New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-26

tHdt III Wouiu De pau Tor American ldDoT, puO
just how bad nobody knows.
My idea is that if politics Is to be introduced
into labor organizations it should be in an auXil-
larry form, and purely for educational purposes.
About our trades? Well, we are prosperous.
] have here comfortable home and happy
family. We have all that we need to eat, drink,
wear and amuse ourselves and little to put by
for the pioverbial rainy day. great many
more Of our workingmen would have much, or
more, if they spent less at the saloons 1t costs
me SIG month for my rent. and this with the
ether house expenses brings my output up to
about $50 a month, including, Of course, the
butchers and grocers' bills. 1t is seldom that
cannot put $50 at least in the bank every month.
have ST., 600 worth Of furniture all insured, and
carry life insurance Of $4,000. / have always
lived within my income, good times and bad. and
every man who wants to work can do the same.
need hardly tell you that 1 do not spend my
money in rum shops.
Il know a man who has wife and four chill
dren, who earns average 500 month.
lie gives his wife about 81 week to run the
house with, and the other SIS he spends for rum
He is Democrat. Of course. He is for Free
Trade, or for anything else except the preserva-
ton of bis cwn interests and those of his family
I am Republican, of course, and am for the
policy that makes my present happy condition
possible.
If it is true that the Lord helps him who
helps himself it is equally true that Protection
protects those who protect themselves
The artisan told me that the reduction in the
hours of labor since 1850 had meant large in
crease in wages, since the men in the building
trades now earned much for eight hours work
as they earned for nine hours two yearA ago, or
ten hours four years ago. He urged me to OBJ
tain from the representatives of the various
building trades organizations a comparison Of the
day wages paid four years ago and now, which
subseq uently i did
/ wish everybody could see the cosey home of
my working friend with its Brussels ard tapestry
carpetcd floors, its neatly upholstered furniture,
lsce-curtained windows and tastefuly orna-
mented walls. The pictures are mostly engrav-
ings of an excellent sort, and the ornaments,
while not expensive, of the kind that really
do ornament A good upright piano stood in a
corner OF the paIlor. All three Of his girls, my
friend told me, were taking music lessons. lie
said that lie got the lessons for them cheapy be-
cause there were three OF them, but that was not
the only reason why he was glad there were
three They were good girls, he said, and he in
tended that they should receive such accomplish
nents as his means afforded.
Presently the girls came in, and played and
sang, deing both very well indeed. was salts
artisan had reason TO know which side his
bread HAD been buttered.
Following OIL his in-'ruc.,cu.. called upon
the representatives OF the various tidIns trades.
from whom | obtained ,onne accurate and really
interesting figures. In considering them it
should be remembered that all OF the workmen
engaged In the bdildlng ana other trades are now
employed on a basis Of eight hours for day S
work Two years ago they received the same
daily wages as at present fer nine hours work.
while, four years ago, they were compelled to
labor ten hours for the same compensation. To
ascertain the exact increase Of wages since four
years ago. as represented by the reduction in the
number of hours of daily labor 1t is necessary to
compute the relative value Of eight hours work
at the respectiye PERIODS T wneH cue Icuac.ions
ceives So so at the present time for eight
hours work Two years ago to earn that much
he would have had to work nine hours. Had he
lost an hour of any nine-hour day. his earnings
for that day would have amounted 10 only 81 H..
Under the ten-hour system, eight hours work
would have Melted him only So 80. The follow
ing table is based on the actual earnings Of the
men in the occupations named for eight hours
work day