The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-03-11

Of cyory good citizen. The arduous task
TO improve tho condition Of these poo
ple and elevate them 10 q better aud
more Chfistlan life Is practically work
that needs tho constant attention OF the
retormer. While these good people
make many personal sactitces TO i'm.
prove tho condition ofvarious branches
OF society spiritually aud financially
they still lose sight Of one great and i'm.
portant factor In their philanthrophy
while every known branch Of soeiety OF
individuals 10 cared for and counaelcd
70 keep In the faith Of Righteousness,
the workingmen. the producers OF tho
wealth oil the land are ostracised and
left dependent on their own intelli genco
TO work out their maintenance aa bea.
they can. They are not waited upon BY
our good Christian reiormers or per.
euaded or implored to attend social 70.
forms for an expression OF their views
or help swell the number needing In.
structiou or imparting knowledge OF
their experience 10 life.
Some people, and especially those
among the business people. express
very decided views about the honesty
and integrity Of the wage-earners. II q
workingman 10 not able to meet his
obligations to the landlord, the butcher,
the grocery keeper, tailor or tax col.
lector, he IL marked 90 o dishonest man
and unworthy Of the care or attention
Of the Chrlstian or the philanthropist 1t.
IL 10 strange, but true, that those good
people never look at tho dark and
dismal cause that makes the wage.
Garner dishonest and unable to pay his
lawful debts. The workingmau's In.
come or his resources for livelihood
is what he honestly earns by the sweat
Of his brow. The average number TO a
family In this country is set aside at
five persons. / will say mono are able
to earn o dollar except the father; he
is laborer, and gets 81 % day, more
than the average price paid labor nova
days This amounts TO 81 so per week,
or $3.50 o year, without losing one work
ing day. Not one wage.earner out Of
every thousand works every day In the
year. Assuming this be so, the ayera.
age laborsr will, between dull time, wet
weather and sickness, with other
causes, lose sixty working DAYS in the
year or SIS In wages. Seyenty.iye dollars
taken from $500 would leave total for
the years income Of S3l6. His expen.
ses would run, economically, a. follows:
House rent, s. per week; coal, light,
eatables and necessaries attending there.
TO, 81 so; clothing, 60 cents; doctor
bills, 80 cents; water tax, 10 cents; per-
sonal and other tax 8 cents; tobacco, %
cents; newspapers and charitable assis.
lance, 10 cents, aud shoes 10 cents; not
allowing one cent for Injuries and
making a total Of S. Is per week, or
1922 70 for the year. The yearly in.
come from labor is $Sl5 90; the yearly
expense is S422 rs; this operation Of
the worktngman's expenses leaves him
at the end OF the year in debt to his
creditors to the amount Of Sl07 20.
These figures bear no imprint Of ex.
aggeration, nor do they appear exces-
sive; but, on the contrary, according to
the high price Of the necsssaries Of life,
they show 4 decided tendency toward
economy. II the true condition OF the
wage-worker's yearly earning and ex.
penses was put before the public
gaze for inspection, in labor or friendly
papers. by members OF labor orgoniza.
items, they would serve for sufficient
food for reflection to church-going peo-
pie and Christian philanthropists that
workingmen do not voluntarily or in.
tentionally premeditate fraudulent
schemes TO beat business men out Of
their goods or money. But some good
Christian will say, Why do not the
working peoplelive within their means?
II this was the case for the last two
years graves could not BIO made fast
enough to cover up their dead bodies.
L. it possible that the wealthy and in.
huential have no conception OF tho
misery and restitution among the fami.
lies of thousandsof wage-earners? Mum.
berless families OF Eve or more persons
live on less than fifty cents o day, tens
of Thousands more have not this means,
but live on the cold charity Of those who
are disposed to be charitable.
"The abject misery aud deshtution
that contronts the American people
should be never allowed to take such
deep root or be even tolerated for six
months in this great country where re-
sources arc 90 vast and her needs 90
abundant TO have over q million Of
wealth producers living on stinted aims.
Those who brought about such state OF
necessity and poverty among the toiling
millions cannot be held criminally
liable for their cold uncharitable acts or
made to suffer the consequence, only by
degrading them from political prefer.
ment through the intelligence OF wage
workers at the ballot box. Working.
men can note the fact that they have
not many benefactors. When depres.
sion sets in by rascally legislation for
the benefit Of the wealthy the workers
are thrown out Of employment The
churches and Intelligent Christians
stand aloot from coming to their rescue
or make any feeble attempt to help
their needs directly or indirectly, moral
or financial, mediation or intercession
with capitalists or employers for even
half time at labor to bridge over the
hard times."
A general discussion followed the de.
livery OF Mr.. Grogan's address. Mr..
Bauer spoke ofthe reductions in various
lines, which fall on the wage Garner.
He favored an effort to secure the assist.
ance Of the philanthropic people to aid
in the fight for the bett"rment NJ tho
M