The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-10-23
Ghe G1tteuiqetaer.
TwENrY.PIvE YEARS IN WHEELING.


ITwENTY.PIvE YEARS IN WHEELING
| A Foreigners Observations as 10 Polite
and BnsInoss During that Time in Gu
Midst.
Editors lntslligsnoGr.
observe in your Issues Of October 20tl
and 2lst, review fthe comparative rate
Of wages paid to workingmen in thi
country and Europe, and while the ad
yantages are greatly in our favor now,
beg to call your attention to the fact tina
such was not the case to the same extern
during Democratic administrations. Pre-
yious to the War we were, in manv re
spects, but little better of on this side o
the Atlantic than on the other side.
As we remember, provisions were some
what cheaper before the War, but we hac
not the means to procure them. The low
wages then paid, and the system by WHICH
they were paid, did not meet the necessa
ry wants and comforts oil the working
classes. You seldom saw in those days
workmen paid off in fulli it was partial
payment once or twice, or portions In a
month, as the case might be. Now 1t Is the
rule to pay in full. The custom then was
"market money" on Friday evenings
from So 90 to S. 90 being the average
sum paid-which was charged on the
workman's pass book, and the balance was
consumed il orders on merchants, tailors,
shoemakers and coal dealers. In those
days the workmen had, generally, no
choice OF either place or price in the mat:
ter OF using these orders. A workingman
had no chance to accumulate sufficient
means toward procuring little home for
himself and family. Lots worth to-day
81 900, could and were then purchased
for $3.50 and $500, but wofkmen could not
buy them.
How was It with the employer in those
days? Little better than with the EN-.
ployed. The employers worked under
great disadvantage; they were all the time
hard run for sufficient working capital.
Bills payable were before their eyes all
the day and in their visions at night.
These lines, touching this fact, will appeal
to tho memory Of many to-day who are
now Independent, and they can corrob.
crate the truth OF my remembrance. Ac.
paper, flying kite accept.
ances," (you endorse for me and | will
endorse Tor you), were common, and men
were compelled often to oyercheck. The
custom was common among the banks 10
notify certain parties, "Your account IL
overdrawn." We know that this is the
rule still, but comparatively seldom is it
required. And you don't see those bank
notices written in red ink, saying "your
note. for s." is due on such q date.
They have 10 a great extent disappeared,
and with them the notes they represented.
The manufacturer then was poor, and the
people he sold to were poor. The fact is
the whole country was poor comparing
their condition with what it is now. And
when a manufacturer got check or bills
On bank outside his section, he had to
turn to his counterfeit detector, and re-
porter; and satisfy himself Of its intrinsic
value. And when he took stock and
balance at the end OF six or twelve months
be found, for years, that this discount per
cent consumed all his property, and con-
siderable OF the charges in that account
we're on loans on which be paid and u
per cent per month. Things are now re-
versed, and part of the profits now con-
list in gain from the interest and discount
per cent. The manufacturer and mer-
,hsnt discounts his own bills. ] wonder
i John Sherman cannot explain how this
came about.
Workingmen are now paid off in full
once or twice or four times month. Or
Ilers are thing OF the past, and working
men who were formerly harassed in pay
ing house rent OF 81 per month, now re.
side in homes OF their own worth from
81 600 to S. ,000-all paid for. Where have
all these sewing machines, cabinet organs
and pianos in the workingman's dwelling
come from? And what has worked the
change in the appearance OF these men.
and what Of their wives and children as
with twenty years ago, when
they were only recognized as the "hewers
OF wood and drawers OF water" or the
mud stills" Of society. tell you many
OF those who branded these epithets on
them are to-day bewailing,. ITO dig | can
not, and to beg I'm ashamed"
The experience OF the past ought In q
certain measure TO govern sin the future.
We are now passing through crisis. We
are solving problem. The question is,
what form OF administration in our ma
tional affairs has done most for the general
prosperity. OF the country, and the work
ingnSen in particularly To decide this We
must become intelligent. One thing Is Ger.
lain, the improvements only began when
The Republican ideas were carried out, and
progress and improvement has been ad'
yancing till this day under Republican
rule. But what was the condition OF our
con ntrv whan the Rannhlican party took