Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-10-06
neapolis by Mr.. Bryan, October -,

neapolis by Mr.. Bryan, October 70,
1896.
The following is an excerpt from a
article published in New York,
January 1, 1898, by Samuel Gompers,
president Of the American Federation
Of Labor, and a democrat.
"That terrible period for the wage
earners of this country which began in
1893 and which has left behind it such
a record of horror, hunger, and misery,
practically ended with the dawn Of the
year 1897. Wages had been steadily
forced down from 1893 till toward the
end Of 1895, and It was variously esti-
mated that between two million and
two and a half million wage earners
were unemployed"
The following is a quotation from
the report Of President Gompers at the
convention of the American Federation
OF Labor held III Detroit on December
II, 1890:
'.The revival of industry which we
have witnessed within the past year is
n for general generalization, and it
should be our purpose to endeavor to
prolong this era OF more general em-
ployment and Industrial activity. In
this effort no power is SO potent as or
ganized labor, if we but follow a. right
and practical course.
1T is beyond question that the
wages Of the organized workers have
been increased, and in many instances
the hours Of labor either have been re-
duced or at least maintained.
#.aThe report which your officers are
enabled to submit to this convention,
so far as the growth and progress Of
our movement during the past year
are concerned, is Of a most gratifying
character"
Mr.. Gomper's statements comprise
the most positive contradiction Of Mr..
Bryan's prophesies regarding the mis-
cry and restitution which labor would
suffer in the event of the election OF
Mckinley in 1896, but a few figures
will emphasize still more how false a
prophet the democratic nominee for
president is.
i fEG1..G e. ia. ~ EEalF.- .sG,. III FREDERICKSBURG -
Since Mr.. Mckinley became presi-
dent artisans and journeymen every
where have received increases In
wages ranging from 5 to 40 per cent.
Reports made by national and intar-
national unions in April, 1900, show,
among others, these specific advances
in wages In 1895:
Bricklayers, stonemasons, boiler
makers, iron shipbuilders, bookblnders,
core makers, electrical workers, meat
cutters, 25 per cent; bicycle workers,
20 per cent; locomotive engineers, pat
tern makers and printers, 80 per cent;
mine workers and machinists, 40 per
cent; coil hoisting engineers, so per
cent; seamen, SO per cent; brewery
workmen, bakers, boot and shoe work
ers. lace curtain operatives, carpen-
tiers, stationary iremen, 1ongshore-
men, leather workers, tin plate work
ers, trunk makers and wood workers
10 per cent; cotton spinners, % PEI
cent; broom makers, brickmakers
blacksmiths, coopers, cigarmakers, 10,
connective ireInen, horseshoers, iroh
molders, metal workers, papermakers
~tailors, the LAYERS, railroad laborers
walters and cooks, 10 per cent; glass
bottle blowers, 8 per cent; iron, stee
and tin workers, II per cent; stree
railway employees, II per cent; textile
workers, 1271A per cent; stage employees
300 per cent.
But substantial increases in wages
were obtained also in the years 1870,
and 1898 by many OF the classes o
labor mentioned in the foregoing. ii
1887 bricklayers and stonemasons
ELFLL-t.4HEIEZaEgI 4HzHAgEEEh+ LELTEEEHFEZFHI
horseshoers. longshoremen and ma
chinfsts received advances OF 10 PEE
cent mine workers and potters, j;
Fer cent; and many others from 8 to
per cent In 1898 some of the In
-creases wer as follows: Bicycl,
workers. boilermakers. iron shipbuild
eqs hraurorv uyorlyYnom hooI5hfn5nr
coal hoisting engineers, horseshoers
printers. street railway employees
trunk makers and ~upholsterers, 10 pc
cent; brickIayers, s-tone1nasong. loco
mctdve engineers and coremakers, i:
per cent; electrical workers and min
workers. 25 per cent; stationary en-
gineers, 20 per cent. leather workers