The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-09-02
WAGES HAVE RISEN.
State Commissioner Peck Adds Woe 10
Calamity Eraa Trodara

WAGES HAVE RISEN.
State Commissioner Peck Adds Woe 10
Calamity Free Traders.
The annual report of the Commission
er of Labor of New York State, a sum-
mary of which is printed below consti-
tutes an argument for the Mckinley tar
i'll which is absolutely unanswerable.
The report is purely business and non
partisan document. This makes it of
the highest value as a vindication of
Protection. Its figures are official.
They were not prepared with a view to
help either party. The sole object of the
Labor Commissioners investigation into
the condition of industry in the State
was to ascertain the facts. The collec-
ton and publication of these facts are
simply part of his duty to his en-
ployers, the people of his commonwealth.
Here is Commissioner Peck's official
statement as to the effect produced by
the Mckinley law on labor in New York
State:
''The period covered by investigation
includes the year Immediately prior to
the enactment of what is termed the
Mckinley bill," and the year immedi-
ately following its becoming law. That
is, the data upon which the report has
been made was for the year commencing
September 1st, 1889, up to and including
August 3lst, 1890, and the year COM
mencing September 1st, 1890, up to and
including August 3lst, 1891,
1.-The methods employed to secure the
necessary data were almost entirely
those of the blank system, 1t was not
the original purpose, nor is it now pre-
tended, that the data and statistics pre-
sented present any but purely wholesale
manufacturing establishments. To have
undertaken to cover the retail and COM
mon manufacturing establishments of
the State would have been physical and
financial impossibillity. Some 5000
blanks were addressed and mailed to as
many separate establishments through
out the State, and of this number 5000
or " per cent, were returned-fully and
CORRECTLY answered
From the tables it appears that there
was net increase in wages 6,377, 1925. 90,
in the year 1891, as compared with the
amount paid in 1890, and net increase
of production of $31 ,315, ,130.6S in the
analysis of this table further demon
strates the interesting fact that of the 81
industries covered, II per cent of them
show an increase either of the wages or
product, or both, and that there were no
less than 89,7l7 instances of individual
increases of wages during the same year.
while the 'industies' are but 81 in
number the total trades represented
amount to 1921, and gives employment
to 2S5, 900 workingmen and women. OF
the 81 industries included, Is per cent of
them show an increased average yearly
earning in the year 1901, SrhiiV Oh0 V"OeIs
average increase of yearly earnings VI
the employees IN the OI Jrades showing
an increase was S43.96 in 1891 as COM
pared with 1890.
"In addition to the investigation of
this special subject the bureau has con-
tinued its annual investigation of all
labor disturbances occurring in the State
during the past year. The total number
of strikes reported for the year 1891 was
4.519, as against 6,25S occurring in the
wear 1890. a decrease of 1,739. Of the
total number 4,5l9, 2,375 or SO per cent
of them, were in the building trades, a
fact that seems to follow in natural Sc
uuence the results obtained in the special
investigation of the effect Of labor on
wages"
The report closed as follows: ut has
been my experience, as, doubt not, II
has been that of every other statistician
more or less, that one often finds him
self tempted, unconsciously, perhaps, tc
pursue an investigation with a view tc
establish a preconcelved theory. How
often failure and positive discomfitur,
follow | can safely leave to those wh'
have engaged in the fascinating study o
statistics,
''To the true statistician, howevel, un
influenced by social or political consid
erauions, the profession is an envlabl
one, and carries with it duties and re
sponsibilities of the highest order. L
him theories are nothing; without fact
to support them they become misleading
and therefore, worthless. Facts AM
truth are what he seeks, and having pos
sessed himself of them he places then
hard and cold as they oftentimes are, be
fore the public, satisfied that he ha
done but his duty, and thereby attaine
his highest ambition"
The Democratic party is pledged, If
gets into power, to repeal the Mckinle
law, to destroy it root and branch, an
to put the American workingman /
unrestrained competition with the pat
per labor of Europe. The Republica
party is pledged to uphold Protection
1t is the party of prosperity. The d.
mocracy is the calamity party, the part
that is for the foreigner against til
American, the party whose policy woul
close factories by the thousands an
lower wages in every factory that it di
,, not close. The facts contained in Con
missioner Peck's report have a signif
cance that not all the rawlings of the CT
: Iamity shriekers, from Grover Clevelan
3 down, can obscure. They show that
vote for Republican Protection nel
: Tuesday is vote for steady enploymel
5 and higher pdges for the ,corkingmen
: America.
Do the workingmen in Bennington al
: Bennington county realize this. Do Il
. farmers comprehend the situation. v
shall see
e The Confederate States used to braI
/ its live stock and mark its property =
n S." Probably the Democratic conventiC
It had that musical combination in mil
}. when they made their ticket (C)levelal
y and (S)tevenson.
Our Canadian cousins are not litt
s puzzled in relation to the canal troub
| = =. Ill 4. a.,