Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-10-06
EPITOME OF THE Week.
Interesting News Compilation.
INVESTIGATING STRIKES.

rsession in New York City Of the United States
Senate Subcommittee on Labor and Edu-
catiOn.l
Bischoh, a German banker, testified on the
18th that the hours of labor here were shorter
than in Germany. Employers should be urged
to find time to study the interests of their en-
ployes; if this were the case there would not
be SO much cause for strikes. Workingmcn
i'll America did better work than those in
Germany, but their homes were not as COM
dGTtaaisi and; after ae " tS Se2se rot tSron aefy t Tsae
days work. If onc-half Of the millions de-
posted in the savings banks by workingmen
homes, tho working people would be more
contented and the community be a great deal
better of. Moral training would do more to
employers treated their workingmen in a kind
lier spirit, there would, he thought, be no me-
cessity for trades unions, Laborers here, he
ipiuiatrsd' schools hoo M in which Rn,ii' girls hhs' and won Women IN
could be instructed in household economy
Witness said all combination had, an jinjuri-
not see how they could be remedied by legis-
lation, as capitalists had a right to do us they
pleased with their money. but he did think
men from dealing in futurcs-that is, the
selling of something they did not own; it
was a species of gambling. The trade dollar,
he thought, should be redeemed by Congress.
Joseph Medill, editor of the Chicago Tribune,
was d lUilCsS pclOfc tLc COLlllitICt VII luC
18th. He said he had been connected with the
press since 1s4s. The chief cause of the impe-
cunlous condition of the masses of laborers in
this country he attributed to their own i'm
providence. The only way to improve them
was to teach them to save. Too much of the
and tobacco. 1t has been calculated that tho
amount annually spent by the laboring popula-
ton in drink was S4G,000.00O, and at least
$500 ,OO0.oW moro was spent in cigars. tobacco
and useless amusements. Healthy dwellings,
Mt low rents, high license and personal temper
ancc would benefit working people; Witness
hibition.- Unhealthy tenement houses should
he torn down. The present tariff was fleece
ing the farmers, and they were beginning to
understand it. Cooperation could not be
successfully carried out under the present
conditions. 1t could only be possible when
the co-operators were better educated, as CO.
gence. What the country. wanted was more
mechanics: Industrial schools should be cs-
tablishcd In every large city. where educa-
In speaking of the railroad question, Mr..
Medil said that some means should be
adopted for SECURING uniformity Of rates.
Railroads should not be permitted to exercise
The power of arbitrarily changing the value of
all tho products of the country. Both State
and Federal legislation should be employed to
remedy this evil. The capitalization of many
railroads was far in excess of the cost of the
construction of roads, and they were annual y
heecing tn people of the country out of mil
lions of dollars OF profits.
The testimony of Reuben Z. Carroll, an oil
producer, was given on the 2s7th. If it were
not for the rebate allowed the Standard Oil
Company by railroads, he said, that company
would have plenty Of competition. All pro-
ducers were obliged to sell their products
through the Standard Oil Company. indie
pendent of the latter company there were
about one hundred thousand persons interest
cd in oil production. TO compete with the
Standard OF Company would require a capital
formed to compete with the Standard Com
pany, but they had been stopped in the
courts by iniunc'i ions and other proceedings,
obliged to sell ont. There was not SO very
much Oil now transported by rail. as it was
mostly conductel through pipes. There were
many, wells yielding to-day that had been
at present was six barrels per day. the Wit
ness did not think the I overnment should in
%terfere with these matters of transportation
The Government might, he thought however,
regulate the charges of transpo tation.
Charles Soldier, of the tobacco firm of Lor-
lizard & Co.. was examined on the 2Sth ult. He
said his firm employed about 1000 persons,
and now pays wages amounting annually to
81 ,500,G00. They had paid as high as 4.OO0,O 900
ayenr. About forty per cent. of their en-
ployes are girls. Most of their employees
are improvident, and spend their wages
as fast as they earn them. There are SA to-
bncco manufacturers in the United States,
most of them small. There are 5000 90 pounds
In the country. All who are injured or be-
come i in their employ are treated without
charge. He favored the establishment OF in
. 4mst r H. sc ea;'1s M Many employers are turn
ests of thci" employees socially and otherwise.
The adjourned to OctOber1.