The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-18
THE RISE IN WAGES.


The current number Of the Forum is
a magazine Of exceptional interest and
importance. We referred yesterday to
the important article which it contains
from the pen Of Mr. David A. wills
on the supposed appreciation Of gold.
We shall this morning refer to and
make use OF another very valuable one
in II from Mr.. Carroll D. Wright on the
rise IN wages and falling IN the prices
OF commodities that enter into the daily
necessities Of life. Several years back
the Senate ordered it's Finance Commit
tee 10 make an investigation Of these
two matters and It's work is now before
the country in the form of four octave
volumes full Of the most important and
interesting information. Mr.. Wrights
statements and figures are all taken
from these. In figuring on wages. he
takes 100 as representing them in 1860.
Where they have fallen the fall is ex-
pressed IN something below 1OO-where
they have risen. it is in a figure above
100 and the periods selected for COMPARE
son are 1870, 1860 1866 and 1891. Taking
100, therefore. IN 1860 as the starting point
Il is found that wages would be repre-
scented In 1910 by $50 chat is. they were
lower in 1910 than in 1900, and in 1866
by 1855 and in 1891 by 16S.6-in other
words that there has been this steady
and great rise in wages from $50 In
1910 to 1855 in 1891, It is interesting now
TO consider in detail particular wages.
In 1870 laborer IN large brewery in
New York city received go cents a day;
in 1850. "a cents a day; in 1866 $3.50 a day;
In 1891, from $3.50 to 81 a day. Compositors
who worked by the day received in 1910
$50; in 1860. 81: In 1866. $3.50 to 50, and the
same IN 1891. A building firm in Connecti-
cut paid journeymen carpenters, in 1910,
from s1.25 20 $i.e2 day; in 1880. from N.25
TO s.75 day; in 1891, from s. 10 1926 a
day. A firm Of builders In New York paid
in 1910. $3.50 day in 1860, 81; in 1856, $3.50;
in 1891, $3.50. Painters received the same.
The quotations are similar for carpenters
and painters in other parts of the East.
The rates Of wages paid 10 wheGwrights
were In 1910. Sl.25: in 1860 49, in 1866.
81; in 1891. $3.50. Cotton weavers (women)
In Massachusetts earned, in 1910. on the
average about 60 cents day; In 1860, 545
cents; in 1866. from IS cents TO 80 cents on
the average; IN 1891. $685. Wool spinners.
both Jack and mule earned less than one
dollar day In 1870. while IN 1850 they
earned sl.O5 a day; IN 1866. from $3.50 TO
$50 a day; IA 1891. from $l3S to Sl.75 day
The rates OF wages a day for blasters
and drillers in the New Jersey ore dis
trlet were 70 cents ia 1910. 81 in 1860, gI65
IN 1866. and $3.50 in 1891. For unskined
laborers at Cornwall, Pennsylvania. they
were for the four periods named. by the
day 30 cents, Is cents. $.45 and S.55
Let us turn now TO what the laboring
man had TO buy In each OF the periods
named-viz.. 1870 1850, 1866 and 1881:
Boston crackers, medium grade. a pound
6. Si-2. and cents; fair butter pound
10 10 20, rs, ~ and 25 cents: coffee. fair
Rio. pound, GA Is l-3. % and 10 cents:
eggs. a dozen, II. Il. "a and rs cents.
-four, medium quality. a quarter barrel
h76. t2.5, NO6 and N.63; medium beef.
fresh. pound 10, "a. . and " cents.
clear bacon. a pound s. S1-2. Is l-2 and 6I-2
cents, prime New Orleans molasses a
gallon, 20, 4s. SllO and.82 cents; authra-
cite stove coal ton $3.50, 1886. $3.50
and $500; cocheco calico a yard Il, DIh, q
and cents. Mr.. Wright then says:
1.-THE conclusion is positive and absolute
tabt, while the percentage OF increase