The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-10-26
thrifty workman is generally better OF
than the workman who drinks OF

than the workman who drinks a
wastes his money.
But why is he better of? He is bet
ter on because, being steady man, h,
can often get work when an unstead,
man cannot. He is better of because
he buys things that add to his comfort
or he saves money, and so grows more
independent And he is able to save
| money and make his home more cosy
because, while he is more regularly EN-.
ployed than the unsteady men, his
! wages remain the same, or, perhaps, are
something higher than theirs.
That is to say, he benefits by his own
steadlness and thrift because his steadi-
ness makes him more reliable. and
therefore more valuable, workman
than one who is not steady.
But, you see he is only more valuable
because other men are less steady. IF
all the other workmen were as steady
as ne Is he would be no more valuable
than they are. Not being more valu
able than they are, he would not be
more certain of getting work.
That is to say, if all the workers were
sober and thrifty, they would all be of
equal value to the employer.
But you say they would still be better
or than If they drank and wasted their
wages. They would have better health
ana they would have happier lives and
more comfortable homes.
Yes, SO long as their wages were as
high as before. But their wages would
not be as high as before
You must know that as things now
are, where all the WORK is in the gift Of
private employers, and where wages and
prices are ruled by competition and
"nere new Inventions of machinery are
continually throwing men out of work
and where farm laborers are ALWAYS
drifting to the towns, there are more
men In need of work than work can be
found for.
therefore, there is always a large
numbers Of workers out of work
oOAupollllOL, Wnere two
men offer themselves for one place. Won
know that the place will be given to the
man who will take the lower wage
. And you know that the thrifty and
ee''er man can 1--we on less than the
tbr'filess man.
ana you know that where two or
more employers are Offering their goods
against each other for sale in the onon
market, the one who sells his goods
'ne cheapest will get the trade. And
you know that in order to sell their
goods at cheaper rate than other deal
ers' the employers will try to get their
goods at the cheapest rate possible
And you know that with most goods
the chief cost is the cost of the labor
used In the making-that is to saw the
wages of the workers.
Very well, you have more workers
than are needed, SO that there is COM
petition amongst those workers as IN
who shall be employed.
And those will be employed who are
the cheapest
ana those who can live upon least
can afford to work for least.
And all the workers being sober and
thrifty, they can all live on less than
when many of them were wasteful and
fond of drink.
Ihen' on the other hand, all the en-
ployers are competing for the trade. and
SO are all wanting cheap labor: and SO
are eager to lower wages.
Therefore, wages will come down
and the general thrift and steadiness Of
the workers will make them poorer.
rake now as an example the case Of |
the cotton trade. The masters tell Won
that they find it hard to compete apa,ns+
Indian factories, and they say if Lanca-
shlre wants to keep the trade the Lam
cashlre workers must accept the condi-
tions of the Indian workers.
The Indian workers live chiefly an
rice and water and work longer hours
than 90 the English workers.
And don't you see that if the Ianca-
shire workers would live upon rice and
water. the masters would soon have
their wages down to the rice and water
point?
And then the Indians would have tn
I've on less or work still longer hours.
IND SO the game would go. on.
10 return to the question of temner-
ance and thrift. You see, | hone. that
I all the people were sober and thrifty
hey would be really worse off than
hey now are. This is because the
workers. must have work, must ask en-
'loyers to give them work, and must
SIX employers who, being in competf-
ion with each other, are always irving
get the work done at the lowest price.
ana the lowest price is always the !
rice which the bulk of the workers are
ontent to live upon.
: N my second letter to the bishop of
manchester explained this to his lord
nip. l have also dealt with the same
uestion in "Merrie England" and
mink II you read the two chapters xx
nd XXI. on Industry" and Environ
1ent"f in "Merrie England" you will
no this question grow still clearer. .
thn h&~h |