Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-07-18
BELMONTCHRONICLE.
ST. CLAIRSVILLE OHIO.
THURSDAY. JULY IS, 1873.
The Condition of the Labor
Quesfi0n-And the Prospects OF
the LabOr-Wages and Salaries.

tiion in the rate of interest, and we could
draw no other conclusion than that for few
years at least the country would enjoy Pc
Rod of material and commercial prosperity.
| OF course il is assumed that other things are
equal, and that there are no natural or provi-
Dental calamities. The amount Of money in
circulation will be fully equal to the average
amount Of the last ten years. The silver coin
will make little difference, since very little OF
it will get into circulation. The greenbacks
and the bank notes will reach seven hrndred
millions, an amount amply sufficient for the
present This money will now be set free,
,, for banking will be useless business if it is
not 1t is very difficult to employ capital
now, and the only way to get interest on it is
to let it go in safe enterprises. Heretore this
has been almost impossible, because there
were very few new enterprises. Now, since
all the elements of trade and industry
are favorable, and confidence restored, there
will be new enterprises on all sides, and the
only care of bankers and capitalists will be to
discriminate between them. Here we have
the first step in the demand for labor and the
reorganization of Industry. Congress has at
last adjourned, and after keeping the busi-
ness community in fear, and trembling, and
anxiety for six months, has been compelled
to do nothing-literally nothing. The silver
bill is nothing, and it was compelled to let the
tariff and the greenbacks alone, and these
were the great touchstones of whether the
future should be prosperous or not. We have
no contraction of either money or tariff, and
it is the most signal defeat which demagogues
have met with for long time. They will
stay defeated, for we shall now enter upon
new departure under new conditions This
is the first step in improving the condition OF
laboriEg men; and if the leaders OF Socialism
have any intelligence, they will let well
enough off alone. There will soon be de-
mand for all the labor there is, but it will be
under new conditions. New forms of indus
try.are constantly arising. The mines will re-
uuire tens of thousands of men more than
they have now. New inventions are creating
new manufactures, and the first demand for
food in Europe will require a vast addition to
7 ldDOICES. IL Will DC SAohN
take in Socialists to alarm capital, and pre-
vent more movements in enterprises, at the
very moment when the country is rising up
with new vigor to enter apparently upon
new career of prosperity. Already the Social
and Communistic elements are dwelling in
strength and interest Nine out Of ten of all
workmen know that if they can get plenty of
work at fair prices, that is their best condl-
ton. Foreign immigration has greatly di-
minished this, and if their competition ceases,
as in a great degree it has done, there will be
no difficulty in getting employment in any
part of the country But we meant to show
that the complaint of want of employment
and low wages is not and has not been as
well founded as may be supposed. We have
seen statistics on this head which are very in
structive. The Massachusetts Labor Bureau
has, for the first time, we believe, in any
country, gone under all surface statistics and
ascertained the real wages of labor, and the
salaries of master workmen, the number of
families and the cost Of living. The result
is much more favorable than we supposed it
could be. The number of ,workmen who
answered were over 100, 1000, and the NUM-
Der of salaried persons $4,000. This is on a
large enough scale to determine the whole
question, and let us know what is the condi.
tion of the laborer in Massachusetts. Indeed,
the inquiry is both so minute and so compre-
hensive rs to let US see the whole working of
the labor system in Massachusetts. The gen.
eral result of the wages was:
Males above 15..... ...... $56S IL per annum.
Females above 15...".-.... 343 AZ per annum.
Both sexes under l5..... 146 20 per annum.
Twelve per cent. of all the males earned an
additional income after the regular days
work was over. The average of these earn
ings was $119 60, thus furnishing additional
aid to the support of family.
The average number of days worked by
males was 241.85, and by females, 25S.96.
The result of ''salary receivers" embraces
not merely professional men, but municipal
off1cefs, teachers, editors, ETC., but all pursu-
ing handicrafts and avocations having salary
of S., 900 and upward, such as master me-
chanics, engravers, chemists, etc. But many
were included, such as clerks, teachers, etc.,
who received less pay. The average annual
earnings of this class was, for males, $1,-
Ole 16, and for females, $429 So. The ay-
, erage number of persons dependent on the
worker was .97-1OO, and, including the
worker, 8 97-100-that is, an average family
is about four persons Now to the cost of
living. The Labor Bureau gives this result,
although there will always be some uncer-
tainty in it:
Receipts of family from all sources. $459 90
Cost of their living. 439 Og
Possible saving. "a
, This is a narrow margin; but so, also, there
is liberal allowance for living. A man can
liye, as to food, very well on twenty-five
1 Ros,