The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-04-17
OFFi5lu ORGAN or The LABOR UNTO
kELLEY -. WELLS.

Commissioner Of Internal Revenue, w
heartily endorse the statistical staten snt.
upon which they are based. n TIE early
part q February last, judge Kelley. NJ @
from Pennsylvania, delivered speech u
the Pennsylvan4a House Ut Representatives
upon The Inda trial Classes-tbeir Domes-
tic Condition and the Rate Of Wages" j.
which he attempted 70 prove that the in.
crease in the rate Of wages paid mechanics
and laborers was in every case at least
qrop0riionatc vi tbe increase since lS6C
IN The cost Of iiy d Z. This speech elected
an answer from Mr.. Wells, in which thai
gentleman present. a massive forti6eation
Of facts contradictory of the statements
made by Mr. Kelley Mr. Wells official
position is such that he may Be supposed to
be 10 possession VT as correct information
upon this all-impoItant sui ect a. is az al
accessible NJ. Wells, ''as ne result Of
long and careful investigations" has ascer-
tanned what the average "a u 81 increase ID
the cost Of the principal articles Of neces-
Sary consumption curing the latter half OF
1869, ana NE first half NJ 1868. 8s com
pared with tbe cost Of tie SANE articles
prior t0 The var il seventy eight per cent,
while TIE rate Of increase in wages during
the same period. il lut-'for unskilled me
chanical labor so par cen !, for skilled me-
chanieal labor 6J Per cent" Mr.. Kelley,
without even the sen biauce or an effort az
substautiluon, poin.l ily denies the correct
ness Of these figures and makes the pre-
p0ster0us assertion chat TIE ~ Il IF neces-
series il but VAR Per cent. higher than in
1860, while the wages paid skilled mechan-
ics i from ~ " lJl per cent. higher than
IN that year
Nh. Commiss.2ter Wells, III order
that be might SPEAK by The card, com
munieased IA some 6iteen bundled extern
siye employers Of labor in various sections,
and from the answer received has compiled
statistical table completely demolishing
the position taken By Judge Kelley. Upon
The two ariicies-Hcur and salt articles
which Of course entI more largely than
any other into domestic consumption, be
iays particular stress. Ia 1859 and 1860,
,he Subsistence department Of the army
paid S6 'n g9li per barrel FOR -four, vhils
10 1867 and l00o % was compelled 10 Paw
il currency $I2 ~, an Increase Of about
lightweight Der cent. The increase in the
price OF salt, which has exceeded bv far
that OF breads-Gfs, has been aided BY sue-
cidt legislat'9as % indulge 10 which our
Congressional Republicans have unfortu-
nately of late become very prone. A bushel
Of salt 10 1860 cost from IS to % cents
to-day the article cannot be purchased at
less Than from 60 10 cents, while the in
crease IN the cost Of bagging, twine, and
other incidentals necessary to its traaspor-
Iation, has been nearly proportionate.
10 The vastly important matterssof house
rents, Mr. n. next deYotes bis attention.
Philadelphia, wherein rents are reputedly
less than in other large cities, be proves that
the increase 10 the TentaEe of small houses
suited t0 The occupancy Of mechanics fam
lies, has been in no instance less than 100,
and in the average about 1870 per cent. A
gentleman at our elbow knows Of a small
house which 10 1860 rented at s. per
month, atd which now commands SIC. II
larger houses the increase has been still
greater, the average apr oximating 30 per
cent. 10 this matter ths ADvocAlE speaks
from a positive knowledge Of the facts
Rents are The fret mortgage upon the labor
er's hire. The landlords demands must
1rsJ bc satisfied, ana tie ediblcs, clothing,
&c., required BY himself ami family, must
be guaged ia quantity and quality BY what
remains.
That Mr. Kelley is totally wrong in bis
claim that the increase 10 wages las been
az OIL proportionate With that Of TIE cost N
liie's nccessaries and comforts, Mr. Wells.
" anybody else, would BE ting BIZ time
~ attempting to prove. It's utter absurdiiy
is as plain as the nose oa mans face, ara
what could have induced him u wander ~
far away from the facts is far from our
compTeheusion-proyided, q course, it Is
his intention to state, argue and deduee
honestly. Some trades We admit are paid
fairly, but N achinists, blacSsmiths, oarpen-
ters, and many others, DO not receive above
thirty per cent. in advance Of their anti
rebellion wages. Perhaps the most inter-
esiing feature Of Mr.. Wells report 10 thai
which sscribes the disproportonate relation
Of mechanics wages to the cost Of food,
clothing, &C., to the speculative gamester
in specie and real estate. His picture is a
graphic one Of the curses attendant upon
The operations Of false monetary system,
and the sFirt Of greed such system eDgen-
ders. Remarkable because Of its faithful
similItude to the facts, and vociferously
suggestive Of the existing urgent need Of
reform In that system.