Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-04-28

for Improvement made by the men are
WELCOMED n rewarded by employers,
tho foundries are listed as doubtful in
this connection. Engineers, boilermak-
lers, papermakers. bockbinders and
photographers attend to the same num-
Der of machines in England as in
America. In all other factory trades
Americans have the advantage in this
respect, and n attendant looks after
more machines. The commission rates
the sobriety of the American workman
higher and denies that gambling is in
dulged in by the American to the same
extent as by the British. To the ques-
ton, rs the American workman thrown
out of work at an early age?" the an?
out of work at an early age?" the an
swer is affirmative in the cases of cot
ton spinners, weavers, leather workers.
bricllayers, plasterers and carpenters.
The average wage in America is high
err in every trade. Iron foundries pay
100 per cent moreaawages here than
there. Engineers receive 20 per cent
more. shipbuilders 100 per cent, as do
the Sheffield trades and the bookbind-
ers. Bricklayers' wages are $50 per
cent greater. Competitors make 81 per
day more in America. photographers
wages are double, plasterers' more than
do,,hlo Tn ay,aru ;pStaroa fba amount
is largely in excess of the English wage
scale. The value of the American wage
as compared with the English is ac-
kn~owledgedly better except carpenters
wages, which are listed as equal in pur-
chasing value. In other trades the an
swers run from 10 to SO per cent better.
The comparative general condition of
life is admitted to be favorable to the
American except mong he engineers,
#plasterers. Just where the English ex-
perts found foundation for this conclu-
sion is not evident from a study of
their tabulated report. With plasterers
working two hours less Ger day and re-
tceiving more than double the wages,
with Sheffield trades receiving 100 per
cent more wages for two hours more
work and engineers paid 70 per cent
more for a day shorter by n hour it
will be hard to convince the American
of his equality with the British trades
man in his line. Where ". C. Stedman,
representing the parliamentary COM
mittee OF the trades unioEs congress of
Great Britain, finds the grounds for his
assertion that the British worker has
nothing to learn from he American
is another conundrum ike Lord Dun
dreary's past finding out" Summing
up Mr.. Moseley
Il can only say that If We are to hold
our own in the of the world,
both masters and men must be up and
doing. Old methods must be dropped,
old machinery abandoned. Practical
education Of the masses must be insti-
tuted and carried ont upoa a logical ba-
sis, and with efficiency. The bulk of our
worknen are already both sober and
intelligent, but with many of them there
Is urgent need for them 10 become more |
sober, more rational, rsore ready to
adopt new ideas in place of antiquated
methods, and improved machinery
whenever produced, and to get the best
possible results from Il days work.
Manufacturers for their part must be
prepared to assure their men a piece
price that will not be cut when the
earnings exceed what has hith-
been considered sufficient for them.
Modern machinery mus. be introduced,
of the workmen sought,
and initiative encouraged in every pos
way. Without such a modernized
system we can not hope to compete with
countries like the United States, which
has this advantage, and is moreover
blessed with natural resources such as
we do not possess. Britain has. how
ever. in the past led the world. and
might yet continue to do so. The mate
rial is here. 1t remains for masters and
men mutually to beside whether and
how far it shall be utilized in the flu
ture."
~ 500 s