Morris tribune., 1901-06-22
st. 9ouR 2cttep.

| lI-14---~~~~--~-~-~--- .~~~~~~-~~~N~~~~~~As
The forthcoming reports of the
labor commissioner and the commits
sioner of statistics will show con-
dition of affairs in the labor and ag'
riculturaL world of Minnesota that
will be actually startling to those who
have not given special study to the
subject. Everybody knows in a
general way that all branches of en-
ployment and business are in flourish
ing condition and that this is the
working mans state and the working
mans year, but few realize the vast
ness of the improvement in the last
four years. OF course the actual
figures are not yet obtainable, but
enough has been disclosed by the in
vestigations made to warrant the con-
tcluslon that the number of men in
Esteady employment is almost double
what it was at the beginning of 1897,
| and that the wages in forc' are at
leasts5O per cent higher. In other
words, where there were thousand
men at work four years ago at dol
lar q day there are two thousand at
work now at dollar and d half 10
day. That is, where 81 600 we're paid
out for labor in 1897 5000 are paid
| in 1901. Such conditions cannot fail
to establish prosperity that is gem
| eraI and lasting as the state itselfand
prosperity means happiness for all.
During the long period of depres'
sion and hard times previous to the
restoration of the Republican party 10
power in 1897 there were not only
fewer men at work and smaller wages
in force, but those who we're fortunate
enough to find employment had to
divide their meager, earnings with
those who had none. If there we're
five bread winners in a family and
only three of them at work those
three had to support themselves and
the other two also. That made
| slim support and har picking for all
because wages we're adjusted by en-
p;oyers with view to merely sustain
ing the laborer, with no margin for
those primarily dependent upon him.
Those who went through that long.
cherries era of good old Democratic
times" will remember it with horror,
and will never return to it of their
own accord. Prices were low enough,
then, but not so low as wages
There was plenty Of cheap produce
then, but what good did that do the
unemployed workman who had
nothing with which to buy even at
low price? That was the time when
public charity established line of
free soup houses from New York to
San Francisco to prevent actual star
walton among the unfortunate poor.
It spoke well for the generosity and
philanthropy of those who had money
but it spoke ill for the party that had !
plunged the country into such straits
by its irrational policies and its non
sensical attempts at what it was
pleased to call reform" It has been
long time, now, since the public
has heard or read anything about
Pingree' Potato Patch Plan to keep
the unemployed laboring men and
their families out of want. The rea-
son is quite apparent. Men are not
to be found who will cultivate patch
on vacant city lot, because they are
all at work at good wages, and they
can buy their potatoes and have
something left for sirlion steaks.
If there is state in the Union
that can afford to accept a condition
of high prices along with high wages
that state is Minnesota. Minnesota
occupies position with reference to
other states similar to that which the
nation occupies with reference to
other nations. We sell more than
we buy. We are a producing state
rather than a consuming one. Where
we ship in dollars worth of goods
we ship out two dollars worth We
can afford to pay higher price for
what we buy when we get a higher
price for what we have to sell. The
only thing that comes in to us fa-ter
than il goes out is money. Millions
of dollars cash money will be in
vested in Minnesota farming lands
this year, money that comes from