The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-08

| ~
4 campaign excitement to in-
tcrferc with careful, consid-
| Grafton of facts and argument. there
are some points In the mastery speech
delivered by Secretary Root in Coope,
| Union, New York the Thursday even-
ing preceding the election. which
| should be re-retd for educational pur-
| poses.
How often do We hear that the rich
are getting richer while the poor arc
being made n0ore" and how many Of
Us accept il as true without stopping
10 inquire, thus giving our unconscious
assent to socialism! Secretary Root
| took pains to ascertain some of the
| facts--hr had not time to cite them all.
| For cXampl"-~and we can now read
what he said without any campaign
motive or discoioration OF vision:
The industrial history of the last
half century is a history, first. OF the
steady increase of productive power.
and second only to that of the con.
tinual struggle between four interests
-th2 brains. the capital. the laborer
and the consumer-to secure what
| each considers to be q. fair share of
benefits Of the increased wealth. That
| struggle will continue so long as the
| increase. of productive power and the
| ADDED incl lements OF wealth that come
| from that increase continue. Capita,
| and brains always get the advantage
a: first The first fruits of each neN'
increase of productive power. whether
through invention or through organi-
ZatiOn, come to them. But our indus
trial history shows that the laborer
ana ,he consumer slowly, but surely,
wrest their share of the advantage
f"orn capital ana secure ii for them
selves. The organizers of the Sugar
trust made a great deal of money for
themselves. but We are getting sugar
row for less than it cost to make it
The organizers of the Standard Oil
compan" have made q great deal Of
money. but the poorest American far
mtr is lighting his little house tonight
al triiling cost more brilliantly thar
palaces We're lighted Il century ago:
OF the wealth created by the brains
and capital of the sugar company and
The Standard Oil company.
while the $1,000 wage earners of 1850
Increased to 5,3l6,O0O in 1900, the wages
paid to them increased from $685. OO0,-
GOO, in 1850, to s., ,32S 100000, in 1900; that
is 10 say, about five times the number
OF workmen received about ten times
the amount of wages--or wages just
about doubled during the fifty years.
On the other hand, while 1888. .OOO 600
invested in manufacture in 1850 had
swelleC, to $9S35, 100000 in 1900. every
dolla" of capital SO invested in 1900
received less than one-third Of the re-
turn that every dollar of capital re-
cciveG in 1850. Thus, while the returns
Of capital seem great because they are
nassed together and the returns of
labo:' seem small because they are
scattered, capitals proportionate share
Of the new wealth is constantly de-
creasing ana labor's proportlonatc
SEarc of If Is constantly increasing.
And the wages OF one mans labor In
manufacture is today equal to the
profit of six times as much money en-
ployed in manufacture as it was equal
tn in 1850. The same change Is shown
in the decrease in the rates OF interest
for the use of money. In 1850 the capi-
oil -,
money Z to s per cent. while now he
is reduced to 3 or per cent.
Not only have the wages of labor
increased, but the cost of food and
clothing has decreased. In 1860 wheat
-four ranged from SIS to 80 d barrel.
In the first half of 1902 it ranged from
| $3.15 to SAFE a barrel, In 1850 fair Rio
coffee ranged from 1ia cents to NE
cents per pound. In the first half Of
1902 il ranged from 5A cents 10 q 15-l6
cents per pound, In 1850 refined sugar
ranged from SIS cents 10 1915 cents
per pound. In the first half of 1902 it
| ranged from 5.65 cents 10 iA cents per
pound. In 1850 salt messed pork
ranged from $lO25 to $ll.S75 per barrel.
In 1900, before the failure of the corn
| crop of 1901, it ranged from $i0.25 10
| $i425 per barrel In 1850 fine salt was
$l19 per barrel. In October. 1901, it
was Go cents per barrel. In 1850 calico
prints ranged from 91a cents to 10 cents
per yard. In 1902 they We're cents
per yard. In 1850 printed cloths ranged
from 5B cents 10. 5Ss cents per yard.
In 1901 and 1902 they ranged from ESQ
cents to 3.3l cents per yard. In 1863 to
1872 Amisia ginghams ranged from 10
cents 10 lG cents In 1901 and 1902 they