Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-03-27
Turned The Rising Tide Of Wages Backward.
Boston AdvertiserD


In 8Iassa chusetts, the figures are
available 60 show that c.en the threat
of tariff reform was sufficient TO create
Widespread distress. bad business. and
many Industrial disasters According
70 the-s latest report Of statistics Of
manufactures, the yearly earnings am,
the total wages paid deceased notice
ably under the threat OF tariff reform.
For example, the wages paid in the
boot and shoe industry fell from 500
Al 900 in 1893 to $50, 0S2 goo in 1894. In
the box making industry. wages tel
from s1.265. 900 in 1898 10 81 1877 900 in
1894, The decrease in the wages paid in
carriage manufacture, f,mounted to
$lS1 eco. The decrease il the clothing
industry was about S11j COO. The de-
crease in the cotton goods industry
was 81 $50 ,000, and the decrease in the
wages paid TO workers ~ electrical APP
paratus Amounted to S4S3,eo0. The loss
in wages inEthe manufacture Of food
preparationsew was 1852 009 and in the
furniture industry S230ta0. The loss
in machines and machinery in wages
was Sl.356,000, in paper and paper
goods $l2i 600 Stone workers lost
100000 in wages. AMI employees in
wooden goods industries, sost in wages
$l,6 0G0. while the loss to operatives in
the wooden and worstet Industries
amounted to 81. 29O, 900.
1t may be said that this loss does
not absolutely imply a loss IN the
wages paid to single operatives; that
fewer men might have been employed
and hence less wages paid. A state
of 10 90 ,,-l,- ,it,tr
therefore. will settle that question con-
cluSiyely. The average yearly earn
ngs of the operative in boots and
shoes fell from $496 to $43i decrease
of about S.: the carpet workers wages
fell from 1856 in 1898 to 1855 in 1851
the clock workers wages showed a
slight increase the worker in cordage
and Irvine saw his wages fail from $S45
to $329. while the worker in cotton
goods had his wages reduced from $&i3
90 $500. The worker in carriages had
his wages reduced from 1928 to scO2
The average yearly earnings in the
clothing trade fell from $,97 to $3.50
In electrical apparatus (Which was
not affected by the tariff SO notice.
ablY) while there was a noticeable de-
crease in total wages. there was a
striking increase in yearly earnings of
employees equal to 50 per cent. In
food preparations the average yearly
earnings of operatives fell from $465 to
$l62; in furniture. from iS5 to S41S: in
machines and machinery. from $J41 to
sos. in paper and paper goods. from
$ll to $40; in stone from S544 to 1922
in wooden goods, from $685. To $500: in
wooden goods. from $3.50 - 1913, and IN
worSted goods. from 1851 to $3l5.
Ii viii be seen that in almost all the
instances the loss in total wages i'm
piled an actual loss in thu yearly earn
ings of each operative. The Deilc-
cratic campaign of tariff reform has
been enormously costly 20 the Massa-
chusetts workers. In all Industries the
wages have fallen on an average frt m
$i36 to $422. and the total loss in wages
paid in all Massachusetts industries
amounted to 81 600 600 for this ono
state. If ali the states were to be con
sidered. the loss would il" undoubtedly
enormous. Even today when it is
practically certain that no tariff legiS-
lation viii be enacted du.in the pres.
ent session of Congress. there is hardly
a prominent group of isills in New
LIS i,tllNi III liit ttAtttt Industries lGtll
is not working on part time because #
conditions which are directly to bc
attributed to tariff conditions
In the wooden and worsted industry
today. there is hardly promiuen,
manufacturer who has not felt severe
~ the stress of foreign competition IN
less the products of his NILS is of some
special type which foreirn manufac-
turers have not attempted to copy, ana
the number Of such fortunate mann
facturers is so small that they form
little factor in the situation The mar
ket reports show this condition Of
affairs so conclusiyelv Ia. it is hardly
a matter for argument. 1t was not
tariff agitation merely, hut tariff To-
form, which has brought wages fr,r
$445 in 1892 to $4s2 in 1894.