The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-18

smentea upron ABROAD. ~ WY 1910
Iition ours we're awardea Inc E eo,d anonnh
and the ooMmisaloners were Ain0 oAo1 1
Va have twoacther volumes in preparIa-
4;am -hich will BE issued next year y tho
sa.r fnllowinv. The first will embrace
NM f.cts which we have obtained rslntavs
Ia IRON and steel--shs relative en,c.sncy
81 labor %produo,ng y naid ana taa
cost ii living. The second VIII c0vet ~
tSs sanae vay the manufacture OF ts1tlla
t.hr;cs aud miscellaneous articles, suon az
ass.s lnmber, sarthanwarc. ETC.. frsctloe
ennhies us to improvs our metnous, 10y ~ =
hsiicvs thess volumes. the WORK upon Wnayn
= airssdy wsfl under way, will prove VAL
,n.hls sdditions to this series. These IN
an;r;.s we're ordered by congress, and W
hhsya bsen engaged upon them Tor I'VE
-~sr.. besides carrying along our osus1
y"rE Thoy will be moro elaborate and OK
hsn.tiye than have ever before nesA pfs-
pared anywhere. ~ ;daa
- NAT INA department of labor Is dong.
Va nra hut 4 feeble folk aa far az an
Var. ara concerned. The average strsnRsn
~ arr force is about eighty, n the rssuAl
~ tha;r work makes but o small showlnH
when Judged by quantity. " most ~ -
sidared that y single printed paRe " Coz.
lated facts and figures may wssns'
r. ia nur province to watch closely
t;n,a. and changing condltlons' ny NY
snr,Sv th. information that the puolio
49, nssd. We ale doing the best We can
.;th tha means at our oot W.
coria do much more if u taellisies Wels
increased. We keep twenty so psaul inior.
spse,", viii temporary reiIforcensnts as
NV ,,nrs mnv REQUIRE and our fluids VII
narmit. Tbs field force gathers tne lAcss
~ Il clerks ennloved here tSbulate aha
nrrnnre then, for publication.
IN my Indignant the conaitloh y sa = :
vaneworkers Of the united States' vloWea
in Ill aspects, y better cite ni naa ~ Thsse il i
tcartinna{ sebh ana flow Of the tide OF general
nsnsnarity which fer the time a6ects inore
r. lass tha men and women VINO TOLL fof
th,s resson it is not easy to make q coul-
va ;.on Of a single year with another pre-
r.dinr or following 1t. bus taxing = :
.neriod of, say, twenty-five years. wv
striking q general svefase; ~ n an This
we see a marked and gratifying lmpIoSs-
tment. Wages are higher. and wnlle IN
.a,na r-snects the cost of living IS aiso
incraased. considering what = man gess
fnr lii nonoy. the advantages ne has o. e.
NATION. tie general diffusion 9 lnsei.i.
rence and social enjoyment, sle ieaAga "
Ero Inn If WaQeH OfGl u SSAs l
ma .a advanced. A very important
nnns;aeration ia the fact that while wages
hava Increased, there has been 9 general ue-
nsaass in fhe hours 81 labor. When THIS la
taSsn into account the large compensa-
the artisan .nd the laborer recelvs lot
THAR time becomes oven more appatsls
The reduation in the hours OF iaDor yves
more time and opporsuhi ana ~ these are 70.
an0 in hetterin9 the condition
OF the wage-earners. e.
None viii deny that in the United States
tha vorkinrman-populariy SO calieo-ls q,
Fthis time moe of a social and pollt1oal
factor than ever before. Labor IS mors
sresn.ctable-if 1 may use the expression
without being misunderstood Euue"sloa
.,feyalops in thu w~orkingman al! thns soeS
~ make GOOD citizenship, and TINS com
nauds confidence and respect. III our owl
COUNTRY the conditions ale radically aiIer'
amt from those of any other. Here I'M
GREAT body of workers are not compose
Of a continuous line or race. II
Germany, for instance, tney arc SUP
stantially all Germans ana nave 5eea M L.
CENTURIES. In England. Franco ana oshe
comntries it il much the sa,ne Compare
tive conclusions are therefore much NOR
s,silv ,eached than here, where we nav
, heterogeneous mass made up from all tn
civilized nations of tho gloee: Inc erea
wonder Of students and Dubllclsts shoni'
be that this great body OF people, SO con
stituted, should be SO lntellagent' so n
paid, and generally 80 orderly. -
Comparing our own with foreign s.
tries. Il Is an ~indisputa5le fact thk
condition OF the working people ls lnNsSa1
urably better. What IS most deman\
now. in nv opinion, is a wise n Just reN
ulatiou-psrhaps the word restrlctlo
would be un-American-of foreign INN!
grafton. Well considered measures 70 vi,
end would promote the interests OF GU
wn0s.wolkers. What those measure
should be / will not attempt to say. lher
haa always baen some legislation tsnd1n
in that direction. This is in some degre
e1perimental and NAV lead to somethln
more tangible and definite.
I believe the social and moral condltlo
of all people in all countries Is grown
better. am not a pessimist. do nc
think tho world ia going backward. I al
what might be called a conservative opt
mist. looking always to the better side {
things and seeing Improvement ana PIT
press wherever they can DO found. Speat
ing in a general way, tho worklnRman NJ
always had a hard time of 1T. He al
never received his legitimate share OF tt
product of his labor. This has been I'll
result of existing conditions and not
any fixed purpose on tho part of b
employee to cefraud him, Or of presume
hostility between capital and labor. s
many factors enter into the price of lab'
that it is hard to say why a man Is paid
much or SO little. The chief question
the labor problem of to-day 1s: How sh'
the worker receive his just and equitab
share Of production? That We are neari,
me point of a faiicr distribution | firm
believe. just what the changes will be
which this most desirable condition M,
be brought about it is quite il
possible now to define. The probe
mcst solve itself in its own way. Legal
tisn cannot do it. There are unwrltt
economic principles and laws which mt
dsts mine. There has long been q eradu
narrowing Of profits to capital, resulti1
from the increase of wages, competiti
rivalry INC other causes. Interest is low
than formerly, and this ID in tho Inns
equalization, being to tho advantage of t
borrower at the eYpenas of the lend
There is ct the Same time a general chea
ening of many manufactured articl
which helps the consumer. All these o.
ments enter into this question and fost
the hope of a solution at no distant d.
This 10 the plain logic of events.
1t is IL favorable sign OF the times tx
never before has there been such Il geler
sincere and Represented sympathy with t
laboring class, and q desire to better tn
condition i'll every practicable way. Tn,
will always tie misfortune and vice, DC
erty and want, but We may regard hope,
the work of legislators, the press and
pulpit for the Improvement of rnankir
Employers are more considorate on the N
and women who toll for them. Eysrythin;
in the lin- of eievating labor
stead of degrading it. With this
view, the department of labor is.
l said at the beginning, an edu,
tional force. Tt does not put doll
di Getty into the pockets OF workinRmI