Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-12-26

from Cnc corrected Columns we see CnaL IN
the fairly well returned industries the laborers
share has fallen flon So per cent. in 1850 to 48
per cent. in 1880, and to 43 per cent in $780, and
that the capitalists have taken and added to
their share the one-fifth which labor has lost
| In other words, the laborer is now getting but
four-ffths as much.as formerly, while the cap
italist is getting six-ffths.
The second part OF the question is, Does
labor receive more of the necessaries and Of
the comforts of life than formerly
according to the ninth investigation into
farm wages made by Mr.. J. r. Dodge, as
statistician OF the department of agriculture
the average monthly for farm labor was e11.54
in 1892. AS Mr.. Dodge's estimate for 1851 was
81 g. the increase during the thirty-one years
was just about 6 per cent.
Again the census OF 1860 put the average
yearly wages paid in manufacturing establish
ments located in places OF less than 10000 in
habitants of $2.95 per hand The census of 1880
was worked up on methods which resulted in
about the same percentage Of error as that of
1860. 1t placed the average at 1901, in towns
which had less than 10000 inhabitants. This
was an increase OF only per cent for the twen-
In marked contrast to these modest increases
are the statements in the tables OF manufactur-
Ing foEEd on page os Of the
United States, with Percentage Of Increase,
1880 and 1690'
1t places the increase in the average number
Of hands at 65.7 per cent. and the increase in
the amount OF wages at l3ll7 per cent The
very fact that the percentages in this table,
entitled Comparative Summary are figured
out to the one-hundredth part of per cent. is
proof to the reader that the writer considered
the figures accurate and comparable. These
percentages of increase indicate an average ln-
crease in wages per hand OF 1919 per cent.
This is an incredible increase for one decade.
Hence let us examine the parts which go to
make up the total obtained from our manufac-
which prove the reductio absurdum. For in
stance, the breweries with a product of $780,
ISL ,6ea are accredited on page 120 with an in
crease of IS per cent. in average wages per
man. The establishments producing mems
clothing in New York city. which turn out an
annual product Of S87. ,S84, are accredited
words, the average wages Of the hands en-
ployed is said to have increased from $2s4 in
In the boot and shoe factories of Richmond,
Va, which turned out an annual product run
ming into the millions the average wages are
1880 to 1915 in 1890, or an increase Of 81 per
cent. in decade. By the way, the largest OF
wages for men from SO per year Of twelve
months. or 10c per day, in 1890. to over $780, or
g per day. in 1890. Is it possible that any es-
1880 paid its men l0c per day, was in 1880 paying
e per day for the same grade Of work, and the
same am cunt OF efficiency?
So much for single industries turning out
from few to 500 900 worth Of product per
annum. Let US combine the industries which
snow THESE cuOEuOuS IuCTCdScS. 1dhlLS Ill
the establishments in the states south Of Penn
sylvania, Kentucky and Iowa. and those wages
of the Missouri and Red River of the North lex
cepting California, and adding selected indus |
tres which were accredited with large in
creases from the other nineteen states, we
have an array of establishments turning out
produce of g. 900, 600 worth per annum,
whose average wages in 1890 was |
S,s1 and in 1890 s491 an increase of Is per
cent. in ten years. Everybody knows that |
there has been no such increase In wages
throughout the great south country and the |
broad west. This great increase is due chiefly |
to the fact that the census OF manufactures for |
1880 was worked up on an entirely different |
basis from that of $780, In the former census |
the officers and firm members were reckoned |
among the number Of hands employed, but |
were not accredited any wages, except in ex- |
few cases.
In 1890 the hundreds Of thousands of officers, |
firm members and statesmen we're each accred- |
tied with large salaries, aggegating upwards |
of s. 00O0.0 600. Some salaries were equal &c /
that paid the president of the United States. |
On the other hand, in the census Of 1880 the /
figures purportfng to represent the average
number of hands were for about half the estab- |
identical with the greatest number |
of hands employed during the year. In /
the other half they represent for each estab-
the average MURDER employed dur
ing the few months When the establishment
was running full force. AS a result there |
were almost always more than the
average, and often several times the average.
as figured out by the methods employed in
compiling the census of 1880. Hence COM
parsons involving the humber of hands en-
ployed are very deceivinf especially when the
salaries of 1896 are includeded.
However. 1 may sav'that in the towns where
ground rent is q small factor. the increase is
about the same as en- the farm. namely, vcfs
small. whereas the deer. ase in the laborer's
Of the product is as ne have seen
very considerable.