Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-28
Wages and Cost of Living.
IF THE EVENING STAR.

To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR.
In answer TO Mechanic" in your issue of the
goth, would say that board and rent of the
same quality is as cheap here as in New York,
Massachusetts, or any of the eastern cities: and
while at the west provisions are somewhat
cheaper, rents are very much higher. AS to
length of the building season, Mechanic must
be well aware-that ii is much longer here than
at the north and west. 1t is not true that rents
here pay ten to twenty per cent. There are very
few buildings which, after paying the taxes
insurance and repairs pay even eight per cent:
and if we include agents fees loss OF rent bv
tenants moving out Without paying. and the
loss of rent by buildings standing unoccupied,
there are few which pay over six per cent. II,
as he says, nOn-reSidentS are employed in pref
erence to residents, il is simply because of the
very fact stated. viz: That residents charge
more than is charged elsewhere. Besides do
not these nonresident mechanics have to live
and support their families the same as the resi-
dent mechanics; and If they prefer TO work for
50 per day instead OF standing idle, is ii not
right and proper for them to do so? All are
citizens alike whether they reside In the Dis
trict out of IL, and all have the same right to
work where and for whom they please.
In reply 10 Nv. F. D. in TIE STAR of the
18th, who asks me TO inform him where to go
to get the benefit of the reduction in price men
toned by me- would say right here in Wash
uI,gso'., a. wei as olher places IN the country.
II ne has supported family as have he must
know that the flour which cost 50 TO 50. 80 per
barrel three years ago, can now be bought here
Tor "a TO Ss.2o-that is the very highest grades
Of Minnesota -four and other grades for much
less. a gentleman in West Virginia writes Of
fering to deliver winter wheat fiour made by
the roller mill process in Washington in lots OF
ten barrels for 50 per barrel, freight paid. When
has he ever before seen the time when that was
done? Granulated sugar, which then cost IL
tents per pound, now costs but q or cents.
Dry goods of every description cost only about
there has not been time in TWENTY-FIVE wears
when clothing, blankets and the like could be
ooaght as cheap as now. Any one who desires
to know the facts, has only to step into any
store or grocery, and compare the prices now
with those of three years ago, or examine his
own bills Fresh beef has kept up more than
any other article, but even that can now be
had at less price by buying that brought here
already dressed, and where they have the pick
OF the herds, and where the cattle, when
slaughtered, are in a far more healthy and bet
ter condition than those brought alive on the
cars can be. MECHANIC is also mistaken in
his superstition that there il any desire, at least
20 lar as am concerned, TO Cypress the laborer
Ia any manner. / have been a laborer all my
life and always expectto be. / began life by
working on farm through haying and harvest
81 $40 per month and board, and took nv turn
leading with the scythe and the cradle. / ven
ture 10 say work more hours every day than
"Mechanic" does, and do not in any manner
try 10 prevent Others in my line from working
Tor whom and for what they please. depend
for my success on doing my work better and
more OF IL than others, asking only for IAN open
held and fair fight in the struggle for fife.
~ others can do better than l, il is their privi-
Ioge, and have no right, moral or legal, To put
Obstacles in their way, nor has any one.
In regard TO the wealthy corporations'' TO
which Nv. +. D. refers, although he is very in
definite, as he does not specify any, can give
him my views in avery few words By corpor-
ations understand him to mean chartered as
kociations or companies. would first prohibit
by law, all watering OF stocks SO that no stock
should be issued beyond the amount of actual
capital paid In, and legitimStely employed in
the business. Second, / would limit their
pronts, or dividends, TO a reasonable interest
rom six to ten per cent. according to
ctrcur9stances-on the capital thus actu-
ally efnployed; and any attempt at eva
sion, such investing surplus earnings
or profits in unnecessary works, &C. should
Work a forfeiture OF their charter, and all the
rights and privileges conferred thereby And
% insure the faithful performance of these con-
dittons, there should be one or more commits
gloners or trustees elected or appointed on be-
half of the public, who should have a voice i'm
the company and access to its books, with an
annual public report in full OF all its doings /
would apply these conditions To all cornpanies
governments, including railroad telegraph
telephone, gas and all similar chartered com.
panles. am ready TO join Nv. +. D." or any
other man, In the effort to accomplish this at any
time. Those who desire 10 see how the cost of liy-
Ing has gradually decreased in the United states
Tor the past seventy-five years will do well to-
read the speech of Senator George ON that sub
tect In the Senate last winter; and for the past
twenty-four years the article in tho New York
1r1o,tae OF December o, 1854. We all spend
much more than formerly, because we earn
much more and live much better. In fact we
all OF US now consider as necessities things
which our fathers seldom had as luxuries. We
are better housed, better clothed, better fed
And better educated, and /, for one, rejoice
that such Is the fact. OBSERVER
February 20, 1885.