New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-05
from yellow to black. are to he seen copious'y
pouring forth FROM dozens OF chlmneys III INC
Borough Of Brooklyn.
THE RISE ~ WAGES.

The extensive rise in the wages Of labor has
received much attention. and yet not ms mucn
rs It's Importance would warrant. There Is a
natural disposition To make ,he most Oh such
recognized and indubltable signs of public pros
perlty. and some unconscious exaggeratlon mas
not been wanting In recent announcements
about wages Some works have been Included
which actually made the advance early in
March, and some others which then made pub
lie announcement that the advance would take
effect April |. In one or two cases hands
say that the advance is not as great as has
been represented. Some men have an especial
talent for looking a gift horse in the mouth.
But all the whiting and pairing that can DC
excused will not alter the fact that this ex-
tensive advance in wages Is worth more 10 the
country thar many triumphs or gains which
elicit profound thankfulness.
The reason is that the sources Of future pros
perlty are thereby directly increased. The
farmer has a glad harvest home when rare
good year gives him gain of tenth In his
Weld. but what would be his joy If magic had
made his fields more productive by tenth Tor
all time, The railroad manager rejoices II n
wear adds n tenth to the earnings or me roau
but how jubilant would be his feelings II he
could he certain that the same increase would
hold for all future years! II is precisely that
difference which makes the rise in wages more
important than evidences Of present expansion
in business. The business of future years de-
ponds upon the amount which the wage-earn-
ING millions have to expend. Some do not
spend all they earn and they would also save
If wages were lower. Some waste. but their
waste may help the growers of barley and hops,
rye corn and tobacco The volume of pur-
chases from the farms, the factories and tho
mines must of necessity depend closely upon
the amount of earnings which the wage-earn-
ing population as n body has to expend.
II is stated that the advance this month may
affect 10000 hands. This Is only small rrac-
ton Of the whole working force and II the
change meant merely that in sundry towns ana
villages about S6,500,0OO a year was added
to the sum which wage-earners have to eX-
pend that would scarcely be an event of great
National Importance But the influence OF
every considerable advance upon the wages
paid in the same industry at other points, anu
upon the wages paid I'm many kindred industries
ot all points. is great almost beyond calculation
If the cotton mills at Fall River or other points
where connection has been sharpest can now
nav the higher wages voluntarily given, work
crs In such mills throughout the country VIII
be prompted TO ask what they can now earn,
and employers will find 1t harder for them 10
refuse some advance In other textile works
the question will be raised whether the meas
IRE OF improvement in business shown by the
great Eastern mills which were peculiarly en-
barrassed n year ago. does not warrant some
rise in wages Thus no one can tell how many
hands in various industries throughout the
country will find that the action Of comparative
" a few Eastern mills has opened the way to
higher wages for them.
The cotton mills had peculiar difficulties TO
meet last wear. Much was made OF the fact
that many of them reduced wages just ut
time when works of other kinds in great num-
her were making advances. for people not IN
the business found II easy TO ignore the slngu-
lar embarrassm eut caused by the course OF the
cotton market II IL not needful here to review
again what seemed to be mistakes In the man.
acement Of some mills. or the losses result
ing from n fall Of the material TO the low
cot noint ever known. Goods actually made from
cotton costing from 6h to 6i2 cents n pound
tho uorl,s wore forced 10 sell later in the year
NJ prices corresponding with cotton AT DOL
conte q nound The actual fall in the average
price Of goods was SO per cent But one most
satisfactory feature of the advance now made
is that II indicates recovery from conditions or
such extreme difficulty The rising tide or
general prosperity has enabled this manufacture
also TO clear away obstacles which seemed 70
require the most heroic effort. II will help the
cause of the cotton manufacturers not merely
Of those Immediately concerned, but or all
others. TO have this evidence presented that
their engagements with many thousand en-
Moves have been honorably and fully met ana
more quickly than many people expected