THE LABORER IN AMERICA.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 6978, 1 March 1890, Page 3

THE LABORER IN AMERICA.

Whatever America may have been "once upon a time " it is pretty clear it is no longer a paradise for working men. Living is immensely clearer than it is in Enghnd, the hours of work are, as a rule, longer, and the wages are little, if any, higher. A writer in th« Sydney Daily Telegraph gives some interesting, and at the same time almost startling information on the subject, compiled by the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics for the United States Government. First of all we may quote the average rat* of wages paid last year over the majority of the States in ironwork trades, Agricultural implement makers worked 271 days last year for 7s 9d per day of tan hour*. Coal, coke, and ore wori en had 229 days work last year for 7s a day of nine hours. The makers of choking and heating apparatus had 269 days 1 work last year, and received 9s 6d per day of ten houn. The makers of machines and machinery worked 300 days and received 8» lOd per day of ten hours. Th» workers in metal and metallic goods worked for 270 days, and were paid 7s 6d per day of eleven hours. These (adds the writer in the Telegraph) are tb« average rates paid in 082 diffwtnUst»bliihn»nt» stftoted by

tho Government office* as fairly representative of similar eatablishments all over tho United States, and the wages paid, the number of days worked, and the hours per day are taken from the original n;vy sheets and other records at each establishment. In an official report prepared for the American Government, and bearing the endorsement of Mr J. 0. Blame, the present Secretary of iStato for Foreign Affairs, it is shown that the workers at the cotton mills in Lancashire receive ulinost identically the same wages as the cotton mill workers in Massachusetts, although the latter work longer hours. Here are the details : " The average wage, of employees in Massachusetts mills are as follows, according to the official returns : Men Bdol 39c, women sdol 62c, male children 3dol lie, female children 3dol 80. According to Consul Shaw's report the average wages for the men employed in the Lancashire mills on January Ist, 1890, was about Bdol per week, subject to a reduction of ten per cent, women from 3dol 30c to 4dol 40c, subject to ft reduction of ton per cent. Tho hours of labor in Lancashire mills are 56, in Massachussets 60, per week. Tho hours of labor in the milts in other New England States, where the wages are generally less than in Massachusetts, arc usually 66 to 69 per week." Whatever Protection may do for tho monopolists, it in clear —unless we are to assume that these official reports are false — that it doex not benefit tho workman. As a matter of fact, it is now being proved in practico in the United States, as has always been laid down in tfifcory, that Protection has the eifect of lowering the wages, raising the cost of living, and lengthening the hours of work.

During ik self-denial week of the Salvation Army throughout the countries over which the Anny'n ramification* ox tend a sum of L 20,041 was collected. The United Kingdom contributed L 14 ,000, and tho foreign district* LOOOO. The latt«r included L2lOO from Australia, and about L 450 from New Zealand. Of tht amount so collected tht sums have been expended in speoial extension purposes, training homes, sick and wounded fund, lood and shelter works, poor corps, and flying columus to Africa, India, Sweden, etc. Th» expeuso of the appeal, including printing, postage, and carriage of parcels, was nearly L2OOO, equal to a tenth of the sum raised.