The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-08
A Contrast OF Conditions.


existing conditions the rich are con-
stantly growing richer and the poor
poorer; that the condition OF the wage
Garner is becoming worse from year to
year. or course. everyone. looking into
his own past experience. knows that this
IL false. and that the condition of the
wage earners Is better than II has ever
before been in his recollection. Few,
however, realize how vast that improve
ment has been during the past genera
ton or how much higher is the standard
Of living among all the wage earners
of today than among their fathers and
grandfathers of the past.
A letter written by one OF the most
prominent newspaper men I'm the West.
when he went to take editorial and bus
mess control of the leading newspaper
in what Is now one OF the larger cities
of the West, throws a strong light on
the different conditions which existed
then This letter is dated August 81.
1S43. and in it the writer. speaking of
the newspaper Of which he had taken
charge saws: 1T is conducted extrav-
agantly at present. and must reorgan-
ize 1t Immediately after election. The
foreman receives eleven dollars a week.
one other journeyman FIVE dollars per
week and board. another nearly as
much. and a boy with the usual wages
of apprentice" II must be remembered
that at that date twelve hours consti-
tuted the usual days work. except for
the apprentices, who were usually called
upon to work an hour longer
The present rate OF wages in that par
ticular trade and in the same locality
Is three times as high as IL was then.
and the hours much shorter. Moreover.
the cost OF all articles OF common use.
save farm products In the production OF
which machinery is not employed, were
far higher then than now. 80 the ac-
tual purchasing value OF the dollar was
less, and. the wages were consequently
relatively lower than they would be to-
day on the same scale OF payment.
one of the most prominent OF the
present citizens Of Seattle, in the data
for a biographical sketch, furnished by
himself, recalls how, In the early fifties.
he secured the position of foreman OF
machine shop in the same Western city
referred TO above. at the munificent pay
OF one dollar and a half day. The
same man, in work OF a similar class.
has since received pay more than ten
times as great. and could probably COM
mand the same amount today. save that
he is relieved OF the necessity OF toll
for his support.
Not only were wages lower then, but
the standard of living was such as the
American people OF the present genera
ton have never been forced to accept.
save during the depression following the
Democratic attempt to reform the tariff
laws Of the country, The well-,o-do me-
chanic then lived with an absence Of
the comforts which every day-laborer
today rightfully feels that his family is
entitled to have, The ordinary, every
day necessities OF life now were among
the Injuries Of those accounted as rich
then.
Nor were the opportunities to rise
any greater OF as great then as now.
The margin Of savings OF the most fru.
sal was Enthusiastically small. and fru-
ganty was the enforced habit OF every
one. The son q poor parents acquired
his limited education, q he got Il at all.
az the cost % Tar more effort and far
more prlyat!ons and hardships than
would carry the pennness boy Of today
throuSh the highest educational ins,l-
tuition which the country affords. The
percentage q those who rose above
their sordid conditions 20 positions Of
moderate financial Independence was
FAR less than today. We have the rec
or3s % some ~ the few who achieved
/ .afH taalA .AANlANA NA4NAeae AnGtE those con
aiuons but We forget the thousands
who lived ana died precisely at the level
in which they started lie. The public
men ~ that day were TO a very much
greater extent drawn from the ranks
20 che possessars 81 inherited wealth
than they are now The humble origin
~ some who. despite these dlsadvan-
tages did achieve political distinction.
was ,hsn considered matter OF re-
| preach instead OF honor. the tone be-
ing set by the Southern states. which
generally returned to public life men
of d.sungulshe. family and liberal
means.
| Manufacturing Industries were or 9