San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-06-21
FIGURES THAT TALK.

4 ers tne SrOuuu Oh tne lnCTedSe III
the numbers of those employed in
galnful occupations at the time the
census was taken, compared with
the numbers who were thus en-
ployed in the year 1880. These
statistics show that the numbers
employed in gainful occupations
bear about the same proportion TO
the whole population now that
they did ten years ago, and that
the complaint that there are a
greater number OF unemployed in
the country now, in proportion to
population, than there were ten
years ago is practically unfounded
In fact. In the year 1890 there
were in this country 22,735,66l
persons of all sexes, engaged in
occupations for gain. These formed
1895 per cent. of the entire popula-
ton of ten years Of age and older.
In the year 1880 there were 1882.
O99 persons over ten years thus en-
gagged, and they were 47,3l per cent.
Of the whole number of that age.
These figures show slight in
crease in the percentage of those
engaged in gainful occupa-
lions in 1890 over those thus
engaged in 1880. There has been a
very large falling off in the num-
bers of those engaged in agricul-
ture, mining and fishing, compared
with some other occupations, the
increase in these industries only
reaching to 1880 per cent; while
in professional, domestic and per.
sonal service the increase has been
more than four times this per cent,
reaching to $685.. The increase in
the number Of those engaged in
trade and transportation is still
more marked, reaching 1919 per
cent. This is largely due to the
employment of women in offices as
clerks, stenographers, typewriters,
bookkeepers and statesmen, for the
increase in their per cent over that
Of those women thus employed ten
years since is 263.25. The proper
ton Of those engaged in manufac-
turing and mechanical Industries a
little more than holds its own.
The proportion here is 1913 per
cent while the whole increase was
only 1875 per cent. II these fig
ures teach anything they show
that the people Of this country are
on the whole jogging along very
much as they did ten years ago
That there has been nothing to
mark any particular revolution in
the industrial or professional world
unless 1t is the increased number
OF women who have entered into
the gainful occupations Of life.
1t shows that there is little
occasion for the voice ofthe alarmist
over our industrial conditions and
that it is not true that we are de-
generating into nation OF idlers,
living by our wits. There is a
reason for the great decrease in the
numbers Of those engaged in agri-
culture, and it will be found in the
unnatural increase Of the twelve
years preceding 1880, during which
period the great wheat lands of
the northwest were brought under
the pillow and the wheat area Of the
country more than doubled in a
ew years. 1t has simply been i'm
possible to maintain this rate of
increase as the wheat demand is
limited, and production has not
kept its rate Of increase in this de-
partment Of industry. This is
largely true Of the fisheries and for
causes special to that industry, but
the loss here has been more than
made up in other directions, as the
statistics show. On the whole the
figures are encouraging to the
economist, showing that the people
are not degenersting in their in.
dustries, but the rather making
some slight increase almost all
along the line.