The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-02
THE WAGE GLASSES.


The condition of workingmen and of the la
boring classes generally is better now than
ever before in the history of the world They
live better, they dress better, are better
housed and better clothed than any of their
predecessors in any country, cline or age.
They have not reached that point where econ
omy is not necessary and indispensable, and
probably never will. The same may be said
of all classes. But with far less economy and
self-denial the wage classes have and enjoy
tenfold the comforts and conveniences pos
sessed by any former generation of working
men. In civilized countries the whole people
are being lifted to higher plane of
culture, refinement and enjoyment, Fifty
years ago four-dollar violins were less common
than pianos are now. Music, as an art was a
prerogative of the rich To-day thousands of
men who toll in factories and shops, at the
bench, the forge, and in engine-rooms, have
an elegant instrument in their parlors The
floors are covered with carpet, and the walls are
not without evidences of artistic TASTE The
daughters of men and women whose fathers
could not afford to buy them an accordion,
are accomplished performers on the piano.
The children wear clothes that would have
bankrupted their grandparents; they go to
school twice as long as their parents could af-
ford to, and are supplied with more and better
food. These are evident facts that cannot be
gainsaid
There are of course, many individuals in
the laboring classes who are poor, This is
the natural income of improvidence, of ill
health, or of misfortunes of various kinds, and
will always obtain, for no human law OF
political measure can be devised to render all
men prosperous any more than it can guaran-
tee them health and length of years. But
while some arc poor, some even suffering for
the necessities of existence, the great body of
the civilized worlds workingmen are steadily
betterng their condition. One source of this
is the improved machinery and methods that
have been introduced during the life Of the
present generation; whereby industrial en-
terprises have been multiplied the
avenues of employment opened up
in almost numberless directions,
thus affording employment to many more men
while, at the same time, reducing the cost OF
manufactured articles of every description.
The last census presents in compact form a
good idea of what has been accomplished in
this direction, showing the increase in the
number of ''hands" employed in manufactures
and in the rate of wages;
Per cent.
Number of hands 1850 1880 of inc.
manufactures. 957O59 2,73259 1856
Amount of wages
paid. -. 1886, 755, AGA $947 953 795 300
1t will be seen from these figures that while
the number of men employed has increased by
1876 per cent, evidencing remunerative wages
to that many more, the wages have increased
by 300 FER cent, so that not only are nearly
three times as many men employed now as
were at work thirty years ago, but their remu-
neIatlon Is Tour times as great In other words,
under the improved conditions three times as
many men are employed at wages 40 per cent.
better than were paid thirty years ago.
But the good has not come from one source
alone. While more men have found employ
ment at 10 per cent. better wages, the cost OF
living has gone down. Figures taken from
the report of the Director of the Mint (1SSl)
show that commodities cost as follows in the
vaara namaI