New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-19
FACTS DISC LISTING TO DEMOCRATS.
business.

While the Democrats of New York are ex-
bausting all then resources in the courts and
the newspapers to break the force of Com
missioner Peck's official statement regarding the
advance i'm wages the impartial citizen who
wants TO know what the facts are VIII observe
that other statsticians are bringing to hght
similar records. If the New-York Democrats
are not careful they will presently find them
selves logically bound to show why this state
should be the only part of the North American
continent in which wages have not advanced.
No other statistical board has ever enjoyed
higher reputation for absolute fidelity and i'm
partially than the Massachusetts Board OF
Labor Statistics and under Mr.. Wadn the
Massachusetts, reports have fully maintained the
exceptional character established for them by
the Hon. Carroll d. Wright when at the head
of that bureau The Massachusetts report coy
ering the year 1891 has just been published,
showing an advance in wages of 200 per cent
over the year preceding the aggregate OF wages
paid being S129,41624S, an increase Of 3d.
a35,945 over 1890. The greatest increase was
in woolien goods-7.15 per cent-and it is
worthy of notice that the report OF the United
States Finance Committee covering the whole
country, made the increase in wages IN the
woollen goods manufacture 7.01 per cent, and,
according to this report also, the increase was
greater in that branch than in any other Com
missioner Peck does not report woollen goods
separately, but he makes the advance in wages
in all forms of cloth and clothing manufacture
43 per cent. 1t ought to be remembered in
connection with this that the woollen class was
the only one in which duties on imported goods
were generally raised.
1T will be difficult for fair men to escape two
conclusions-that the exceptional advance Ill
wages In this industry has been due TO the cX-
ceptiona change in duties on woollen goods,
and, second, that the report OF Commissioner
Peck, substantially agreeing in this particular
with others everywhere accepted as OF the
highest character, deserves a measure OF conf
dence which Democrats would like to deny it,
But, further. the average wages of all workers
reported by the Massachusetts Board-2s7,90O
in number-were S441 90 in 1891 and S437 %
in 1890. But the average wages of al! workers
reported BY Commissioner Pcck-2S5, 600 in
number-were S45l So so closely agreeing with
the Massachusetts average that once more the
substantial correctness of both is strongly con-
firmed 1t must be remembered that, as large
part of the New-Yor1 hands live in the great
cities Of New-York and Brooklyn, where the
cost OF living is somewhat greater and wages
higher than in most other places, somewhat
higher average for this State than for Massa-
chusetts would be expected. Correspondence
so close in the figures prepared by two distinct
boards, after entirely separate Investigations
is the highest possible evidence that in essentials
both are correct, and that wages did advance
distinctly and generally during the first year
after the new tariff was adopted.
II is not TO be forgotten that the Indiana
statistician, another Democrat Of reputation and
experience, has also published an official report
showing an advance in wages in that State
Details of this report have not been transmitted
by telegraph, and possibly the Democrats Of that
State have been more successful than those of
NewYOrk in suppressinq or burning up UNI
comfortable statistics. But the main fact is
of value because it confirms other official re-
ports, and shows that the advance in wages has
not been confined to the Eastern States.
Then comes further confirmation from the
Dominion of Canada for the Government stat
istician reports an increase in wages of 1G per
cent in ten years ending with 1891, and it will
profit the Democrats to observe that the av
erage earnings according to the Dominion Of
fetal, are S272 yearly for each person. Let
this be compared with SAL 80 in Massachusetts,
and $451 SO in New York The same labor
which earns 500 in Canada will earn S162 so
in Massachusetts and S1G6 in New-Yorl1 under
American Protection. Canada has faint form
Of protection for itself, but nothing to compare
with the system under which labor in this coun-
IL ii II
paraelcd development of resources. The New
York Democrats, before they waste more time
on Commissioner Peck, had better suppress the
statisticians Of Canada, of Massachusetts, and Of
Indiana.