The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-05-10

TERMs: 81 Biz Ky MoyDeSs yeSSs' % % sents aaSance'
mum. have also had occasion to in
vestigate the distress occurring from
time to time in the coke and coal
regions of Pennsylvania, in the mill
ing districts of Massachusetts,, among
the sweat-shop workers of New York,
and in several other places, and have
come to the conclusion that the Ger
man working people are infinitely
better off. Do not misunderstood mel
All kinds of labor, skilled labor partic-
ularly, receives much higher wages
here than in Germany. Besides, the
American laborer enjoys many other
advantages which the German does
not enjoy. But 1 do claim that the
value of wages does not depend so
much on the amOunt-on the monetary
value-as on what you can purchase in
exchange for it. If, therefore, the en-
ployee in Germany is able to buy for
his earnings only so much as satisfies
his ideas of Whist is necessary to lead
decent, happy and contented life,
free from all reasonable anxiety for
the future of himself and family,
then he is decidedly better off than
those whose wages may be much high
er; but who, at the same time, feel a
longing, and make demands, for things
that are far beyond their reach. And
l challenge anybody to travel on a
tour of inspection from Pittsburg to
Cornellsville; then to the northern part
of the state to Scranton; then to Lowell,
Lawrence and other New England in
dustrial cellters, and afterwards to the
lower East Side of New York City;
/ paying everywhere the most minute
attention as to how the working peo-
pie live in those localities. Then he
can 60 to any part tof Germany he has
q mind to, and will guarantee that in
the latter country he will not find one
fourth as many dissatisfied and dis
contented working people, as he has
found in the aforenamed American
regions, and could find in many other
regions that have not been named.
The compulsory insurance law alone
has not created the favorable condi-
tions of the German working people;
but it has largely contributed towards
it.
Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, The
Netherlands and, If am correctly in
formed, New Zealand also, have been
so favorably impressed by the result Of
the German insurance law, that it has
been introduced in those countries,
apparently very successfully. The
United States government has taken
great interest in the matter. AS early
as 1890, John Graham Brooks, at that
time of the Labor Bureau, was
sent to Germany to investigate
this law in all it's details. / have
carefully read Mr.. Brooks report
to the government, and several
other reports that were made by other
:. Investigators in later years, and found
that all spoke very favorably of the
workings of the German law. All
9 these reports regretted exceedingly
= that, as every state in the Union is privil.
: eyed to make its own laws, law like
: the German compulsory insurance can
not be made federal measure. In q
:. . country, where emigration from state
to state is so continuous as here, moth
: ing but federal measure, binding for
O all states alike, could make a law of
l.. that kind effectively beneficial to all
wage earners.
. The writer is perfectly aware that in
l. this country many lodges, labor and
g other unions insure their members
! against sickness, etc., and pay to them
. fixed sum every week for certain
: length of time; but rarely exceeding
It six months. The writer is not posted
ID about these matters. What he has
" heard of them, and read occasionally
;s in the public press, is somewhat con-
% flicting, and leads him to believe that
le some Of these concerns do not work to
D. the satisfaction of their members,
j. while others seem to be doing very
10 well indeed. But let us suppose that
= the latter alternative is the most cor
% rect. If so, it would tend to prove that
10 even such comparatively small con.
j. Germs can be Of real benefit to their
4. members. This would enable the
reader to estimate for himself, how
immensely more beneficial compul.
N sorry insurance law, taking in the wage
Is earners Of the entire country, would
4. act. IL established here under like
favorable conditions as in Germany
III "a a. ourolv xuoIl vvorfh tho f3vr.o NJ All