The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-06

has been complied from a great number or
figures gathered in different mills OF both
sections. and represents a fair average
for each district. though. of course. there
are slight variations from this list In al
most every mill:
Comparative Table of Wages.
South. North.
Weavers go % 10 !.
Sisshers 49, .-.... s0 -
Drawing frames 5 ~ -
Card strippers -. 5 % to 5 % s 90 to .
Dofrers, baekboys % TO 2 % 90
From this table 1t will be seen that the
wages Of Northern operatives are about
3 per cent. higher than those of the
Southerners In the North mule spinners.
who are the best paid aud most skilled
operatives. receive about s15 per week.
The figures for this branch OF the work
are not given for the South. for the rea-
son that very little yarn is spun on mules
there. They are used only on the finer
grades of work. of which little IS turned
out in the South as yet.
Comparative Cost of Living.
OF course the comparative statistics of
wages give no indication Of the relative
prosperity OF the workers. unless they are
taken in connection with the cost of ly-
ing in the two sections. Il Will be seen
from the following table that, when the
weekly cost of living is taken into account.
the Southern operative is relatively as
prosperous on his smaller wages as is the
Northern workman with his higher pay.
The figures are computed for an ordinary
family:
South North.
Rent ...... ......................I 90 s. 80
Food ~ ...35 50 90
u
This takes into account only the hare
necessities. the cost OF clothing being
practically the same in both sections.
When one goes beyond these items the sit
uations in different families varies SO
much that comparison is impossible. In
general ii may be said that the addition
al requirements of the Northern operative
are greater than those of the Southerner.
The table is OF value chiefly as showing
that, If it comes to pinch. the Southern
mill hand can submit 10 reduction OF
wages as well as the Northerner.
Are New England Hands More Skill
ful:
It is the claim of the New England labor
leaders that the New England hands are
more skilled and more productive than the
Southern workmen, and hence that they
should receive higher wages. As has been
said. this is probably true of mule spin
ming but mule spinning is not practiced
10 any great extent in the South, and is
not under discussion here. In other
branches of the work this skilled labor"
argument is fallible. as it has proved fall
lible in many other trades. This fact is
shown by the history of the New England
towns themselves. At first the operatives
were all native Americans and English.
Then came the French Canadians. They
were denounced by the workmen already
in the field. and for many years were
contemptuousiy referred 10 as 1.-The Chi
nese OF New England But they stuck
TO their tasks doing their work satisfac-
torily. and accepting the pay that was
offered them without grumhling To-day
they are employed in every branch of the
cotton spinning industry. and are looked
upon as a very satisfactory class Of
workmen.
When the whaling industry of New Bed
ford declined and the town turned its at
tention to cotton spinning. the Portuguese,
who had drifted to the place from the
Western islands, sought employment in
the mills 1t was sort of work 10 which
they were unaccustomed and they Were
looked uron as unskilled laborers They
still fill the poorly paid positions, but they
are able TO accomplish such work as is
given them in way that satisfies the
managers.
Mil Work Easily Learned.
The truth Is that most OF the work car
red on in Gotten mill does not require
a high order of intelligence or skill. Aside
from mule spinning almost any process
can be learned by an ordinary laborer in
two weeks. So that the skilled labor ar
gument of the labor leaders is not so
strong.
Nevertheless. the operatives are not to
be condemned for fighting against a re-
duction of their wages. Their pay Is al
ready relatively lower than that of the
Southern workman, and there is force IN
their argument that If they permit the in-
dustry to become adjusted to a lower
scale Of pay, it will become impossible 10
restore the old rate even when the general
conditions of the trade improves What
ever the outcome of the present strike, un-
less the owners voluntarily restore the old
scale of wages, il is likely that the ap-
preach Of summer viii see a general strike
among the cotton workers Of New Eng
land. when the question of a reduction Of
pay viii be fought TO finish.
The whole case, as 1t now stands sim
ply goes To show 'h8t In the pr ~ elton
of cheap cotton goods both the mViufac-
turers and the woFkmen OF the South have
the best OF the situation.