… In the family … taken as typical we have calculated all possible resources. But in ascribing wages to the mother of the family we raise the question of the direction of the household. How will its internal economy be cared for? Who will look after the young children? Who will get ready the meals, do the washing and mending? This is the dilemma incessantly presented to the labourers.”
According to this the budget of the family is:
| The father | 300 working days at fr. | 1.56 … fr. | 468 |
| The„ mother | 300„ working„ days„ at fr.„ | 89 … fr.„ | 267 |
| The„ boy | 300„ working„ days„ at fr.„ | 56 … fr.„ | 168 |
| The„ girl | 300„ working„ days„ at fr.„ | 55 … fr.„ | 165 |
| Total fr. 1,068 | |||
The annual expenditure of the family would cause a deficit upon the hypothesis that the labourer has the food of:
| The man of war’s man | fr. 1828 … … | Deficit fr. | 760 |
| The„ soldier | fr.„ 1473 … … | Deficit„ fr.„ | 405 |
| The„ prisoner | fr.„ 1112 … … | Deficit„ fr.„ | 44 |
“We see that few labouring families can reach, we will not say the average of the sailor or soldier, but even that of the prisoner. The general average (of the cost of each prisoner in the different prisons during the period 1847-1849), has been 63 centimes for all prisons. This figure, compared with that of the daily maintenance of the labourer, shows a difference of 13 centimes. It must be remarked further, that if in the prisons it is necessary to set down in the account the expenses of administration and surveillance on the other hand, the prisoners have not to pay for their lodging; that the purchases they make at the canteens are not included in the expenses of maintenance, and that these expenses are greatly lowered in consequence of the large number of persons that make up the establishments, and of contracting for or buying wholesale, the food and other things that enter into their con-
