The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-07

truly said that W. fare is always expensive,
ana anH inaanstrisl warfare is no exception to the
strlkes hayo not brought about anything. like
sson beneficial results to tho cause Of labor
ton, and for this reason one would suppose
bSn ri tne labor leedors wouli hesitate before
o o1sfe thss union 1n = n STisiS, q, The The l SSS ~ . on Tie S CsTis
S %sac probably twice that amount was lost I'm In
600 Indirectly, while. the coal strike Of 1898.
which was finally settled by Lord Rosebery BY
70 labor. capita %sS eT nna T tSs p sSPHipSi az large GTSs
ing and privation, the destruction Of homes, the
PIE other evils which follow In the wake OF In.
SS otS EnS SlSntaiiG aSa IT. There Ty,i f. Nc st reason co wsyI IN
IonsI methods, of redrossing grievances should
not be adopted and industrial disputes settled
The sh s, sems " r. az act other ern 6ps nonra d ~ srSItTa.
tion, which settled tho coal strike, should have
ENCOURAGED such attempts in England, and, In
systematic arbitration has not made the, ad.
vance on either side Of the Atlantic which It
Endorsements given. the principles Of aFbitrS-
Perhaps tho mos. important and interesting
living wage" and one that 10 capable OF wide
extension, is what Is known as the fair wages
back about seven cars, and it was one Of the
direct results Of the Investigation Of the ROYAL
TEN. Among other evils it was found that per-
ture Of articles for the Poor Law authorities
Ia, the wages Of these unfortunate people were
insufficient to support them. As q result, .
which, while not In any way undertaking to FIX
the rate of wages, aimed to recognize and uphold
the mipi m 5,S sSrreht t ratss Of W wages Sistt that might r.
resolution was as follows:
That in the opinion Of this House It Is the
duty Of the Government In all Government con-
tracts to make. provision against the evils re-
Gently disclosed before the Sweating Commit
s sSSi TO l arisias suf ilo sSns suSfstsi as may and RF so ms sRs
every effort to secure the payment of such
wages as are generally accepted as current in
For SIX years this resolution has been in
force. One after another of the great munici-
above, London, I believe, going even further,
and practically indorsing trades union rates
and the hours current in the organizations rep,
fore me. i believe the Fair Wages resolution
inequalities and It Is finding its way over this side
of the Atlantic. These circumstances naturally
s sSSgESsiI ned ah9 1sais la n relation aansrim to ah 70 9 bSlg n% tS Sa
wages OF labor, and, to that end, available ex-
listing data have been obtained.
resolution may be obtained In the report OF q
SELECT se committee on the subject, made In July,
examination and sitting Of a good deal of evi.
dence. According to the select committees
report. the resolution has been beneficial to
labor In tho main. 1t has, moreover, put all
labor goes. As regards he relations between
appear to have had any adverse effect. In.
decd, 1t seems probable that 1t has done some
thing to promote agreements between masters
and men, in reference to the rate Of wages and
conditions OF. employment. 1t does not appear,
either, that the contractor, as q whole, object
been administered. Il al Appears also that co aae
plants. from the workmen OF breaches of the
81 esV coarse, 1 as to aoi the no@ Sd M nfsSasns a. Of VhM' Ia.
we are not 30 greatly interested, though the
main difficulty in England seems, to have been
in the Interpretation as to whether the words
current in each trade" meant in the particular
district in which the work was done or the
found that practically each department of the
British Government interprets this to mean the
rate OF wages generally accepted as current in
trict where the work Is carried out, and these
words, with slight variations, are now inserted
the natural Interpretation OF tho resolution.
though witnesses before the committee went SO
far s a. to say ,, that q t Rsst fair smo %ase q W res9lq fTom
done in that locality. and was fast killing tho
to disregard a rate Of wages held to DO current
Y, Woa fhe be- eiI 10 ina waer oon ahs yyars in mo other sasI parts
Of the country to do the like, and thus TO drive
efect Of tie resolution has been unfortunate for
the old soldiers and marines, many Of whom
were employed BY contraetSrs at less 7. than thai d fnii
been decided that in all contracts this clause
shall, be inserted:
the engagement and employment Of workmen
and others required for the execution OF the
T wSEa; as and non.%n ,shai o. given as between
In this way, while. intended to maintain
wages, it docs not by oct Of Parliament recog-
.. lNL --f-lR ~ NhA Trad In rtN r.
dictate wages. This is undoubtedly o recoRni-
ton of the growing sentiment OF the Free Labor
Such, then, is the fair wages resolution,
and here we have the result OF six years expert
ments in Government contracts, How 1t has
doubtedly has been beneficial. As a protec-
has a tendency to keep up the wages of labor.
That o FREQ trade country, however, should in
what our free trade friends would call "a boun-
ty" is naturally a matter of surprise. II the
words sin the district" are maintained, 1t is OBJ
itself o party to a preferential rate. for in such
a case the contractor residing In the district
advantage over a similar establishment in tho
district. the. Thames district, for example,
where tho highest current rate of wages is paid
It is probable that Waller II. Maudsleey had
in mind some Of these INEQUALITIES when he
ture to think that the fair wages resolution
has resulted In little or no good, has caused
friction between employer and employed. and
that the further resolution which the commit
with future trouble, but is altogether wrong
and manifestly most unfair to the employer,
sponstbility Of managing his business and Of
CARRYING out his work" As the fair wages
resolution has been imported as one Of the
establishing the "living wage" the aim has
been to give a fair statement Of its working In
England. 1t has merits and dement's, but its
merits, In my opinion, outnumber its disad.
yantages. No political party, In England win
that States and municipalities should set the
example to other employers of labor by paying
full current wages and insisting. on reasonable
hours of work. Whether 1t will mako mt oh
Roadway in the United States remains to be
seen. ROBERT p. PoRTER.