TAXES IN AUSTRIA.
The interval taxes of Austria are di-
yidcd into direct and indirect taxes Inc
direct taxes are levied on the proceeds
or profits of real property and other I'M
movable property and income. Inc indl
rect taxes are levied in the form ana
under the name of consumption tax,
which is collected ut the city hinlts on
entering the city. The list OF articles III
cludes all provisions and beverages An
other indirect tax is imposed upon beet
sugar. petroleum and distilled spirits,
and collected at the place OF manuIac-
ture. according 10 the capacity or the
concern. There is n stamp tax on every
document imaginable, from the simple, re-
ceint to the written decision of the Judge.
Tbere is also n tax on titles and decora-
tons, on appointments, on donations anu
legacies. on State lottery BONDS. cnannoeIs
of commerce and registry OF business
firms. The burden of taxation imposed
mon tho business men of limited means
and income is about 50 per cent. OF the
estimated net income, and consists OF
school. water, license, income, employees
and sundry small taxes. The house class
tax upon its rental value Is LEVIED ac
cording to the number of inhabitants ana
dweIling-rooms. without reference 70 the
cost of the building, and. of course, favors
the rich man. The house rent tax paiu
by the small merchant is 80 per cent,
and the rents in Vienna or the iiIuuie
classes are unreasonably high. Addeu 10
this are the indirect taxes on the ne x
saries of life in meat, bread, eapuiea'
5anr and vine. oats. hay, straw, &c.
AS an inevitable consequence .Ienha -
to-day one of the most expensive ciees
ON the continent of Europe. mechanic,
a cIcrk or a public fundlonary rarely
sees q roast on his taoie. o. oom.
The houses of the people cannot CON-
oro Win those in the United States:
Tbero is little house life; the majority OF
the nopulation manage to make a supper
ont of q glass of beer ana slice VI
bread and sausage at the restaurants
and public gardens, because more .nan
one substantial meal at tileir o MI ho r,aH
is nuite beyond their means. ] ne smdh
shopkecpers and the laborlng class gen
orally in this city are in a deploraDle
state in spite of the earnest ana praise.
worthy effort TO better the condition or
the working classes TO an appreciate de-
gree.
Wages IN AUSTRIA.
The denlorable state of the working
classes even if they could obtain steady
work. will be demonstrated by the follow
ing list of wages paid by the most proInl-
nent industrial branches III North DO
hernia. which is one of the greatest seats
of industry in Austria-Hungary. 1he
figures are taken from Nordbohmlsehe
Arbeiter Statistik (North Bohemia Labor
Statistcs). a work compiled and pub
lshed in 1891 by the chamber of trade
and commerce at Relchehberg.
The wages per week of seven days
average as follows: Men, women and
Young people over fifteen years old, $1.S6;
males fmen and young people,, S2.3f;
men. $40; females (women and young
women, Sl,45; women. SLID.
THE LABOR QUESTION IN AUSTRIA.
Just now the number of unemployed in
Austria is great. They are impatienuy
waiting for the construction Of railways
and public works connected with the new
city improvements, whereby number
of outlying suburbs will be connected with
the metropolis. The execution Of this
great undertaking has already been voted
by the municipal council and the provin-
cial diet of lower Austria. and now only
awaits the decision of the Reichsrath.
The disappointment of the host of unem-
ploycd labOrers when they heard that the
Government contemplated the adjourn
ment of the project in question can be
more easily imagined than described. The
reason given is that more time was neces-
sary for the elaboration of the details,
and the unemployed will therefore have
to wait till next autumn.
IL is estimated that over 10000 laborers
in this city are out of work. and many
are clamoring for bread, while the misery
of the small tradespcople is unusually
great. An increase Of emigration from
Austria Hungary 10 the United States is
therefore to be looked for, especially
from the province of Galicia, where the
population suffers from want Of seeding
grain even. and have again applied for
Government aid, and also from some
parts Of Hungary, where people are
equally dependent upon assistance from
the Government to save them from starry
ing.
OF late the social Democrats in Vienna,
in spite of the charity lavished on the
unemployed workingmen by the Weather
classes, have become unruly and irritated.
Many meetings are being held by the diff
ferent associations. At meeting of the
Equality Association one of the spokes-
men claimed that with the distribution
of u mere loaf Of bread the oppressed
classes could not be saved Political
rights must be accorded 10 them, and only
then would they be able to improve their
condition. Their wages must be increased,
their hours of labor diminished and then
there would be no more unemployed; they
claimed justice, and only when it should
be meted out TO them would society en-
ter on a path more worthy Of considera-
ton than that opened to it by momentary
pity. Another said that the social De
moo r9ts intended 10 continue thu struggle
against class domination to the bitter
end. They demand reform of the press
laws. The distribution of bread would
only still the hunger Of the unemployed
for a few days, but could do no perma-
nent good. Something very different
was required. and that could only be
claimed when the freedom of the press
had been obtained.
A great many meetings are constantly
dissolved by the police, and the annual
Convention of the Social Democracy.
which was to take place at Linz next
month, has been prohibited by the Gov
eminent.
n. IL