Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-10-13
tfnrcN,, v,rva.

RABMER- LfNr0Nr VIEWS
10 the Editor--Allow a word or two
sbouS tho much advertised full dinner
pals that our working men, 1t is said,
have been carrying for the past three
or four years. have been, continu-
ously. for the past 80 years, in a posi-
tion to know something about work
tngmen's wages. More than two-thirds
of our workingmen are engaged in
what Is classed as common labor. The
proportion of common labor, as COM
pared with all other industrial employ
ments, has had a steady growth for a
good many years. Our manufacturers
are constantly seeking, through the
cid of mechanical devices. to lessen
their demand for skilled labor. Com
mon labor il the governing force in
the labor market. 1t fixes the rewards
of skilled labor In the end. The large
employers OF common labor, such as
the railroads. iron industries and agri-
culture, fix the price of common labor.
At no time within the past so years
has the price of common labor been
lower than it is at this time. At no
time has employment been more pre-
carious than 1t is today. At no time
have the mass of workingmen been
more dependent than now. The bosses
in the great shops are now going
among the men and asking them to
Join this or that political organization
as they never did before. At no time
has discharged man met with more
obstacles in the way of his getting a
new place.
The railroads are now paying for
common labor 12 cents an hour. The
price was never lower. and the loss
from short hours and lay-offs was
never greater. Even with the present
rush of fall trade and preparations for
winter, the majority of railroad en-
ployes are now on short time. The
time was when full time, the year
around, was the rule In nearly all of
our industries. Now it is the excep-
tion. At IL cents an hour the man
does exceptionally well who secures a
yearly inco1 e of $500. In the iron in
dustries 1871 cents an hour is the reg
ular price. The extra Is cents day
does not cover the mans extra expense
for clothing the risk of accidents, and
the early breaking down from the la
boriousness Of the employment. The
common laborer in the manufacture
of iron and steel fares worse than the
others, Notwithstanding he gets little
higher wages.
Can 1t be said that the man with
only 5000 a year and a family to sup
port has a full dinner pail? How can
such meu protect their own interests? ?
They go early to work and return ez-
hausted late, with only desire for
their suppers and a chance to rest.
They are the fathers of two-thirds of
our children. Three-fourths of the tax
exactions of our government are fast
ened upon their shoulders. They pay
the interest on the billions of watered
stock issued by our corporations. 1t
can fairly be said that they are en-
shaved. They can not be called free
men. The hunger, cold and thirst of
themselves and families binds them to
their tasks as firmly as could the lash
OF an old-time slave driver; and, with
the growing density of our population,
there seems no promise for them in the
future.
To talk TO these people about "the
present unexampled prosperity" and
threaten them with starvation II they
do not vote for the continuance of
present conditions. is simply infamous.
JONATHAN +. LINTON.
Columbus, o., Oct. 8, 1900.