St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-08-29
WAGES AND IMMIGRATION.


In response to numerous inquiries.
the department of state has COM
piled from various sources a table of
wages paid in the various handi-
crafts in the several countries of
Europe, and tabulates them in the
September issue of reports. with a
column giving the wages in the same
trades in this country as compiled
from the report of the special SEN
ate committee in the second session
of the Fifty-second congress. 1t
gathers the data relative to wages
abroad from it's own consular re-
ports as well as from those of for
eign consuls to their governments.
Every investigator of this subject
knows with what grains of allowance
all these averages must be taken,
because so many other factors en-
ter into the rate paid for labor, the
variations in capacity are so great,
the costrof living varies so, and the
money values in which the wages are
expressed are so diverse, that only
an approximation can be had.
But accepting the table as approx
imating the actual rates paid in the
various countries, one is able to bet
ter understand one cause of the
great currents of migration flowing
out of Europe, carrying a varying
proportion, but one related to the
wage rate, of their people to other and
more favored countries. One sees
here the operation of the same laws
that impel the movements of water
and air towards centers Of depression
until an equilibrium is either perma-
nently or temporarily restored. Man
gravitates to the center where re-
Enumeration for labor is highest, just
as water flows to the place where de-
preston is greatest. The high wage
country is the area of low barometer
towards which the currents of mi
grafton flow, and this process must
inevitably go on until, by the result
ing elevation of wages in the one
place caused by the withdrawal, and
the depression in the other caused
by the supply, a universal equilib-
rum is attained. The process is nee
essariiy a slow one, and the move
ment is by no means a general one;
many things, such as poverty, do
| mestic ties, mental stolidity and 9TH
er causes, operating to prevent peo-
pie from making the change of loca-
ton induced by the prospect Of bet
ter conditions elsewhere. 1t is the
energetic and more thrifty ones that
avail themselves of the opportunity
to enjoy the higher wage rate ruling
in other countries.
Taking the entire list of handi-
crafts given in the table, and scan
ming the wage rates given in the va
rious countries, the latter range
themselves readily in the following
order of high to low wages: United
States, Australasia IN. S. Wales, Vic
| toria, New Zealand), Canada ION
| tario), the United Kingdom ENGLAND.
| Ireland and Scotland), Denmark,
France, Switzerland, Holland, Bel
| GUM, Germany, Italy and Spain.
! Brazil being on a silver and paper
basis, the average rate as stated in
paper currency would, stated in gold,
| reduce the wage rate to about the
same as Italy. The conclusion that
one would draw, on the general prin-
| ciples of human action, from these
conditions is confirmed when one
turns to the movements of migration.
| One would expect to see these set
ting strongly towards the United
States, Australia and Canada, and
in strongest volume away from the
countries where the lowest wage rate
| prevails. 1t is to these countries
and in these proportions that the mi
grafton goes. Naturally, with the
highest wage rate, the strongest tide
is towards the United States, and in
greatest volume from the low rate
countries. Precision is, of course
impossible. There are side and coun.