Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-10-13
Then workmen hunted jobs; nov

I
jobs hunt them.
The report of the Commissioner of
Labor of this state shows that 500
Of the manufacturing industries of
the state employed 2s,s34 persons on
January 1st, 1897, 34.ss9 January LIST,
1893, and 40,221 January LIST, 1900. In
3o5 of these institutions increases
of wages are reported. In only are
decreases of wages reported. This
does not include the many thous-
ands of employees upon the farm, IN
the mines, in the timber regions and
upon river and railroad trausporta-
ton lines, where equally favorable
and large changes have occurred
since the restoration of the Repuhh-
can party to power.
Having passed through the terrible
ordeal of the Cleveland administra-
ton, as we'll as the vastly improved
conditions Of the present administra-
ton, the laboring people ought TO
De able 70 see clearly now that the
great labor problem is primarily one
OF employment, at good wages. Lit
is glorious for everybody to have all
the work they can do at fair, reason
able and increasing wages, as under
the administration of President Me
Kinley. No better or truer index to
Industrial and business conditions
exists than the transportation lines.
When the railroads are not prosper
Gus they are not making money.
When they are not making money,
they are not handling coal, lumber,
timber, and the products of the fac
tories of the country. When they
are not transporting these things
the capital and labor of the country
are not jointly employed in producing
them, the mines and factories are
not running, timber is not being
felled in the forests, the mills are
aot running and business is dead
and labor out of employment. How
absolutely true this proposition is
appears from the fact that in 1886,
when the country saw mill was
silent, the axe was no longer heard
in the forest, the coal industries de-
pressed and stagnant, the mills and
factories silent and smokeless and
the entire laboring and agricultural
populations of this state, as well as
of the nation in distress; the rail-
road companies were not making
money, not hauling the freights, and
we're likewise in distress, and going
into the hands of receivers. In this
state, at the close of the last Demo-
cratic administration, every railroad
in the state was 10 sing money, near
ly all Of them were on the verge of
bankruptcy, and THREE FOURTHS
OF THEM WERE IN THE HANDS
OF RECEIVERS. Now, they are all
on their feet and out of the hands
of receivers, and with this transform
alton in the railroads we have I'M
surpassed activity in all the avenues
Of industry, and unequaled prosper
litv among all classes of people in
the state.
In real estate values this vast inn
provement in the general business
conditions of the country is clearly
manifest. Many millions have been
added to the wealth of the real es-
tate owners of the state. The value
of the mineral and timber lands of
he state has increased enormously
An evidence of this is the fact that,
while under the re-assessment OF the
real estate recently made, there were
many instances of substantial reduc-
lions in the excessive tax valuations
of agricultural lands, the increased
valuations put upon the mineral and
timber lands and industrial and city
properties, the total valuation is In
creased over that of 1892 to the ex-
tent of s11, 791 ,73o.
We by no means claim that the
Republican party of itself bestowed
all Of this wonderful improvement
aad wealth upon the people. The
business man has himself been the
primary and potent agency of his
own good fortune. The laboring man
has by his own hard labor earned
ais living, clothed and fed his fam
ay, and laid up whatever he possess
es in the way of savings. The i'm
proved conditions of agriculture
could not have been accomplished
except for the industry, frugality
and business capacity of the farmer.