New-York tribune., 1869-02-27
WAGES AND THE COST OF LYING.

To he Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR Tho assertions made by the Special Com
missioner Of the Revenue, in his report for 1868,
of the present condition regards the earnings and
cost of living of the working classes Of tho nation,
arc so ut variance with facts within my own knowl-
edge and with the results of my own observations in
an extensive and intimate intercourse with skilled
and unsged workingmen, that examined with interest
his tables showing their earnings and expenses Tor lO
aud 1861 on which he bases his statement OF their present
bad condition Tho result 20 prove bis nsnres m
erroneous as HIS conclusions both tending TO weaken the
few valuable suggestions in his report, and to throw
discredit on his other statistics
In his table page l6 giving tho average increase per
cent Of 1850 in the prices Of some OF tho lead
Ing articles OF domestic consumption and IN houserent,
the Commissioners has TAKEN with ono exception articles
90 varying In puce from differences In quality in the
character OF the seller and in the character Of the buyer
that his table could have been made mp with equal cor
rectness and shown difference Of Is or 80 per cent either
greater or csA Nor does be allow for the better quality
of the supplies required by the workngmcn as one O the
natural consequences of their improved cohuuoh Co
illusions drawn from such table are VI no value IN es
mating the cost of living -
The ono exception and ono to which 1t Is possible TO
apny test as 10 lie correctness Of tile Commissioners
frures is fuel coal wood, &c" In this article there s
little variation In quality, IN FASHION, or ~ chances OF
manpulnon ON the part Of the latter that the dt
ference In the prices Of fuel between 1850 and
1861 IA easily obtained Aa Anthracite coal "a the largest
siYe item In the National consumption OF fuel, aud
oct With equal force upon Buminous and wood, It
"a n cafe basis for this iuVestgatlOn. Prom the
books OF n large Industrial establishment In tho
Middle States, consuming hundreds 0i thousands
ard cmryoying hundreds OF skilled worknen in un-
usual variety Of branches and corresponding proper.
mid IN ,fo apd i'm 1851 for 5000 Of Lump Lehgh
Goal with the following results s6O Lchig Lump Coal,
TehSg re- Aug ., 10 per TIM; showing Increase in 1907
in currency isC0 n gold OF q oo r CENT not o.
per cent the Commissioners report makes ia nus
take on his part Of over IS per cent Iheie IS Moher
item in his table to winch iocAI Joss can s De
applied uhe locality is not gfealiy uineIent iFon
many other manufacturing t0wnsl' ana that is
house rent From the actual es pI p IN 20 G, % - ~ a,,
property but owned by one individual ana helu solely
with view TO profitable investment n,a ~ isoO, -
rented % families paying from etc 10 ~ o. per Nees
wesy S cr eek weekly rent $40 ca showing an increase
OF only l7l per cent In place OF the 80 per cent claimed by
tho lssioncr's table Butt Is Ia the Commissioners
satcnent OF earnings, that the greatest NerePAh.es
appear between his results ana the factA IN thls
g1Vcn not the actual prices paid for specific
CLASSES OF work bnt the average weekly earnings OF lhd
culaton, the condition OF the place ah1 tno o any PAT
tcular industry examined the bk ana experience ot to
and must all be I'm the resulting
average Of weekly earnings ana athough lhe a.s pe al
correctly stated and lhe conclusions drawn Do uy Ap
ncable 10 the Individual used they are utterly
worthless and lnappcable IN general statement OF the
earnings of the worngmen Of the nation In making up
tIo following abio OF wages paid nt the snmo establish
nent referred 20 IN sCO and In lsd7 20 different entses
WOrklncn Il nave gone Hal'
have taken the controlling item in each department. rep
rcsentng the greatest amount oil work ana wages hhu
fair rpouent Of tie whole work These rates Of wages
were paid during the entire years 1850 aud 1901 and con-
formed 20 general rates OF wages Tor the sane WORK
under ike conditions throughout the country somewhat
higher than 10 the East aud lower than 10 tho West
have added column giving the Increase ih 1907 ana I m
ete al ork and the product The excess ~ product
I'm 1861 and lsGO and above the excess IN time at Work
Indicates concusvey steady growth from 1850 TO lsC1
giving with the large Increased per cenage Of wages
1nre denial 10 the ssiOnets report OF the usais
factory condition of industry The results exhibited ln
tie following table (tud they cannot be conroHerted
sbow an Increase the wages OF skilled labor IN 1907,
over iCO OF sK per cent against the GJ per cent alleged
by the commissioners report aud of 70 per cent on tue
wnges OF uukcd labor instead or tho 90 per cent OK
hibited by the report ,,,.s,
Pro