Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1888 — BLAINE ON COTTON WAGES. [ARTICLE]

BLAINE ON COTTON WAGES.

“Undoubtedly Inequalities in English and American Wages More than Equalized.” In June, 1881, James G. Blaine published under his official responsibility as Secretary of State, a report on the “Cotton Goods Trade of the World,” in which lie undertook to show and did show that, as compared with England in this, the leading branch of maim factures for each country, “wo stand on an undoubted equality thus far in the race of competition.” He drew the balance of advantages and disadvantages sub stantially as follows: “American wages aie slightly higher, but the hours of work for each are somewhat longer. Thus, the wages of spinners and weavers in Lancashire a d in Massachu setts were as follows per week: “English spinners, $7.20 to SB. ■ 40; (masters sl2). “American $7.07 to $10.39. “English weavers, $3.84 to $8.64, less 10 per cent. “American $4.82 to $8.73. “English average mon, about SB, less 10 per cent. “ American average men, $8.30. “English average women, $3.40 to 4.30, less 10 per cent. “American average women, $5.6? “English hours of laboi', 56. “American hours of labor, 60 in Massachusetts; in ether States, with lower wages, 60 to 69 hours.” On this showing, which is very interesting, Mr. Blaiao made the following comment; “Undoubtedly tlm inequalities in the wages of English and American operatives are more than equalized by the greater efficiency of the latter, and their longer hours of labor. If this should prove to be a fact in practice, as it seems to be proven from official statistics, it would be a verv important element in the establishment of our ability to compete with England for our share of the cotton goods trade of the world.” This very simple, comprehensive and practical review of one of our most important industries sustains completely the principle of the reform of the tariff embodi'd in the Mills bill and in the message of President Cleveland, which Mr. Blaine is now denouncing as threatening' the ruin of the manufactures of the country and the reduction of the wages of the men employed in them.