Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-09-08
WAGES HAVE INCREASED
Under the Mckinley Law..-Sad News for
Calamity Free Traders.

report few days ago. A large part il
devoted to figures of interest in rela
ton to the tariff. In order to prove
whether protection, as advocated by
one political party, or tariff for reve.
nue. only would prove of advantage
statistics have been gathered to show
in every industry in the State the in.
crease or decrease of production and
comparative increase or decrease in
wages. Mr.. Peck says:
''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 a law.
That is, the data upon which the report
has been made was for the year COM
mencing September 1, 1889, up to and
including August 81, 1890, and the year
commencing September 1, 1890, up to
and including August 81, 1891.
'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 whole
sale manufacturing establishments.
To have undertaken to cover the retail
and custom manufacturing establish
ments of the State would have been a
physical and financial impossibility.
Some 5000 blanks were addressed and
mailed to as many separate establish
ments throughout the State, and of
this number 5000, or rs per cent, were
returned-fullyand correctly answered
From the tables it appears that
there was net increase in wages of
$6,377, ,925.O9 in the year 1891, as COM
pared with the amount paid in 1890,
and a net increase of production of
S3l l,315, 1908 in the year 1891 over that
of 1890. A simple analysis of this ia
BILE further demonstrates the interesting
fact that of the 81 industries covered
n per cent. of them show an increase
either of the wages or product, or both,
and that there were no less than S9,717
Instances of individual increases of
wages during the same year.
while the industries are but 81 in
number the total trades represented
amount to 1,121, and give employment
to 2S5,OOO workingmen and women.
Of the 81 industries included, 10 per
cent. of them show an increased aver
age yearly earning in the year 1891,
while the total average increase of year
ly earnings of the 2S5,00O employees
was S23.11. The average increase of
yearly earnings of the employees in the
81 trades showing an increase was
$43.96 in 1891 as compared with 1890.
I'm 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 occur
ing in the year 1890, a decrease of 1, ,739.
Of the total number, 4,519, 1915, or SO
per cent. of them were in the building
trades, fact that seems to follow in
natural sequence the results obtained
in the special investigation of the EFF
feet of the tariff on labor and wages :"
The report closed as follows: ut has
been my experience, as l doubt not it
has been of every statistician, more OF
less, that one often finds himself tempt
ed, unconsciously perhaps, to pursue
an investigation with view to estab-
lish preconceived theory. How often
failure and positive discontinue follow
l can safely leave to those who have
engaged in the fascinating study of
statistics.
ITO the true statistician, however,
uninfuenced by social or political con-
siderations, the position is an enviable
one, and carries with it duties and re-
sponsibilities of the highest order. To
him theories are as nothing without
facts to support them they become mis-
leading, and therefore worthless. Facts
and truth are what he seeks, and hav-
ing possessed himself of them he places
them, hard and cold as they oftentimes
are, before the public, satisfied that he
has done his duty, and thereby attained
his highest ambition"