Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1897-07-02
: LOSS OF EARNINGS.

LOSS OF EARNINGS.
now DECREASE m WAGES Affects
GENERAL BUSINESS.
Why Railways Were Forced Into Re-
ceivers' Hands Enterprise Side Tracked
and Money withdraw From Cirouls-
tion--The Remedy. 49,.
All available facts point to the con-
olusion that the people Of the United
States have during these three years. Of
free trade and industrial famine been
suffering from loss Of part Of the enor-
nous income Of those engaged in gain
full occupations. The side tracking Of all
enterprise, the destruction Of our indus
tries and forcing our railways into the
hands of receivers has resulted in an al
most fabulous loss Of income. AS the,
whole nation had shared in the pros
perity, 80 all Glasses were affected by
the depression. It 10 folly to imagine for
moment that the occupations Of part
If the people Of q nation can be taken
away from them and wages reduced and
the rest Of the country remain prosper
ouA 49, g.-.,.-. IT.
The American farmer has suffered
during the last few years simply because
the consuming powers Of those engaged
in manufacturing and mechanical pur-
suits have been curtailed. It should be
remembered that we are all part Of one
great living organism, a. intimately
connected as the parts OF the human
body itself. Hold up yourleft hand and
imagine the thumb and your fingers the
five grand divisions Of the gainful oc-
cupations as returned by the census de-
partment. The Hand Of Toll repre-
SCENTS these workers, numbering 90, 1885,
68l persona Left of the life line, in
Guiding the thumb, represents the farm
era, or over 100000 Of our workers;
The forefnger, we may assume, repre-
sents those engaged in manufacturing
and mechanical pursuits and who ex-
coed 5000, 900; the second finger may
represent those engaged in personal and
domestic service, exceeding 1890, 900
in all; the third finger represents those
engaged in trade and transportation, ex-
ceeding 3,326, 900, and the little finger
represents the professional, class with
less than 1000, 600; the whole repre-
senting the national hand Of toll, and q
total engaged in gainful occupations Of
"a, 735,661.
Now it is impossible for any one Of
these five different classes to set up in
business for itself and thrive while it's
fellow finger is injured. When the blow
was struck at our manufacturing indus
tries, what happened? Work and wages
stopped. The wages of 4,71S,O00 work
ers were either reduced or stopped alto
gether. How much were those wages?
About $2,Ss4, 900, 900 in 1890. Proba-
bly, more in 1899. A cut of only 10 per
cent all around means q loss Of $780,
600, 600; q 30 per cent reduction means
. loss annually of $500, 000, 900.
The blow directed at the heart of our
prosperity paralyzed other organs. It
seriously affected our railways and
threw out Of employment $50, 900 men
and reduced many others to three-Quar-
ter time. In short, it raised havoc with
the country. With the election Of Nc.
Kinley hope has returned once more.
With favorable legislation our manufac-
turers may be able to start up again
The same is true of our railways. The
extension Of the present interstate COM
MERGE act, giving the roads power to
enforce the present schedule under the
supervision Of the commission, will en-
able the railways of the country to be-
gin the building Of 1850 miles Of rail-
way already projected. This means the
expenditure of $500, 900, 900, mostly in
labor. As the opening Of the mills will
benefit the railways, so the prosperity
Of the railways will enable the man.
ayers to expend millions on needed
equipments. which will give employ
ment to numerous branches0f manufaC-
ture r.
Once put the incomes OF the people,
whether engaged in manufacturing, in
transportation, professional or domestic
service, or in agriculture, right again
and the money question will disappear.
During the last four years we have
made less commodities, carried less
freight and less passengers, worked less
hours and less men and women, and
paid less wages. Once start our army OF
workers up again, and the whole coun-
try will be benefited. To that end Pres
ident Mckinley called congress together.
nlrrNYo U: $. AND :FORElGN
PAItNISPRocuRED.
EJJGENE w, JOHNSON,