THE EFFECT OF PROTECTION ON LABOR IN GERMANY. REPORT BY CONSUL WAMER, OF DUSSELDORF. In a recent report to the Department on labor and wages I mentioned the fact that the demand for labor in this consular district, a great center of iron, steel, and coal industry, had very much increased during the past few years, without stating any special reasons as to the cause of it. Since then I have busied myself with ascertaining the opinions of many of the best informed persons here on the subject, who claim that this happy turn to prosperity, as they call it, is to be attributed entirely to the good effects of protection in Germany. From my own observation, I feel quite safe in asserting that wages in this district have undoubtedly been on the rise since the introduction of the German new tariff. Competition with foreign imports has greatly diminished, and there has not only been an increase in the demand for home production but the quality of the article manufactured has become better. With a view of showing the condition of wages in the iron and machine works of Germany before and after the introduction of the new iron duties in 1879, the Verein Deutscher Eisen und Stahl-Industrieller (German Steel and Iron Industry Association) published recently statistics received from 320 iron works, foundries, and machine works in various parts of Germany, and which are herewith given. In January, 1879, there were employed in said 320 works 151,582 workmen, with month wages to the amount of $2,280,375 against 202,888 workmen in January, 1884, with $3,468,024 month wages. According to these figures the number of workmen increased by 50,306, or 33.2 per cent., and the wages by $1,087,648 (52.1 per cent.) per month. Each workman (including all classes) earned during the month of January, 1879, on an average of $15.04, and during the same month of 1884, $17.17, which shows a difference of $2.13 per month in favor of the laborer. From 1879 to 1882 the number of workmen employed in the machine works increased by 29.3 per cent.; from 1879 to 1883, by 50.9 per cent., and from 1879 to 1884, by 52.9 per cent. This gives an increase of the single wages from 1879 to 1882, 14.6 per cent.; from 1879 to 1883, 15 per cent., and from 1879 to 1884, 19.2 per cent. Since 1879, the number of workmen employed in the iron works increased by 26.3 per cent., the total wages by 41.4 per cent., the single wages by 11.8 per cent. In comparison to those figures of 1879 there has also been an extraordinary large increase of labor and wages in the iron works. Since then the number of workmen has increased by 26.3 per cent.; the total wages advanced by 41.8 per cent., and the single wages by 11.8 per cent.; which, too, has taken place at a period when many works in England-and some in France and Belgium-had to suspend operations and thousands of workmen were thrown out of employment, with considerable reduction of wages. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, WM. D. WAMER, Consul. PREVENTING EMIGRATION FROM AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. REPORT BY CONSUL-GENERAL WEAVER, OF VIENNA. In my last annual report, dated February 25, 1884, I recited the fact that seventy peasants of Galicia with their families (as telegraphed from Krakan) had been stopped by the police at the railway station, and forced to return to their homes, although they were provided with prepaid tickets, which for the most part had been sent them by friends in the United States, and it was subsequently affirmed by the press, and as far as I know without contradiction, that the sale of the farms and homes of the peasants, which had been effectuated previous to their departure, was declared null and void by the competent Government officials. It would appear from the "clipping," which is herewith inclosed, together with its translation, cut from the evening edition of the New Freie Presse, of the 3d instant, that the policy of this Government remains unchanged relative to the emigration of its subjects. The translation of the article is here appended, viz: PREVENTED EMIGRATION. We are informed by telegraph from Krakan, as follows: A party consisting of several peasant families arrived here recently for the purpose of emigrating to America. As the men feared they might be arrested at the railway depot here by the police commissioner they went on foot to the next railway station, there to await the arrival of their wives and children coming from Krakan. The officials, however, who had been informed of the matter, prevented the depart-ure of the women, in consequence of which the peasants were obliged