Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-10-14
DRIFTING Downward.

In the Eighth Biennial report of the
Bureau OF Labor statistics, of 1894 of
Illinois, section 3, under the heading.
"Deplorable Condition of Working
men," we find the following startling
statements. In connection with this
we might say that Illinois is not an
exception to other states. These con-
ditions exist universally and unless the
laboring men themselves put a remedy
into effect at the ballot box, the cOndi-
tons will continue to exist. This is a
matter Of statistics. 1t is not com
pilation for political purposes. 1t is
not made in the interest Of any politi-
cal party. 1t is simply an unbiased
statement of facts in the nature of a
report by the authorized parties:
Investigation among comparatively skilled
and prosperous working men has revealed in
comes ranging from less than $500 to 500 a
year in return for work averaging more than
10 hours day. Upon this sum families of
from 4 to people are supported. OF necessity
the shelter they can secure within reach of
their employment is contracted. 1t averages
y,
es considerably above 500 per year. After
an average of over 800 in addition to rent is
expended for food, fuel and clothng-none of
the best, as may readily be inferred, for it is
at the rate of only 81 per week or less
for each person-the remainder cannot go
very far toward meeting the innumerable pet
ty ana unavoidable expenses of city life. to
say nothing OF obtaining education and salts
wi nr fhax uhNI..
ates, of buying the wished for home. or laying
up the traditi onal penny against rainy day.
Such figures show, as the report for 1882 tru-
ly observes, THAT the income of mechanics
and laborers in Illinois is incompatible with
comfortable living. to say the least"O And
that is not the worst. OF the 40 workingmen
in oyer 40 different occupations from whom
returns we're obtained in 1882, MIR. Lord, in the
report for that year, says: "One-half of them
are not even able 10 earn enough for their dali
ly bread, and have to depend upon the labor
of women and children to exc out miserable
existence. Yet these averages are high. both
compared with those in other States and as
compared with the thousands of workingmen
from whom no reports are received. In fact
the average earnings of the heads of families
for the entire list of occupations is less than
the general average for the cost of living: and
that this is reduced to the minimum IS pam full
~ apparent from the tenements they occupy,
the clothes they wear. and the food and fuel
they consume"
This report was not made for a year of fam
Inc, but for one Of the prosperous years fol-
lowing our recovery from the hard times of
the late seventies. much more extensive
investigation, the result of which NAV he
found in the report of 1884, exhibits no i'm
provement.
But the mechanics and laborers from whose
experience these figures were obtained. consti-
tute, as Milford remarks and as their occupa-
tons show, the more prosperous class of the
iaborers that in common speech are distfn.
guished as workingmen. The scale of wages
and of living runs downward from them, not
upward. What, then. must be the condition
of the poorer classes? What that of the poor
est workmen? Only observation or experience
can wildly answer; but some idea may be
gathered from consideration of the condi-
ton OF the working women of Chicago and the
prevalence of the sweating system there as
exhibited in the report for 1892. Working
women appear to receive an average of little
more than SO a week. Over 81 per cent of
them receive less, their average being under
$500. The average of those who get more
than So lie only SIS. And among victims of the
sweating system. of whom there are already
at least ten thousand in Chicago, the investiga-
ton disclosed such typical examples as these:
Twelve persons living in rooms. two of the
rooms being in constant use for a shop; nine
men employed in one room. IL by II feet, in
the rear of q swarming tenement: foar fami-
lies in one four-rOom fiat, using one cook
stove in common, and all the women and chill
dren sewing in the bedrooms; a woman who
earns $6-54 a month finishing knee pants at 6
cents dozen pairs; a woman who finishes
cloaks at and cents apiece; grandmother
dying of cancer in the same room with man,
his wife, and three children, The man and his
wife hard at work finishing mems clothing.
A single room frequently serves as kitchen.
bedroom, living room and working room.
And for grinding work in such surroundings
wages are found to range from 81 week to
less than IS. with a downward tendency.
Beyond all this it is to be considered that all
employment is precarious. and that improve
ments In production, instead OF lettering the
situation of the working class. leave it I'M
changed when they do not make 1t worse.
Sam ADAMS has saved mon.
oV to Medicine T.nf1~o +ou-n