The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-03-25
WAGES AND THE MILLIONS
Under the Republican Policy the Adj
vance I'm Many Industries
Goes McrriIy On.

Gor> MtrrAt Oh.
A few items. of the kind which demo-
cratic editors would naturally hide in
remote places and small type, have
greater interest for thrce-quarters OF
The people than all Others. They show
that at Fall River and Providence and
Lowell the cotton mills. at various east
ern points the wooden mills, at Spar
rows Point and some others. anu in the
valleys, the iron mills, and in West Nir-
ginia and southern mines the coal min
ers have been advancing wages. The
advances in all the cases observed were
apparently voluntary, and not demand
ed by the WORKERS, though ii has been
generally understood in several indus
tries that better wages would be paid
"a soon as a definite Improvement in
business was established. 1t may be
roughly estimated that over 100000
hands were affected by the advances re-
ported on one day alone, and these
advances average about ten per cent.
80 that the influence upon the purchas-
ing power of wage-earners was not in
considerable
most readers have al command is neces-
saIy in order 10 appreciate the relative
Importance of such movements, and yet
all can understand that an advance so
general means better times for the
workers, and, because they are thus
enabled 10 buy more literally. larger
buSiness for traders and manufacture
ers. Still, il should be added that thu
cost OF living is at present lower than
IL has ever been at any previous time OF
general prosperity, and materially low
CIR than in 1892, when conditions were
on the whole more favorable than ever
before. II wages have not in most eases
advanced beyond the level then at
tanned, they are worth more 10 those
who receive them because the selling
prices OF commodities are on the whole
much lower. IL is not TO be forgotten
that the condition of the working mills
is even more greatly improved, with
over 100 hands employed instead Of so
most of the time in recent years, and
100 in 1892, the year of greatest pros
perity hitherto.
No one can measure the influence OF
this change in the circumstances OF the
great ajority of voters. IL is never
SAFE TO forget that the voters Of this
country are in the main wage-earuers'--
not members of organized bodies which
embrace less than thirtieth OF the
workers for wages, but men whose
daily earnings, with the subsistence
and the comforts OF their families, de-
pend upon the relation between tho
prices OF commodities and the wages
received When wages are high but
commodities relatively high. the mill
lions are apt 10 be dissatisfied When
wages are low and the large proportion
Of the willing hands are out OF work. as
in the years between 1892 and 1897, gen
eral and profound resentment is sure to
show itself in elections, and a change
OF national policy Is demanded But
when better wages and lower prices Of
commodities, with increased employ
ment of labor, go 10 help every family
Of the 2i.0O0,000 depending upon ma
tional welfare, the people are apt 10 ex-
press their approval as they did in No
ycmber.
1t may be fairly inferred that the
later events go TO strengthen the re-
publican national policy, because IL
steadily and materially improves the
condition OF millions OF workers. To
judge otherwise Is to suppose that tho
millions have not enough intelligence
90 realize when events are actually
working in their favor. American his
tory furnishes many proofs that such
changes in the condition OF the work
ers for better or for worse, are swiftly
and almost invariably answered by the
ballots cast at subsequent elections
Better wages under republican laws
naturally produce larger majorities for
the republican policy, and IL would not
be creditnble TO the people TO expect
anything else. Whatever the theorists
and the dcmagogues may say will al
ways count for less than the balance
OF accounts NJ the end of the month";
n. y. Tribune.