Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-09-16
ADVANCES IN WAGES.
INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT THEY
ARE REDUCTIONS INSTEAD.

Protective Tafimtts, w t'SS'' -
Manufacturing Campaign Material Out
of the Whole Cloth.
The Tariff Reform club has compiled
a list of about 800 wage reductions whlch
have occurred III protected industries
since the Mckinley tariff act began TO
boom business and raise wages. The
nrotectionists last spring thought 1t
time to begin to demonstrate the Sood
effect upon wages of their panacea for
all ills and they published what pur-
portcd to be list of twenty-seven pro-
tectcd firms which have raised wages
since October, 1890. The American
Economist has published this same list
several times and refers to 1t nearly
every week with pride. 1t has been
copied and recopied i'll thousands OF Re-
publican papers. After Senator AIdrlch
and The American Economist had critl-
cised the list of 800 wage reductions be-
cause there appeared to be several repe-
titions of items and because some OF the
reductions had occurred III industries
and states where statistics indicated that
on the whole average wages had not de-
clined since 1890, the Reform club con-
cluded to see if the protectionist listwa
all genuine.
II sent a man over into Brooklyn to IN
uuire into the general advance of 3 per
cent. credited to the Kings County Knit
ting company. After long hunt the
firm was located on the top floor of
building in remote part of the city.
The employees consisted OF three men
and from ten to fifteen girls. The first
person met was the employer, who failed
TO remember anything about the said
general advance" until reminded OF
The American Economist article. But
even this stimulus to the memory could
not make the three factory girls who
were interviewed recall a time when
thcir WAGES had been advanced: they
could, however, easily remember times
when they were earning more than now.
The club has since continual its inves.
cation. 1t sent another man to Oris-
.;auv Falls, \. Y, where Langley d Da-
Wis had advanced wages - and 80 cents
Il day, so it was alleged. 1t was learned
that this firm makes skirts for ladies
dresses and that they employ fifteen
hands-seven weavers, four carderS, two
spinnera, one dyer and one tinisher. The
boss viewers wages were advanced last
spring from 50 to $2.2J Il day to keep
him from going to other mills. The
others IL his department-five women
and one man-wcre reduced last June
from Az to cents per cut for weaving.
They were then earning about 81 per
day, though their average for last win
ter did not exceed GO cents,
The boss carder was also advanced
from 50 to $2.25 FOR the same reason.
One of the young men in his department
had his wages raised last May from $40
to So per week because he was likely to
get the "spring fever" and leave; the
company thought it better to retain a
man who had beel with them through
the winter ut - Father than to break i'll
IL new man. The tinishcrs' wages were
reduced last spr;ug from 30 to 81. p
Der day. The wages of tn" other en-
ployees have not suffered from "Mckin-
ley" advance. but remained stationary,
from 80 cents to 81 or more per day.
Tho employees smiled an anti-McKin-
ley smile when they We're informed Of
the Republican material that WAS being
supplied at their expense. Some Of
them suggested that it might be a
scheme of Langley 81 Davis to attract
laborers to Oriskany Falls, so that cheap
labor could be obtained when the firm
starts its new mill in a few weeks.
Other interesting information was OBJ
tanned in regard to this firm and the
materials used by it, but it would be
out of place here, even if there We're
space for it.
Two other firms visited were those of
Wilkins 81 Close, and Close g. Christie,
glove manufacturers at Mayheld, New
York. Mr.. Wilkins said that he had
read the report that wages had been adj
vanced from Is to % per cent, in his
factory, but that he did not know how
such statement had got into print,
as there was really no basis for it. He
said that they employed about 100 men
and - girls in their glove and leather
dressing factories, and that wages We're
no higher than for several years previ-
Gus. They take on 80 or 40 new hands
year from the farms round about.
These hands are paid - cents a day for
he first month, then 81 for some time
md if they become proficient their
wages are advanced To 81. -. Mr.. Will
kins said: There has been no more adj
vance this year with us, or anywhere in
the county Fulton county, \. Y, which
produces two-thirds Of our glove prod
uct, than has been customary for
seven or eight years. The Mckinley
bill has had no material effect on bust
ness. Five-sixths of our gloves go west,
and the demand for them depends on
the crops and the weather. n warm
winter and short crops will lower wages,
and GOLD winter and good crops will
raise them slightly
The situation at the factory of Close q
Christie just across the street was about
the same. The gloves made by both
these firms are mostly heavy, cheap, un-
lined gloves, sold largely in the west to
harvesters, drivers, etc. No similar
gloves are made or used to any extent in
any other country, and there is abso-
solutely no competition from abroad and
therefore no protection to this industry
from any tariff. Close q Christie employ
forty or fifty hands. They both admit
ted that there was no foreign competi-
ton in their line of goods, but they were
enjoying the notoriety they were getting
through the report of the alleged wage
advances of from Is to % per cent, and
being Republicans did not feel called
upon to deny it. They laughingly said
that they thought wages had been in
creased more than usual in their factory
this year and that the Mckinley bill
might have had something to do with 1t.
They said that there was foreign compe.