Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-05-13
rux WAGES OF wORKISGNES.


The labor strikes throughout the
country are strangely associated this
wear with the fact that there has seldom
been time when labor Of all kinds has
been more certain of a market. NOma
is idle who cares to seek employment.
And this is the chief puzzle of the prob
lem.
We may also say that wages are fairly
remunerative, Notwithstanding the I'M
rest of the labOring world and the in
creased cost of living. 1.-The discomfort
among workingmen at this tune" says
the North AmericdR, "dOes not arise
from 3 reduction of wages rs a general
thing. That wages have been reduced
in some cases may be true, but in a far
greater number of cases there has been
no reduction, either by cutting dOwnthe
rate or the working time. Nor is it
true, as we see il stated, that wages
have not kept pace with the prices
of the neeessaries of life. They have
not advanced in equal ratio, Of course,
but wages are better to-day than they
have been since the close of the war, if
the purchasing power of money is con-
sidered. Stll they have not advanced
in equal ratio with the cost Of living,
and what is more, they never do, never
did and never will. On the other hand,
the profits on capital and production
have not increased in equal ratio with
the cost of living. The causes affecting
the latter do not equally affect the mat
ter of profits. Just at this time many
Of the necessaries Of life have advanced
owing to deficient production, which in
its turn was due to unfavorable wealth
er. But it is not true that there is any
pinch like that which prevailed from
1874 to 1875"
THERE'S truth in these views of the sit
uation, but they do not cover the whole
ground. While short crops and search
ty of provisions may not furnish Il COM
plete explanation of the increased cost of
living, the disparity between the wages
of the labortr and the cost of living as
compared with that of a few months
past, makes the present difficulty. The
laborer realizes the situation whether it
is explained by short crops or corners in
provisions or what MOTT is sufficient
to him to know that his income does
not 60 50 far as it did a few months
ago, although his wages may be the
same.
We may be on the eve Of an adjust
ment of these difficulties by natural
causes, and we hope we are. Good crops
will settle the matter. If the demand
falls under the supply in the provision
market, q downward tendency in prices
is inevitable. And that is all that is
needed to readjust the present rate Of
wages with the cost of living.
We have learned good deal this sea-
son about the influence of the provision
market upon all departments of labor
and business. We nave been rubbing
our home supply to furnish foreign mar
kets, forgetting that our crops were
short and that We were also producing
for an expanding home market, which
is now, every year, increased by the de-
mands of a million immigrants beside
the natural increase among the native
population.
The probability is that with good
crops this year, producers will run to
the opposite extreme and hold for the
home market supply beyond the de-
mand, by reason of the increased coma
dence which the high prices of this sea-
son have inspired. But in any event,
very few months will determine wheth-
er the labor difficulties will be aggrdva-
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