Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-11-24

"As a result Of organization, in
creased wages were reported for 7S
unions, and shorter hours for d..
This is Labor Commissioner Wright's
summary of the 1898 Connecticut la
Dor report, which includes returns
from los unions. There were no de-
creases in wages or frightening OF
hours among unionists. This is Of
fetal, thorough, and disinterested. 1t
Is taken from the September Bulletin
of the Federal Department of Labor.
During the same year, in the Nutmeg
state, the number Of persons employed
increased per cent, total OF wages
paid 14.6 per cent. The same bulletin
presents North Carolina statistics for
1897. Cotton workers received: Adult
males, skilled, Sill per day; unskilled,
66A cents adult women, 67R and 40
cents. respectively, and children 34R
cents. The 35 furniture factories PAID
men 971s cents a day, and children
42b. a rate which may help explain
why furniture factories in other parts
of the country have been finding II
difficult to hold southern trade. Inc
railroads paid station agents $1.42 per
day. other station men "a cents, engi-
neers $500, firemen S11S, conductors
s2.25, other trainmen SO cents, ma
chinists 1925, carpenters S1.67, other
shopmen sips, section foremen $1.34,
other track men rs cents, telegraphers
S1.4S, other employees Sill. North
Carolina is not well-organized state'
It is easy to tell, from the wages print
ed above, where organization does ex-
ert an influence. Wisconsin's industrl-
al report. summarized in the bulletin,
shows a great increase In volume Oh
business. and greater proportionate
increase in wages paid. The Industries
are grouped as follows; Flour ana
feed. lager beer, leather, lumber, ma
chinery, paper and pulp, sashes and
like products of wood, and other in
dustries. The 1,245 establishments con-
sidered reported an aggregate capltai
Of SIZE. 9O5, 1874 in 1896 and $1S9, 76O,669
in 1897, an increase of 1888 per cent
The value of the stock used in these
establishments was sS7,O27, 1855 In 1895
and sos. 1870 ,O70 in 1897, an Increase OF
1915 per cent. The total value Oh
goods made and work done was $l55,-
152 9O6 in 1896 and s169, 946,67S in 1897,
an increase of 9.53 per cent. The great
est relative increase, however, was IN
the case of aggregate wages paid by
400 establishments-nam From
s31, 749,S22 in 1896 to $36,5S3,o44 IN
1897. or 1922 per cent. Organization
aourishes in Wisconsin. In Massacnu-
sets. the increase OF stock consumed
In manufactures in 1897 over
1895. was 4.07 per cent In
crease in wages only 1.53 per cent,
comparative loss. Organization is
strong in the Bay state, and If 1t were
not the showing would be much worse.
In two lines of industry-machines and
machinery, and metals and metal work
the decrease in wages was 11.35 per
cent In other industries 70, total lZ'oo
ner cent. Yet despite the severe strain
mt unon labor in this state In 1897,
these were the only reductions, ana
gains in other branches more than OIL
act them. In the 1895 establishments
reporting, taken as whole, there was
an increase in capital invested, goods
made. stock used, and wages paid. or
the nine leading industries, five show
an increase in each of these items,
while the remaining four Industries
show an increase in one or more OF
the same. 1t pays to organize. II
helps YOU to keep what you've got, and
get what you want.