New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-17
SELECTIONS FROM THE NAIL
THE RISE IN WAGES.
A COMPARISON OF THE PRESENT TIME WITH
THE DAYS BEFORE THE WAR

THE DAYS BEFORE THE WAR;
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir The assertion that prices generally are lower
to-day than ever before serves to remind me how
short mems memories Take wages, Tor IN
stance: IN the days of Pierce and Buchanan the
common wage Of farm laborers by the day IN
southeastern Pennsylvania was 80 cents; In nay
making and harvest 10 cents, with board. Tho
ordinary monthly rate with board, was 80 John
NJ Most Of Morgantown Bcrks County PAID w
for a more than average workman which was TIC
highest WACO recollect being paid IN that scc-
ton, and usually worked from daylight tin DARK
In summer, and in winter by lantern. often oo'h
morning and evening. Harvest wages ADVANCED 10
90 cents and for good hands TO 81. toward the
close OF Buchanan's time. For two years curing
the Crlnean War wheat sold At high hgure ana
farmers made money 1t generally believed
that that cereal would never again sell Al loss I'M"
81 a bushel. Carpenters wages in our village were
81 a day. and 500 year was 'way-up saiaty III
any business requiring education and training. In
1860 I went to Champaign County, ONO, where iaiii
wages were somewhat better. but in 1861 WORKED
there on a farm for IS a month. The war had
opened ard the Southern markets were cut OH
The year 1862 found In Fulton county Ill
The tremendous supplies needed for the army
caused an advance In the price Of farm products
and the drafts OF from field and shop toio 70
the advantage OF labor and farm wages were sll to
II,
1851 to s2 $50 while the harvest wages In the lat
ter years were s. TO 50 n day. In the mean ume'
however gold had gone out OF circulation. but peo-
pie a rule seemed TO pay no attention Whatever
TO this Prices were advancing and no one seemed
to think or care TO the kind OF money ne was
receiving and in this connection II occurs TO zoe
that financial reporters are much TO blame 1or .ne
mistiness existing in the minds OF ordinary pe"pie
on the money question. IL gold Is the word neds-
ure OF value would II not have been peter 70
quote II uniformly at par, l. e., 100 ana greehDtcn
and other deprecated money at 80 so. 20, or what
ever It's actual value was In gold? Giving the mar
ket value OF gold at rs. TO- etc. IS surely mis-
leading 10 the average citizen. ,,
In ISL sold In Illinois at 10 cents oushe,
wheat 80 cents In 1863 1864 corn was worth ~ 10
50 GEMS In 1863 hauled corn about twenty miles
to market in Kansas and sold It for l6 cents, ana IN
SO we burned it for fuel In the hfties we had tne
good 90 old State bank money Every business
man had 70 take a Bank Note Reporter ana keep
a magnifying glass: even banks would sonietlnes
be deceived by counterfeits Before leaving Fenn-
bank notes. some of which happened TO be on New
Jersey not fifty miles away. yet had 10 lose
3 per cent discount on them. Our home store
keeper God bless HIM gave me gold in exchange
for my paper money else. perhaps. by the time !!
reached Ohio might not have had % per cent OF
the face value OF my savings.
These things were all before the crime OF H.
In 1919 ! paid Mexicans higher wages in Texas
than Americans got in Pennsylvania. In 1875 for
similar class OF work From 1870 TO ISL common
Mexican herdmer stock ranches in West Texas
were paid 80 to 81 20 per month and rations, ~
being the usual rate here. Since the killing Of the
sheep industry by free trade wages have de-
creased one-t third, and hundreds Of men who once
hal steady work are now idle living In the scanti-
possible way. Give this section again reason
able tadf on live stock and its products, and In
twelve months should again be a prosperous
people and the money controversy would be dead.
c. S. BROADBENT