The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-20
RISE IN TRADE AND WAGES.

The Improvement in trade and the
/ advance in wages in the east continue
/ to be fruitful topics for press COM
ment. The American Manufacturer,
published in Pittsburg, has been de-
voting much space to the subject of
the improvement in the iron trade.
During the month of April it says.
"there was an increase of 7S3 tons in
the weekly production, and at the
opening of May there were seven more
furnaces in blast than at the beginning
of April. The weekly production Of
the coke and bituminous furnaces was
increased 345 tons. The charcoal fur
naces increased their weekly produce
ton 429 tons
The best evidence of the improve
ment in trade however, is to be found
in the advance in wages. This has
been going on gradually but progress
sively ever since Mr.. Frick voluntarily
advanced the wages of the coke-work-
ers. A week ago the wages of about
10000 men in and around Pittsburg
were advanced. In blast furnaces the
advance was as follows: Keepers,
from $3.50 to $1.7O; helpers, from $1.22
to s1.4O; top-f1llers, from $1.35 to S15O:
bottom-fillers, from $1.22 to S1.35; labor
ers, from 81 to $1.15.
That, says an exchange. tells a story
that no croaker can dispute. The ther-
mometer of commercial prosperity is
the iron business, which is the first to
feel the shock of panic and depression,
and the last to move when confidence
is restored. 1t is now moving with ac-
CELEBRATED pace, and we but need an
assured financial policy. and no foolish
experiments with our currency, to see
our people once more contesting for
the palm of commercial supremacy
with the world.
Another sign of the activity in the
different industries is the revival of the
labor unions in the trade centers. Two
years ago they were terribly democrat
lied and have not recovered until re-
Gently. The Manufacturer remarks:
1.-THE rush back into the ranks of the
Amalgamated Association of Iron and
Steel Workers has been phenomenal"
The wages of 5000 iron workers at
Wheeling. West Virginia. where the
mills are running to their full capa-
city, have been advanced ten per cent
We do not see any notices of this from
the Republican calamity-howlers, who
would have raised terrible co1nmo-
ton if there had been reduction Of
wages to the same amount.
The Chicago Times-Herald. however,
has this to say referring to the ad-
vance of wages: Men in every line of
business are alert and at work, and the
channels of trade are being cleared Of
distractions. Wall street has booming
markets. and good securities are in de-
nand to take up the idle capital that
has been boarded since the depression
began. On every hand we can see
these Indications Of business revival,
but this last is the cap sheaf."
1t must not be forgotten. while we
all rejoice in the rapid improvements
which are taking place in this direc-
ton. that they are occurring under the
provisions Of Democratic tariff
measure, which our Republican con-
temporaries in Utah and elsewhere de-
clared would ruin trade, paralyze in
dustry and increase the armies of
tramps which. under the full workings
Of the Mckinley law. spread terror and
dismay throughout the land.