High Wages, Or Moderate Wages, Or None At All

[RichardB]

1839

The conduct of the Sheffield workmen already threatens the extinction of the trade of that town and its passing over to our French and German rivals.

At present the same labour in the manufacture of saws which cost 15s or 20 s at Sheffield can be done for Is 3d at Molsheim in the neighbourhood of Strasburg. The consequence is the exportation of this article to the Continent which was considerable some years ago has almost wholly ceased; many other of the Sheffield productions have shared the same fate and America is almost the only market that is left for the sale of the manufactures of that town.

The condition of a large proportion of the Sheffield operatives is far worse in respect of comfort than at any preceding period, and the town exhibits the extraordinary spectacle the inevitable result of successful combinations of high wages, a decaying trade, and a destitute population.

The business that remains is now dependent on our friendly relations with the United States; war or the policy of a tariff may equally extinguish it; and should that happen the Sheffield workmen may perhaps at length learn, amidst unavailing regrets, that the question has not been, whether they shall get high or moderate wages, but moderate wages or none at all.