Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1894-05-10
REPUBLICAN MATTERS.
WAGES HERE AND THERE
"keform" Arguments Completely Knock
ed Out by Consular Report.

"heform' Arguments Completely Knock
ed Out by Consular Report
The state department at Washing
ton has recently published consular
report which must make it tired.
Said report is rank heresy, according
20 the gospel of the present ad-
minlstration. 1t knocks the props
clean from under the reform con-
tentfon that the Englishman's low
wages buy as much in free trade
England as the Americans high
wages buy in protected America.
w. Burgess, United States consul
at Tunstall the pottery center of
England, has investigated and finds
the reform" contention to be a
fallacy. 1t is his report that the
state department has just published.
Mr. Burgess compares the purchasing
power of wages at Trenton, n. D.,
and Burslem, England, both pottery
towns.
Tho Trenton potter pays SIS per
month for a SIX or seven room house.
The Burslem potter pays 81 per
month for a house of the same size.
In Trenton, says Mr.. Burgess, the
tenant has "a good cellar under the
entire house. hot and cold water in
his kitchen. and in many cases in
other parts OF the house; closets in
almost every room, gas, and gen.
orally nice little garden; the size
depending on the part of the city.
In Burslem he has. sin many cases
set of brick walls built upon the
surface of the ground. with only a
shallow foundation. Where there is
a cellar it is only a small one under
one room, a cold-water tap. some
times inside and sometimes outside
the l:itchen; no closets, necessitating
the expense of 'dressers,' wardrobes
or movable closets of some sort on
the part of the tenant; sometimes,
but rarely, gas; and if any yard, a
small one entirely paved with brick. I"
In addition to his rent the Burslem
laborer must pay all taxes, church
tithes and water rates and keep the
house in repair.
The English workman is loaded
with stamp eXactions. of which the
American knows nothing, says the
Detroit Tribune. According to Mr..
Burgess, he must place stamp upon
his lease which costs from Ii cents to
50. 50; if he goes into service he must
pay So rs year for license; if his
son wishes to become lawyer he
must pay $500 to be indentured, -. 80
for license to practice and 800 to
be notary public Entrance to other
professions is attended with simil al
eXactions. A marriage license costs
$25. Every check upon the laborer's
small bank account must bear a
stamp costing cents A dog means
So year for a license and gun
81 so. If he keeps a carriage he pays
50. so year for each wheel
Of clothing. especially of the
cheaper grade, Mr.. Burgess declares
that when one takes into consider
alton the quality of the material.
the fit and general finish, one finds
very little difference in the cost as
between the two countries " Furni-
ture is cheaper in Trenton than in
Burslem, including kitchen utensils
and the lower grades of carpets.
In Burslem coal, gas, beer, gela-
tine. onions, vinegar, rice, pepper,
washing soda and fish are cheaper,
while Trenton has the advantage in
-four, beef, mutton, sausage. pork,
butter, eggs. tea, cocoa. lard, bluing,
cornstarch, turnips, tomatoes, APP
pies, oranges, grapes, tobacco and
kerosene.
The report of Mr.. Burgess elimi-
mates from the tariff controversy the
purchase-power feature and destroy S
q stock argument of the performers. "
1t must make the state depart
ment weary to have to print such
stuff.