to return to Krakan. At first they were disinclined to return to their homes in the district of Pilzno and Tarnon, as they declared they had sold their houses and farms and that they would not want to emigrate if they had bread at home. They also declared that they had received from their friends in America prepaid tickets for the passage to New York, as had several other peasant families who would shortly undertake emigration. The emigrants, after much persuasion, were induced to return to their homes. It can be readily understood that the primal motive forces driving these people to emigration are wretched poverty and universal military conscription; while, doubtless, on the part of the Government, the actuating motive is one of self-protection growing out of a stern military necessity. JAMES RILEY WEAVER, UNITED STATES CONSULATE-GENERAL, Vienna, June 7, 1884. CUBAN STATISTICS. STATEMENT PREPARED BY MINISTER FOSTER, OF MADRID. 1. STATEMENT OF COMPARATIVE COST OF ARTICLES OF PRIME NECESSITY AND PURCHASING POWER OF SUGAR IN CUBA, LOUISI ANA, AND DEMERARA. Sugar is the leading product of Cuba, and furnishes it its purchasing power for the commodities of life. A comparison of the cost of a few articles of prime necessity in adjacent territories where sugar is culti vated will illustrate the weight of the burden imposed on Cuba by its present commercial system. Louisiana, to the north, and Demerara, to the south, furnish good examples for comparison. Use is made of figures published in the newspapers of Havana, which are doubtless substantially correct. Flour. The cost of 100 pounds of flour is in Louisiana about $3, in Cuba $8, and in Demerara $3.50. To buy 100 pounds of flour it requires in Louisiana 42 pounds of sugar, in Cuba 228 pounds, and in Demerara 87 pounds, or a difference in favor of Louisiana of 443 per cent. and Demerara of 161 per cent. Meat. The class known as "tasajo” in Cuba and "carne de fincas," as applied to other countries, costs in Louisiana 8 cents per pound, in Cuba 11 cents, and in Demerara 8 cents, or in sugar for 100 pounds 114, 314, and 200, respectively. Lard. To purchase 100 pounds of lard it requires in Louisiana 143 pounds of sugar, in Cuba 486 pounds, and in Demerara 300, and about the same proportion for hams. Coffee. To purchase 100 pounds of coffee, a product of the island, 457 pounds is required, but in Louisiana only 214 pounds. Lumber.-One thousand feet of building lumber costs in Louisiana $15, and in Cuba $35, or 214 pounds of sugar in Louisiana and 1,000 pounds in Cuba. Labor.-Field labor commands about the same price in Louisiana and Cuba, but the labor of a workman for one month in Louisiana can be paid for with 285 pounds of sugar, while it requires 571 pounds in Cuba. And if we reverse the estimate, we find that a month's wages in Louisiana will purchase 666 pounds of flour and in Cuba only 250 pounds, and that in Louisiana it will buy 250 pounds of meat and in Cuba only 181 pounds. Cost of sugar production.-The Planters' Association of Havana has made the following calculation of the cost of producing sugar: 100 arrobas (2,500 pounds) of cane yields 54 arrobas sugar, first extraction........ $4 48 2 arrobas sugar, second extraction 24 molasses 1.00 2. STATEMENT OF PUBLIC DEBT AND ANNUAL BUDGET OF CUBA. In 1878-'80 the loans or advances of three Cuban banks and other pressing obligations of the civil war were consolidated into a funded loan, running thirty years, having 6 per cent. interest, payable quarterly, and secured by the pledge of the Cuban customs and the subsidiary 'guarantee of Spain, amounting to In 1882 the remaining and accumulated indebtedness was authorized to be converted into a kind of annuity fund. This indebtedness has been variously estimated at from sixty to eighty millions of dollars; adopting the minimum figure, say.. Added to this is the annual deficit in the budget of from four to nine millions for three years, say.. * Total approximate debt $75,000,000 60,000,000 18, 000, 000 153, 000, 000 On its exportation from the island sugar is subjected to a further tax of $2.30 per box, or $6 per hogshead. 17A-No. 42- -2 The loan of 1879 was issued at 95. At one time it commanded a small premium over its face value, but of late it has steadily declined, and is now quoted at 87 to 88 in Madrid. The Cuban budget of receipts and expenditures for the current year is as follows: For several years past the receipts have fallen short of the expenses several millions of dollars. For the current year the deficit is estimated at about $5,000,000. 3. COMMERCE BETWEEN SPAIN, CUBA, AND PORTO RICO. |