Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-20
THE STATE OF EMPLOYMENT


There is no question that labor in
the United States Is better employed
now than at any time since 1892 and
that it is also. at least as TO skilled
labor. better paid. Evidence OF this,
which may be accepted as conclusive
for the whole country, is furnished by
the New York state labor statistics for
the first three months of the current
year, Just issued by the bureau of
labor. Among other things tables are
presented showing the membership of
the trades unions in the different trades
with the number and proportions of
those at work and those idle, their
relative and absolute earnings etc, etc.
Brief comparisons are also made in the
case of the grand aggregates with the
corresponding aggregates for 1898 and
1897, showing the changes that have
occurred contrasted with these earlier
years.
The bureau Of labor obtained returns
from 1,156 separate unions, which show
in a striking way the great improve
ment that has occurred in the employ
ment situation of the wage classes as Il
result of the activity and revival of
trade. Thus in 1897 out of total
union membership of 142,57O no less
than 1864 were reported out of EN-
ployment on March 81; in 1898 out of
membership of 179,955 the number out
of employment March 81 was reported
| to be 3S,S57 while on March 81 of the
present year the number of unemployed
was only 81, 1,613 out of 1885. Refer
ring to these figures the bureau says
the striking facts "are the large num-
bers of the unemployed in each of the
three periods covered. The economic
situation of trade unionists," 1t goes on
to say, sis popularity supposed to be
more secure than that of the average
workingman and yet $4,000 out of 143,-
| 600 trade unionistS were reported in
idleness on March 81, 1897, while 3D.
600 had been unemployed for the entire
three months between January l and
March 81, 1897, being almost exactly
| one-fourth of the total membership.
These large percentages of idleness, 1T
is added, pertain to the winter season
and do not hold good for the whole year,
a fact which it is important to bear in
mind in considering statistics of this
character. A large part of the labor
that was reported idle on March 81 is
now employed, so that it is safe to say
| the next quarterly bulletin of the New
| York labor bureau will show that in
stead of the percentage of unemployed
trades union men being 1872 it is not
| more than 5 or 6 per cent and may
even be less than this.
| At all events this report very con-
| clusively demonstrates that for New
York state labor is better employed
| than in several years and that the aver
age earnings in nearly all trades are
| larger. Indeed, in a number of trades
| wages have advanced since the returns
were made in which the figures of the
New York report are made. Unques-
| tionably these figures may fairly be re-
garded as indicating the general condl
country. There is some unemployed
| labor, but on the whole the wage earn
ing classes are more prosperous than
| at any other time since 1892 and the
promise for the near future is most
| favorable. All the indications are that
the demand for labor will be good at
least for the next year or two and that
wages will be maintained if not ad-
| vanced