Telegram-herald., 1890-07-07
WONDERFUL GROWTH
FACTS CONCERNING ouS NATIONAL
ADVANCEMENT And PROSPERITY

Our GE0~th in Ihirrs tsars-Ansrs~ss Ia (
Wages aad NsEassr Employed
The following interesting s-4tssas1t 0f
cur national prosperity under existing
economic conditions "a taken frozn Sena-
Tor Hlscock's speech o. the silver cues
tlons n tke senzse, Juns . senator
Plumb asks. Why change tzrl1 leglS-
lation as such prosperity exists It nay
De answered that the efficacy of tarl1
legislation having been demonstrated by
results, II IS now tins 70 Enaze that legis-
lzrioa more complete. 70 tortlfy i where
II has been proved 70 be weak, and ex-
tend II 70 industries and localities which
have Eot hitherto enjoyed its adyan-
tages.
Let me- invite your attention for
moment 20 our own industries, the man
ufaetuge Of cOttoEs, woolen goods. chem
icals. paper, agricultural Implements.
lumber. -four, glass, iron and steel and
shipbUilding, tho leading industries Of
our country.
These industries are so organized that
their reports practically give Is their
condition now IS compared with ten
years ago. The estimated capital en-
ployed IN 1880 Is 8, ,7s4. .740. .0S3 as against
s. ,l65, ,0l5,T4S for 1886; the hands EN-
plOyed ia 1890 IS estimated at PA, ,3S3
Is against Si4, &c IN 1850; there was paid
in wages in 1880 1856. 795, ,327, and it is
estimated that $3.50, ,659. sos viii be paid
in 1890: the value Of material used in
1880 was 81, i97, ,204. 561. and the estimate
for 1890 is g. l,516.3os 97s; the value of
tho product IN 1850, S1.774. .127 ,z23, and
the estimate for 1890 is 8, ,293. .770, ,e2S.
in the last eight years the metallic
products of the United States Lave in
creased $50, 600, ,000 worth, and In what
are known as ron-metallic products the
increase has been nearly 500, 0,000,0 900.
$50 far IS one is able to estimate from
the statistics that have been furnished
by the leading industries, the reports of
the agricultural department and those Of
the geological survey, the wealth per
capita in this country has increased in
the last decade 10 81 900. From 1870 10
1880 the increase was from $50 TO $50.
I'm the six cereal products wheat,
corn, rye, oats, barley, buckwheat), as
reported by the statistcian of the de-
partment Of agriculture, there was an
increase Of 443 per cent. IN the average
annual production and OF so per cent.
IN the average farm value OF crops for
the past nine years over that for the pre-
ceding ten years.
THE two decades preceding 1880, IN
respect 10 material prosperity of our
country, are without parallel in the his
tory Of the nations of the world. The
expenditures by the general government
and by the states amounted to at least
$1,000, 900, 600, not paid in exchange for
property for the people or the develop
Iaent Of the country, but TO support
armies in the field and prosecute great
civil war. Property of the value of ST.
200, 600, 900 was destroyed in the seeding
states, and for four years their produc-
tioD. IN those pursuits which create ma
tional and individual wealth, was sus-
pended. Nearly three millions of work
ers and producers were for three years
called from our industries: nearly half a
million Of men were killed in the con-
1
in various degrees. The funded national
debtre2ched nearly s., 900, ,OO0, 900. 1t has
been reduced to less than $500, coo, 600.
The valuation of the property of the
people in 1850 amounted to about $i8,
100000, including the value Of the
slaves; in 1870 to 10000, 600, 600, and
the slaves had been enfTanchised; in 1880
to over s43. .0O0, 900, 900, and as indicated
from the returns from the largest indus
tries of the country and the reports |
have referred to, the last decade will
show an increase in property and pros
perity largely in excess OF either OF the
two preceding it.
1T was asserted here the other day
that our country was filed with idle
men and unemployed labor. ] deny it.
Idleness is not enforced, and there is
labor for all at remuneTative rates. An
nually for ten years over 900. 900 inlni-
/ grants have sought our country for en-
I ployment. and with these yearly addi-
/ tons from abroad TO our labor force
: there has not been any decrease in the
rate Of wages during that period The
immigrants find employment and con
1 tinue 20 come.
Il have already given tho increase in
/ the number of those employed in our
/ mechanical industries. The number en-
/ gagged in agriculture is not so available
/ Their wages, however, are not fixed by
I organizations IN that industry formed to
regulate prices, but depend upon the
law Of supply AID demand The sub
/ ject has been investigated by the agri-
I cultural department, through its regular
correspondents and agents, and from
which report quote the following re-
I suits:
The average daily wages Of the or
7 diusTy farm laborer In the state Of New
I York in 1879 was 90 cents without
+ board and 63 cents with board: in 1880.
/ sl2f without board and 90 cents with
board. and for 1890 si.23 without board
and 50 cents with board.
In the state of Illinois IN 1870 the
/ same laborers received SLOT without
board and 3 cents with board. and in
( 1890 S1iS without board and Sc cents
+ with board
In Iowa in 1872 the same laborers re-
+ ceived 81 - without board aud 50 cents
+ with board. and in 1890 e. - without
board and e5 cents with board. There
+ has bcen 10 material change during the
i past ten years in the daily wages paid IN
/ that the greatest and the most important
q al cur industries. where. "a I have
stated. the demand ahsoiusely fixes the
price without the Intervention Of orgaui-
Eations In this connection permit me
- add that the labor supply IN the me
-t-..s.-f g.. Z -. =. -. = - -. .s.- g.. -.