The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-10-12

blowing l.4OO men, stated that they had oil
The laborersl at present they desired, Out
that hey were having very few aPPllica-
tibnsi or work. &c thought It would bel
little difficult fol laboFeTs toget WORK nov,
but thefe was n far greater demand ior
sworkmef than there was ayear ago. lie
was payingSl l2i per day for laborers and
fromS3 to 81 per day for skilled workmen.
Another concern, employing $50 men, is
paying 81 per dag, and wants more labor
en-. f%StilFan0ther concern Is paying for
skilled wofkthen an average salary OF sly
perweek, and hiring all the men they can
get. These, then. are the few but potent
facts revealedByt he DAYS Investigations.
Il is but o partial presentation OF the facts,
II is true, but time and labor may show up
the whole question rs It Is, not as 1t APP
pears. Certainly, the facts already CLEAN.
ed are not alarming, but, on the contrary
are quite assuring, and calculated to dlsSi'
pate the opinion that some people. enter
tain, that tho entire community Is idle
starving, and dying for want of employ
ment. There are undoubtedly some Ia
borcrs who are without work, for the rca.
son that they are q little fastidiOus and
dainty as to the kind Of employment, or
who prefer 10 remain idle rather than TO
work at the wages offered.
The facts presented show that there is
no unusual phenomenal state OF things.
There are the ordinary fluctuations OF de-
mand and supply. Employers appear TO
DO able TO get rs many workmen as they
desire at wages they are able to pay, and
workmen who seek employment are able
TO get work without a great deal OF dill
Guilty at reasonable rates. The gaunt spec.
ire Of Starvation, which stump orators and
windy politicians would have one believe
is lowering around the city interfering
with the comfort Of some and frightening
everybody, seems TO be
ACRgATuRE or IN lNAGINArloH,
without form or substance. The purchas'
ing power OF the money the laborer re-,
ceives for his toll Is so largely increased
that il makes up for the decrease in the
amount. Several business men who had
opportunities OF observing the condition
OF things expressed the belief yesterday
that the crv Of "So work" which We now
hear so much OF was o cry echoed by dem
agogues for the purpose Of gaining the
sympathy OF the working people who have
not vet been able to adjust themselves to
the new order OF things, and who do not
vet realize that whatever they get they
will have 10 work Tor. Capital appear
to be seeking labor fully as much
as labor is seeking capital, the only
contest apparently being aS I o the amount
OF wages. During the flush times which
came with the building Of Chicago the
workmen had matters all their own way,
and commanded whatever wages they de.
sired. They were often Unsuitable, and
some years afterwards theemployees, who
had borrowed money 10 pay their work.
men, were forced Into bankruptcy and
ruin in consequence thereof. The memory
OF those halcyon days still fingers in the
recollection OF many ofthsSa workingmcn,
who have not vet forgotten the muniti.
cence OF those times. They still cling to the
fallacy that they must obtain the high
wages OF former times or not work at all.
The complaint, in most cases, does not
come from the men who are actually at
work, and who are too busy about their
affairs to complain OF hard times, but ii
usually comes from those who ornament
the street orner and roost on the iron
nils OF public buildings waiting for better
times and higher prices, while their wives
and daughters supply the family with
bread by taking washing. The facts
given aboveshow for themselves, andthese
will be followed by other facts, 50 as &c
give a clearer contradiction to the growing
heresy that capital is idle, our manufact'
urers are still, and our people without chi
ployment. lu rs 4.