The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-09-25
TARIFF am LABOR.

notwithstanding tho "IucrrRso" OF Wages
They SAN Average From II To ~ Por
Cent Less rGaH In 1890 aud 'Os UndOr
tho Mckinley Uul-what Democracy
Has Cost,
Clicog0 Tribune.
Four hundred and Gity.six employ.
ers, representing oighty.tivo different
industries, have made reports setting
forth tho number Of their employees,
and the rate OF wages paid to them for
tho first half OF the years 1890, 1892,
1894 aud 1895. These reports cover a
period oil effective production, period
OF intense protection, when It was not
known how far tho Democrats would
carry out their threat to repeal all
duties on competitive goods, and the
present period Of rising prices aud moro
employment.
From tho figures printed in tho
American Economist ii appears that the
number OF men employed by tho ij6
establishments Tor the years mentioned
was rs follows:
gSTs1I... ..... ll3
lsJ......,,. ,....o......JL jGJ loj
Thus there was an increase OF II per
cent in tho number OF persona employed
iR 1892, while in 1894 there was failing
of oil % per con! ~ compared with
1892. In June Of 1898 thoro was an in.
crease OF Is per cent as compared with
tho proceeding year, out falling oil Of
per cent rs compared with 1899. al
though five years had elapsed in the
meantime and the population had in
creased considerably.
Thus tho Democratic industrial panic
not only deprived OF work percentage
OF those who had work in 1890, but 1t
prevented those who were entering tho
labor field in the meantime from finding
employment, In tho decade lSS0.lS0O
the total number OF persons employed
increased 100000. Instead Of their be-
ing an increase between 1880 aud 1895
there has been slight decrease. But
ii tho establishments which have re.
ported have iared neither batter nor
worse than those which have not, then
this decrease OF per cent is serious
matter, for it amounts to 10000 per.
sons.
Il appears also from the reports Of
these employers that the average rate
OF wages wa, per cent higher in 1892
than in 1890. Ia 1894 there was a re.
ducliou OF 81 per cent as compared
with 1892. In June Of this year wages
we're higher than in 1894, but on tho
average they wero IS pOr cent less than
in 1897 and II por cent less than 10
1890. There have boon some wage ad.
vances made since June, but the work.
ingmcn arc still about 10 per cont worse
of than they were when they were
casting their votes enthusiastically for
Democratic presidential and congress
sionai candidates in tho hope that they
would get higher wages.
The total amount paid out for wages
in 1890 was ., 2S3 millions Of dollars. II
there arc 10000 persons loss working
this year than in 1890. aud II those who
DO work got on tho average wages - pnr
cent loss than those paid In tho Consus
scar, thon the wage disbursements this
year will DO ab5u. $50 millions Of dol
lars lest than Ia 1890 Those GE1res
give some idea Of what Democratic suc.
cess is costing the country.
There has been u gain over last year
both in employment and in wages. Tho
cause OF that gain 10 tho confidence Of
tho manufacturing employers that tho
fears which tormontcd them in lSD3.'0i
ncvor can 10 realized. Tho low wages
paid thon and tho decreased employ.
ment Indicated their apprehension Of
Democratic free trade. Tae Republican
victory Of las! fall, which put It out Of
the power Of tho Democrats to tako tho
country any nearer FREQ trade than thoy
had already done, rcopenod tho factories
and nushcd IN wagGs.