The Labor enquirer., 1885-01-10

l.
conditions be yours2
Do you know that the average wage Of
the working people of the United States
Is but $S46.06 or less than dollar dsy7
And thst this average Is continually d.
Ec1u61k 1;I1I fIi||11
1r6 not these things worthy of your
attention now Would it not be pru-
dent at least to study these circum-
stances which soon will be your own7
We think so, indeed.
And so believing, we lay before you a
brief statement of your condition and
the reasons why you should work hand
in hand with US in this movement which
is above and beyond all questions of
mere religion, politics or nationality.
Those who work for wages in this great
world are divided into two great classes.
First the producers of articles of con-
sumption, such as farmers, hunters,
miners, mechanics and artisans; and
second, distributors of these products,
such as clerks in warehouses, wholesale
and retail stores, employees of railroads,
telegraphs, ETC., etc. Both classes are
necessary to civilized society. You be.
long to the latter class. :
To both classes under the existing sys.
tenn of competition apply these singular
rules: The harder a toiler works the
poorer he grows the longer hours he
tolls the less wages he receives !; the
more willing he is to work the less able
he is to obtain employment; the more
saving he is the more poverty stricken
he becomes, These things, however
strange they may appear, are true, are
scientific deductions from actual facts.
Think but moment concerning this
demon of Competition and you will real
ize that we speak the truth.
You are, let US say, clerk in shoe-
store paid, say 500 month, and have a
family and several children to support.
Some morning another clerk seeking a
viii viii 1'es ca1T Bs Is married, but has no
children. He is consequently able to
live cheaper than you can do, and he
offers to your master to take your place
and do your work for $75 month. You
will have to lower your standard of living
to that figure and accept reduction to
that sum or your master will discharge
You and employ him. If from personal
friendship las perhaps still obtains be-
tween employers and clerks In this new
country your master does not so dis
charge you, "B" goes to your masters
rival or business competitor who does
discharge his 500 clerk and employs
Mr.. "B." The rivals expenses being
thus reduced $25 per month, he begins
ITO undersell your master, who shortly is
COMPELLED either to reduce your wages
or his profits. Which will he do2
But this is not the end. Alas, far from
it. Soon along comes Mr.. &C." another
clerk, unemployed and unmarried. He
can work for $50 month, and he makes
no bones Of saying 80 boldly to your
master. Down drop your wages again.
But ou, with your children and wife,
cannot live on $50 month you think,
and so in accepting this last reduction
you do it with very i'll grace. Your
master dislIkes this. He sees in your
eye that you think him a rascal and
screw and he makes up his mind to get
rid of you at the earliest moment, The
opportunity occurs. Mr.. ID" puts in an
appearance. He has no expensive tastes
and his standard of living is much lower
than that of &C." He puts in a bid for
an opportunity to toll in your place at
say $50 month. Your master sends you
packing, upon some pretext or other with
hearty curse.
What will you and your wife and chill
dren do? Starve2 No, not yet. You
will compete against these others as
they have done against you. You will
reduce your standard of living to that
stern one which toiiers in the Baltic
Mills haye been compelled to adopt.
Their breakfast wide report of Charles
D. Weaver) consists of "a piece of bread
with molasses; at noona piece OF irled
bacon added; for supper, bread with
beef fat melted and salted for butter :
Having reached this point you will send
your little girl of seven out to work in
the tobacco factory as stripper for " q
week, your boy of eleven in the cannery
at So a week and set your wife at the
| machine making women's cloaks at 30
cents day. Your rent will cost you Szo
and your living and clothes $50. Your
wife and children will bring in $S6, and
so you can go back to your master and
offer to toll for SIS a week, or szo a
month. Even this standard is bound 70
be reduced further, and within very
few years.
To prove this, we're proof needed, we
/ - al AZ hnaR rpcnntIV