Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-05-14
Civilized sRuTAtirY.


That which the laboring classes need,
a. q rule, Is, not more money but more
leisure. Tho American laborer IL well
paid in most localities. There Is no class
OF the laboring population Of our own
city who are not able to live com'or'a'
bly, and even generously from fher
daily wages. The reform that Is COM
inc ia in the number OF hours OF isDor'
Men are being brutalized by the unre-
hitting unrelenting, and unnatural de.
mands which many departments oil
labor make upon their employees.
We are glad 10 believe, however, that
in our own locality the lsborins classes
are more highly favored both asto hours
and wages, than in soue older manuisc-
ing sections OF the country. Some sta
tisties of the Massachusetts, Bureau OF
Labor, reveal q condition OF things
among the laboring classes that is
worthy the study OF the philanthropist.
According to this report, in the
mills Of Maine men are paid $50
week, and women get only = %, while
the little children receive from SO to
s. 40. in the WOODEN mills, which pay
the largest wages. One paper mill IN
Maine pays men sl0.50a week and wo-
men 81 so, working seventy-two hours
a week. In New Hampshire the wages
are much lower than those paid in
Maine, and the operatives are required
10 work sixty-six hours in week. In
Rhode Island the wages are a little
higher, with sixty-six hours OF work
during the week. Iu Connecticut oper-
atiyes work Ninety hours oreek-titeen
hours day for six dsys-and the wages
are $500 for men and $3.50 for women,
y. 10 for male children and $3.50 for fe-
male children. The highest spinners'
wages are $500. In Massachusetts,
from sixty-three to sixty-six hours OF
labor a week are eIacted, and spinners
only get 81 0S a day; the highest class OF
labor in the mills not exceeding $40 to
sl2 for the men. Many Of these fac
tories are run by water power, and
much time is lost during the winter
seasons on account Of freezes, and OF
course the employees are not paid for the
time thus lost. The statisticisn remarks
that "long hours and poorly paid labor
tend to brutalize," and he shows that
one manuiac :uaing town IN Massachu-
sets supports 400 bar-rooms. Such is
the exhibit OF q gentleman who has no
reason to misrepresent things, and it
presents facts which are not creditable
10 the boosted civilization, wealth and
generosity of the New England manu-
lecturers.
In the line Of the reform We suggest,
We notice movement on the part OF
the machinist OF the United States and
Canada, who are moving for ameliora-
ton in reduction of time instead OF
greater compensation for their work.
At meeting lately held in New York
OF representatives OF all branches OF the
machinists' trade programme was ar
ranged to appeal to employers for a bali
holiday each week. The reduction OF
working time asked is from 81 hours
TO 81 hours a week, and their argument
is that they need the extra five hours
rest and will be able to do more actual
work in the shorter time. They start
out with deprecating labor strikes, and
their movement is not in the direction
OF a strike that would embarrass the
employers. They propose to present
their case and the arguments at a mass
meeting of the machinists and other
trades to be held in New York at an
early date. The wages OF machinIsts
average 1915 per day, and they agree it
is enough money, but they want more
time for recreation and rest.