ent system, but are unable to overcome the workmen's prejudices to the factory system. Under present arrangements the workman enjoys much more liberty, working or not as he pleases, and generally being his own master; all of which questionable privileges he would be obliged to forego if working in a factory. Business is done chiefly on the credit plan, and here in Germany bills run from nine months to a year. For instance, raw silks are paid in two months' bills, either nine months after date of invoice without discount, or on receipt of invoice with 5 per cent. discount. Cotton yarns are paid in two months' bills on receipt of invoice with 5 per cent. discount, or three months after date of invoice with 3 off. Chappe silk is paid in two months' bills on receipt of invoice with 6 per cent. discount, or three months after date of invoice with 4 per cent. Silk manufactures are generally paid six months after date of invoice. The discounts vary with the promptness of the buyer's payments and are too varying to specify. The hours of business are generally from 8 a. m. to 7 p. m., but there is an interval for the principals of three hours (from twelve to three) for dinner and siesta (the latter is a universal practice), which to strangers and buyers is a continual source of annoyance and delay. Business is carefully done and for very small profit, risky speculations being the exception and not the rule. Generally speaking the German business people are utterly devoid of that liberality which in their business transactions characterize the American and English merchant. Their integrity and industry, however, abundantly compensate for this trait of "meanness" or littleness in their national character. UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Barmen, May 23, 1878. EDGAR STANTON. Supplement to Mr. Stanton's report. AGRICULTURE AND RAILWAY LABOR IN THE RHENISH PROVINCES. [Translation of a letter received by Consul Stanton from the president of the Agricultural Society for the Rhenish provinces.] LAUERSFORT, May 31, 1878. SIR: I beg to submit the following remarks in reply to your favor of the 18th ultimo : After a standstill of about two years, when the wages of farm-hands and journeymen, during the years 1871-1874, had been rapidly driven to such a height that agricultural pursuits yielded a profit in but very few instances, resulting generally in severe losses to tenants and to owners with mortgaged lands, there is a slightly falling tendency in wages, so that rise, which was about 50 per cent. above the normal rates of 1860-1870, now stands but about 20 or 25 per cent. above them. In North Germany we are accustomed to measure the rate of agricultural wages by the price of rye, as being the chief necessary of life. According to this rule the average daily wage of the Rhenish field-hand equaled in 1874 the average price of 18.1 pounds of rye during the last ten years. The agricultural daily wages in Germany vary in proportion to the ten years' average price from 23 to 10.8 pounds of rye. Of the twentyfive districts therein the Rhine province occupies the tenth position. Within the Rhenish province the relation between the rate of daily wages and the average price of rye varies to such an extent that in 1874 the day's wages would purchase 17.7 pounds rye in the district of Düsseldorf, 15.7 pounds rye in the district of Cologne, 16.4 pounds rye in the district of Aix la Chapelle, 15.5 pounds rye in the district of Treves, 13.3 pounds rye in the district of Coblentz. This difference arises partly from the difference in the price of rye and partly from the competition which in various districts agriculture suffers from manufacturing industries. The prices of the necessaries of life have not fallen at the same rate that wages have retrograded. True, grain and bread prices have fallen slightly, but all other necessaries remain to a great extent at their former height. This is particularly true of the products of the dairy and the herd. Milk, butter, cheese, meat, and leather have more than doubled in price during the last twenty-five years, so that the rise in wages at the beginning of the last decade but just enabled the laborer to indulge in a little more liberal enjoyment of these articles. If, however, wages, in consequence of the depression in trade, should fall once more, the laborer will be forced at once to limit greatly the use of dairy products. But aid is at hand. The progress made in the manner of feeding and in the treatment of milk are effecting, if slowly, plainly perceptible increase in the products of butter, cheese, and meat, so that we may hope that, in conjunction with the increasing import of cheap dairy products and preserved meats from foreign countries, the laborer will not be compelled in the future to renounce a diet which is essential to his health. H. VON RATH, President of Agricultural Society of Rhenish Prussia. To E. STANTON, Esq., Statement of the wages and food-prices in the district of Lennep. The wages of laborers on public works have fallen from 20 to 30 per cent. as compared with former years. Iron and metal workmen earn at present, in this district, on the average, from $2.38 to $3.57 weekly; the laborers in cloth factories from $1.90 to $2.85 the week. Total exhibit of the number of workmen employed on the Bergish-Märkischen Railway, and their wages on the 1st of January, 1878, as compared with those of October 1, 1877. paid. b. Manager of car-reporting Not according to esti mates. January 1, 1878. Daily wages paid. 14 22 14 10 848248 $3 43 5 61 3 43 Total. October 1, 1877. January 1, 1878. Daily wages Daily wages paid. Average. |