The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-02-24

KANSAS WAGE WORKERS.
rAe Labor Commissloner's Report ON wsgU
Worlssrx, RAnperism, Ete.-C0mparis0ne
with OsAsr Piases.
TOPEKA. Kan, Feb. 1A-rhe advance.
sheets OF the third annual report Of tho
Kansas Bureau Of Labor, prepared by Hon.
Frank H. Betton. Commissioner, were
issued yesterday. The report covers $50
closely printed pages and is divided into
ten parts The principal topics treated are
pauperism, State charities. wage workers,
Touring mills, manufactures, coal oper-
ators, railroad strikes and labor and edu-
cation.
In the introduction the Commissioner.
SAYS:
Regarding the condition of our wage
workers am inclined to believe that the
year just passed has been slightly more
favorable than the preceding one. Wages
~ whole have at least not decreased. and
In some Instances possibly slightly adj
vanced, while employ ment, both with CON-
mon iaborers and in the building trades,
ton has also affected the miners of the
State, who rs class during the past.
summer received steadier work than
in tho summer preceding In the matter
Of the unskilled laborers in our cities, I
think that as q whole, owing TO the large
amount Of both public and private i'm
provements carried forward. they have not
only received steadier employment, but, if
any thing, better pay; at any rate, very
few Of this class report less per diem
wage than 81 50. while last year respect
able proportion earned not to exceed tl.25.
As the principal object in the establish
ment Of this bureau seems to have BEEN
due to desire on the part Of the Legisla--
ture to ascertain as accurately rs possible
The true condition Of the wage-receiving-
portion Of our people, II has been the chief
effort Of the Commissioner to become thor
oughly acquainted with them. and as far
a. possible to inform himself as to the ex-
act character Of their surroundings. That
this has required persistent effort and un--
firing diligence an examination Of the cor
respondence and general work Of the bu-.
reau will, l think, verify"
On the subject Of pauperism he submits
tables comprising reports from eighty-two.
counties. showing the number of poor-house
and outside paupers who had received out
side assistance during the year. He con-
clIdes by saying: ''These eighty-.wo coun-
ties represent total population Of l. 1853 SIG.
out Of ,4O6, 1S3-the population Of the State.
on March l, 1SS6-or over 81 per cent, and
they expended during the year total Of
s2o::'a 52S IS for the support of paupeys. It
costs Kansas about IL cents per capita.
yearly to support her paupers. The United,
States census of 1sSJ estimates that one
person il each 80 Of the population is ar
almshouse pauper, and nearly one person
in each i0Othroughout the country receives
either public or private ard IN some form.
In Kansas one in every $40 is::a permanent
sane pauper, and one person in every IA.
receives charitable aid in some form, while
in Massachusetts one person in every
fifty Of tho population receives some,
kind Of public aid. On November l, 1851,
Kansas had 1,675 inmates in her State
charitable institutions, 1,091 Of whom were
insane. 1t costs the State about $2o5 per
annum to care for these anfortunates. The
several counties paid an average Of Sl3L95
for the maintenance Of each poor house
pauper, snd 81. 76 to each family receiving,
outdoor relief The total expenses to the,
State and counties during the year was.
S5c6,375S"
Part Of tho report is devoted to 'Wage
Earnings and Expenses,r
and is by far the most important and in
chapter in the book, covering 100
Of its So pages. Statements OF some l.3Cs
Of tho workingmen Of the State, received
from each individual, are sub
nitted. Tables showing the daily, month
" and yearly earnings and expenses Of.
Of every trade employed in.
the State arc given. together with the
lays worked, a. well Is the cause Of idle.
lays, the nationality Of the workers.,
proportion Of trades union MEMBERS,
OF renters and homo own
ers, size Of family, workers TO family
children ut school, increase OK decrease,
Of wages, and in short every detail go
ing to show all phases ofthe workingman's-
condition. In the expense tables, the
and yearly sum paid by each
family for food, shelter, clothing and edu
,ational purposes are given, and compari-
IONS are made regarding these particulars
with other States and with other countries.
one OF the most interesting pages
n the book is that devoted to a table show
ng the comparative earnings and expenses
Turing the year Of some twenty different
u
hese tables we find that in Canada the
men employed in tho trades tabulated
armed an average Of 81. IS per day, against
3. 81 FOR the same trades IN Kansas. The.
Ontario workmen being employed 25O1S.
lays, earning during the year $453O2 and
$42l. 81, saving s3.41; while the.
Kansas representatives OF the same trades
we're employed AS days, earning s6l09a
xpending S552 ~ and saving $$5S45-the-
craftsman Of Canada working per cent
more time, earning $3.50 per cent. less
wages, and experding 81 per cent more for
lis family support This table was made
Up from the province Of Ontario labor re-
'ort recently received by the Kansas bu-
eau, and is the average OF 2GS4 returns OF
workmen residents Of twenty
our of the principal cities Of that province.
The average family earnings for the year
1 the l, 2OO families reported to the Kansas
'ureau was SS4CS; expenses, $44931.
average days worked, 25); average wages
YER day, $203. About 81 per cent. Of tae.
lumber owned their homes; an average OF
wo children to the family attended school
he average rent paid by those renting was-
~. % for 267 rooms, average for room
3. 90; about one-half were paid weekly
nd the rest monthly. The daily per capita
acome $50 cents, expenses 21X cents.
aving 8 ~ cents. The average time Of
ally labor was hours, 81 minutes. 35s
econd.. The opinions received from
form an interesting feat
re Of this chapter.
Fire ut Atchixon.
ATcHIsoN, Kan. Feb, 13-The hardware