The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-10-28


OF 10 per cent.
From Ohio there were SO reports from
concerns employing 1S, hands in
March, 1895, and 22,313 in March,
1898. The wages paid for the month
were $704 295. 2S in 1895 and 81, $780,
1884, SIS in 1898 In these establishments
there were nearly 1000 more persons
employed, and the average wages for
the month sprang from $3S in 1895 to
SOL in 1898 This increase in average
wages paid was due partly to an in
crease in the wage rate aud partly to
the increase in the number of days.
work per man.
From the state of Washington there
are 168 reports representing concerns
which employed 3, 946 hands in March,
1895, and 1880 in 1898. The wages
paid for that month in 1895 were $685.
$50. n; in 1898, $430, 25S. 81. The num-
Der of hands almost doubled, and the
wages paid more than doubled.
Distribution by Industries.
Let us now look at these figures and
see how some of the industries develop
the. point in view.
Take lumber as an example. We have
reports from 1858 concerns which en-
ployed 9,079 hands in March, 1895, and
Is, 4S5 in March, 1898. The wages paid
in 1895 for the month We're $311,-
297. 80; in 1898 they amounted to $685.
63l. SO. Here are nearly twice as many
men employed, with an average in
crease of wages of ~ per cent.
There are reports from 176 wooden
manufacturers who employed 90, 456
hands in March, 1895, and 20, 1868 in
March, 1885, an increase of 6, 10 hands
in these factories over 1895. In the
former case the wages paid were $685.
403. 46 for March, 1895; for March,
1898, they rose to 1855, 500. Sc. We
have here not only an increase of $780,
900 paid to the hands employed in these
factories, but the average amount paid
to each is larger.
Reports Were received from "a con-
Germs engaged in the manufactures Of
iron and steel in various sections Of the
country. These works employed in
March, 1895, 80, 993 hands; in March,
1898, As, 445 hands. The wages paid for
the month in 1895 amounted to ST.
606, 696. O8; in 1898 they rose to So,
118, 155. 81. The average amount paid
each employee was nearly 10 per cent
greater in 1898 than in 1895.
A str liking argument is furnished by
the returns from "a producers Of coal
who employed 10, 432 miners in March,
1895, and $3.50 in March, 1898. The
wages paid in the first instance amount
ed to $500, S37.70, or an average Of
$37. 40 each. In March, 1898, the wages
paid were $500, 644.42, or an average of
e43. 90 each.
What Does 1t Mean?
There is no reason to believe that for
the entire year of 1898 the prosperity
of March of that year will not appear
to be representative. With the develop
ment of results of the Dingley law the
average prosperity Of the year ought to
be higher than it was in March. But,
assuming that that month is fairly rep
resentative, what do these changed con-
ditions mean for these 2229 concerns
and the 500, 500 hands by them en-
ployed?
1t means that Cd, 500 who were ont of
employment in March, 1896, are en-
ployed throughout the year 1898.
1t means that 1929 concerns which
paid wages amounting to $S+, 945, $50
in the year 1895 will pay $l22, 37G, G43
in wages in 1898. Here is an increase
of over $87, 900, 900 in only 3. 220 estab-
lishments.
The "a iron concerns will pay $780,
800, 600 in wages in 1898 as against
$4,000, 900 in 1895.
The l76 producers of wooden goods
which paid 81, 756, 500 in wages in 1895
will pay in 1898 $40, 800, 700. ..,
Is it strange if the employees of these
establishments now thoroughly believe
h protection, with these daily evil
denoes round about them?
If the employees of 2,229 concerns
have $37, 900, 900 more TO spend in 1898
than they had in 1895, is it strange if
the farmer and the gardener have par
taken of the prosperity Of the factory
hand and the miner?
If the employees OF these 2, 229 con-
OOiho hdNo pof,OOOyOoO ihoiO W SpOuo
in this year 1898, how much more have
the millions Of employees in the unre-
ported establishments to spend? And
how much more do the farmers obtain
from the recipients Of these increased
wages?
Attention has been called to the fact
that the percentage Of increase in the
number of hands employed was practi
oally constant and uniform--viz, at
81. SO per cent-and the percentage Of
increase in wages did not substantially
vary from that disclosed by the final
onsolidation-viz, 44.05 per cent
Gain in average rate of wages, per cap
ita, 11.56 per cent. A remarkable and
convincing confirmation of the accuracy
of these returns and of the percentages
is furnished By returns from the East
Liverpool co. pottery district for the
month of February, 1898, as compared
with the same month of 1897, when the
conditions were not materially different
from those existing in 1895.
In the 30 potteries Of the East Liver
pOOl district there were 1915 hands