The Penn's Grove record., 1911-06-16

ing trades In the United States are a.
243 to 100 in England, or In otheI
words, two and 43-100 times as great
great.
or about two and one-third times az
In the engineering trades they are 81:
ito 100; in the printing trades as 24t
to 100. Or for all these trades to
igether about an average of 230 in this
country to 100 in England and Wales
That sounds well for the American
policy of protecting labor. But the
investigator must proceed a little fur
ther.
The hours Of labor are notably
shorter in the United States-11 pc,
cent. in. the building trades and z pei
cent. in the printing trades. In en-
cheering trades the American works
longer by 6 per cent.
When 1t comes to rents, the Ameri
can workingman feels the goad. This
portion Of the report will please the
single taxer as that on wages will de-
light the protectionist. The average
per cent. higher than the English
lowest rents In the United States ex
coed by 80 to II per cent. the average
highest lrents for the same accommo.
dations in England and Wales. The
general average is rather more than
twice as high here.
In the expenditures for food the
american family budget average 80
But 1t is shown that the food Is more
extensive in selection and of higher
quality. A fact which sounds curious
inv figures is that the American fam.
lily averages about eight and one-half
pounds of bread weekly to 20 pounds
In the United Kingdom. This is more
than Offset by the greater expendi-
lures lfor meat and vegetables.
In a final summing up of their
statistics the English Investigators
conclude that workmen's wages in the
United States are higher by about 1870
per cent, with slightly shorter hours,
while On the other hand the Ameri-
cans expenditure on food and rent is
by about 81 per cent. The cost
'of clothing does not seem to have en-
tered into the investigation, though
the fight for free wool and cheaper
woolens shows it to be a matter of
concern to the American workingman.
Various Cities Compared.
The relative cost Of living in Amer
lean towns, as figured by the British
commission, has its points of inter
test. New York here is taken as the
standard with the index number 100.
In Chicago, the second city in popu-
lation, meat is 20 per cent. cheaper;
food prices as a whole 6 per cent.
lower. Rents and food prices COM
bined are IL per cent. less than in
nearest Manhattan. Wages In all
skilled trades, except hand compost
ton, are from 8 to 10 per cent. higher.
Still keeping New York's 100 as
the standard, W. find rents and food
prices combined in various towns as
follows: Baltimore, Sc; Birmingham,
Ala, 81; Cautiously enough food
alone are here 2 per cent. high
,er than In New York;; Boston, go;
Cincinnati, go; Cleveland, 90; Detroit,
SO: Duluth, 90; Louisville, 90; Mem
.phis, 80; Milwaukee. Sc; Minneapolis
st. Paul, 81; New Orleans. SO; New
ark, SO; Philadelphia, 90; Pittsburg,
100; Providence, So; st. Louis, SO.
Many other cities are covered by
the report, but the above is a repre-
sentative selection. 1t will be noted
that, outside New York, food and
shelter are highest in Pittsburg and
cheapest in Detroit. In cities of ap-
proximately The same class rents are
highest in St. Louis, 101, and loves
in Baltimore, "a.
The figures will suggest much to
the thoughtful reader. In about a
wear. more thoughts will be suggested
when TWO armies of orators will go
about the country using this report
with equal skill to prove that the sue
cess of either the Republican or the
Democratic partyiis essential to pros
perity.
House Waiting for the Senate.
The CLOSING days Of the second
month of the extra session found both
the White House and the capitol de-
spairing of the accomplishment of any
legislative work whatsoever. The
house transacted its business prompt
ly from the start, and If 1t is now loaf
ing it is excusabae IN the plea that
1t is waiting for the senate to catch
I'D. 1t has sent to the senate the rect
procity bin, the farmers free list. the
resolution for the election Of senators
by direct vote of the people and the
reapportionment bill. Not one Of
these has been passed by the senate;
only one has been even partially de-
bated.
The fixing of June IL as the date on
which to take the vote on direct cleo
ton of senators gives a sort of a fixed
point from which to estimate the prob
able duration of the special session.
Special business will engage the SEN
ate until that date. Though the di-
rect election bill may be voted on, 1t
will not be put out of the way, for the
adoption of the Sutherland amend
ment, obnoxious to the house, is GER
tain In the senate. In this amend
ment the house will never concur and
1t may even refuse to appoint con
ferees. That is one piece of legisla-
ton which the much advertised extra
session will be unable to enact.
Nobody expects the senate to pass
the farmers free list bill. 1t may be
debated, but in all probability will
never get out of committee. Neither
will the amended wool schedule when
the house sends 1t over. In fact, the
one which stands any chance
of definite action in the senate is the
reciprocity bill, and there is a well
defined and growing suspicion that
this definite action will take the form
Of its crushing defeat.
ut looks very much" said the vet
eran General Sherwood, the Oldest
representative in the house, to a group
of Ohio congressman, "as If this pro-
longed and systematic delay In the
senate was intended merely to tire