The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-10-17

Saturdays Register contained an edt-
torial concerning wages and the tariff,
in which the Democratic organ at
tempted to make 1t appear that the
present low rate OF wages was a direct
result of tho Mckinley bill. This was
in answer to the Republican COMPARE
son. which every wage worker knows to
he based on facts, between tho wages
earned under protection and the de-
creased pay of wOrkingmen since the
beginning OF the assault on the tariff,
which brought the depression, idleness
and consequent lower wages.
The INrEL1IdENcER has taken the
trouble to investigate the wage situation
in this community during Democratic
times, and fnds that the reductions
which the Register mentions have oc-
Cured during the past year, or since
the assault on the protective tariff DO.
sin.
During the Harrison administration
end up to 1903, three years after the
passage OF tho Mckinley bill, puddlers
in the mills about Wheeling received
from S. to S. 50 pcr ton. Last winter,
after tho Democratic Congress had got
to work on the tariff, with tho threat
ened wiping out of protection, came the
prostration OF the iron business and a
general reduction of wages. The pud-
dlers were reduced to 81 so and then to
500. Many puddIers voluntarily OIL
fered to work for tho latter figure, and
even less, rather than to remain idle.
AT present three men working at a iur-
mace can average but 81 so per day each.
Previous to the advent OF these Demo-
cratic times puddler averaged s. 90 net
per day, his helper So and the third
hand 81 %. Tho present rate, however,
ia SO low that the puddler takes his
helpers on equal terms and they divide
tho proceeds OF tho furnace, each
averaging 81 50 per day. With only
one helper the puddler could make
more, but tho work is too heavy for two
men and three are required.
In 1925, before the tariff tinkering
began, all tho pudding furnaces in
this community were employed. To.
day but one mill is doing pudding
the Benwood mill.
The steel workers here during the
past year have had their wages reduced
40 per cent, and have not averaged two
days OF employment week during
that time. Like the puddlers, the steel
workers SEQ no prospect OF an increase
OF wages or for stcadier employment
under present conditions, though for
three years after tho Mckinley bill
passed they had steady work at 40 per
cent higher wages. They are among
the greatest sufferers from Democratic
times and tho consequent depression Of
the iron and steel trade. which, as the
trade reports say. is getting down to u
free trade basis in anticipation OF what
the Democrats threaten to do.
Tho iron and steel workers arc not
tho only sufferers. Tho potters recent
" accepted l24 per cent reduction
which was duo directly to the reduced
tariff on their products. The wage
scale was based on the lower duties in
the new tariff bill.
The Register, in n momentary flt Of
franknoas, acknowledges that there woro
some advances OF wages in Republican
times, but alleges that they were in the
"non.protected" trades. 1t says:
The few very rare instances OF increases In the
raio Of wages arc all found In the nOn.' PRO.
teGtCd trades such As CArDentcrtng brtckinYinR,
etc That Is u point Republican orators never
touch upon because they can't explain II, aud
Il knocks tho props away IRON thelr whole
Argument
The Register is in error. The Re.
publicans do touch upon this point long
enough to lay down tho doctrine that
these trades arc indirectly benefited by
any law that benefits tho so.callcd pro-
tccted industries. They shared in tho
general. prosperity under tho Rcpuhi-
eau policy, just as they Nrc now sharing
In tho effects OF Democratic hard times.
That they nro affected in their wages by
the Democratic depression Is easily
proven. Within tho past eight months
tho carpenters in this city hNvn Ind
thor wages reduced 10 per cont, brick
layers ~ per cent, stone masons ~!