AND ON THE CONTINENT.
il!)
of value. I, on my side, add the weekly earnings, and tendermy thanks to Mr. E. Atkinson for the friendly information con-cerning the conditions of American wages (5): —
Cost ok Production' per Pound (excluding Raw Cotton).
Total cost of production,, labourCost of spiuuing,, weaving
Weekly earnings of spinnerweaver
Tlicse particulars agree with those of fcSehoe'nhof in his “ Economyof High Wages,” according to- which the costs of spinning inEngland, and of weaving in America are the lower.
In Germany the standard of living of the working classes haswithout doubt considerably advanced during the last decade;wanes have risen and the hours of labour become shorter, withoutneeding an increase in the rate of piece-prices (7). As an instance,in a Bavarian mill for which particulars were repeatedly made,the average' wage, in spinning, in 1880 was 2 marks, in 18902‘12 marks; inweaving, 1886, 2 marks; in 1890, 2’22 marks;in addition to which a lowering of piece-prices was possibloin the weaving-shed. In any case the piece-wages were in no 1 in-stance increased. The average yearly earnings per operative inthe Alsatian textile industry amounted, according to informationfor which I have to thank the “Bernfsgenossenschaft,” to:-—
1887 . 1888 . 1889 . 1890 .
Marks. Marks. Marks. Marks.
589-13 589-95 601-85 606-3
A gradual shortening of the hours of labour is without doubtextending in Germany. In 1868, according to the Enquete, thehours of labour in Chemnitz were still 14. Yet the production
5. The particulars for America are, iu order to give a wider scope, averagedfrom the particulars for Fall River, Lowell, and Rhode Island, given separatelyin the report. Compare “ Commercial Relations of the United States. ” No. 23CSept.. 1882), pp. 43, 44.
0. The wages for a capable six-loom weaver in Massachusetts is given as37s. 2d. The figures for England correspond to the above particulars. Theyare, as well, confirmed by the evidence of the secretaries of the English spinners and weavers before the Labour Commission at the sittings on 28thJune and 10th July, 1801. The English spinners often earn, as the abovefigures show, 45s. and more per week.
7. Compare Report of the “ Reichsenquete,” pp. 30. 82; “ Stat. Supple-ment,” part II., 76. 80; special “Protokolle” for Alsace, pp. 201,201!, 337,376, etc. ; further, for Saxony, the same, p. 08.