Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-11-07
ADVANCES IN WAGES.
INVESTIGATION SHOWS THAT THEY
ARE REDUCTIONS INSTEAD.

The Tariff Reform club mas compiled
| list of about 500 wage reductions which
have occurred in protected industries
since the Mckinley tariff act began to
boom business and raise wages. The
protectionists last spring thought it
| time to begin to demonstrate the good
effect upon wages of their panacea for
all ills and they published what pur-
ported to be list of twenty-seyen pro
| tected firms which have raised wages
since October. 1890. The American
Economist has published this same list
several times and refers to it nearly
every week with pride. 1t has been
copied and recopied in thousands of Re
publican papers. After Senator Aldrich
and The American Economist had criti-
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 in 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 list was
all genuine.
1t sent a man over into Brooklyn to in
| quire into the general advance of 5 per
cent credited to the Kings County Knit
ting company. After long hunt the
firm was located on the top floor of
building in a 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 time when
their wages had been advanced: they
could. however. easily remember times
when they were earning more than now
The club has since continued its inves.
tigation. 1t sent another man to Oris-
kany Falls, n. Y, where Langley & Da-
Wis had advanced wages % and so cents
day, so it was alleged. 1t was learned
that this firm makes skirts for ladies'
dresses and that they employ fifteen
hands-seven weayers. four carders two
spinners, one dyer and one finisher, The
boss viewers wages were advanced last
spring from So to So dav to keen
him from going to other mills The
others in his department-fiv women
and one man-were reduced last lime
from AZ to 4 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 80 to 50 25 for the same reason
One of the young men in his department
had his wages raised last Nav from "a. so
| 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 at So rather than to break in
a new man. The finishers' wages were
| reduced last spring from Sl.50 to 81 2j
per day. The wages of the other en-
ployees have not suffered from "McKin-
ley" advance, but remained stationary,
from 80 cents to 81 or more per day.
The employees smiled an anti -McKin-
ley smile when they were informed of
the Republican material that was being
supplied at their expense. Some of
them suggested that it might be
scheme of Langley & Davis to attract
laborers to Oriskany Falls. so that cbeap
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 yyerc
space for it.
Two other firms visited vvaro +hooo ,f
Wilkins & Close. and Close &, Christia
glove manufacturers at Mavfeld Nev,
York. Mr.. Wilkins said that ba NOD
read the renort that WAGES had been adj
vanced from Is TO o. ner cent in his
factory bnt that he did NOT knov, how,
spcb n statement had rot info nrint
as there was really no basis for if He
said that they emnloved abont 100 men
and % pirls in their glove and leather
| DRESSING factories and that yya,,as ,ye,.a
no higher than for several wears nrevi-
ous. They take ON 3O or 40 new hand.
A year from the farms ronnd abor7t
| I'll 600 lo,,1. ,,,o ,,;l ~