Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-01-10
They Will Receive Millions More
Than Ever Before,
EMPLOYERS GIVE INCREASE
Twelve Hundred Thousand Railroad
Employs Affected Many Concerns
Take men into Corporation.

New York. Jan. 9-Wage.earners
throughout the United States viii re-
cdye by many millions more money
during 1903 than ever before in the his
tory Of the country,
Increases in wages granted by the
great railroad and industrial corpora
t.uns within the last two months show
that during the coming year 6jGSOO em-
ployes viii receive SIS, Sj00)O more than
they did last year Negotiations a.t
now in progress by which 10000 en-
ployes OF various railroads IN the west
and south will receive increases aggre-
eating S,OCO,OOO annually.
Scores upon scores OF small corpora
tons or business firms, each employing
few hundred men OF women, have
made wage advances. There is no way
Of computing exactly the number Of
these or the employees or the amounts
involved but conservative estimate Of
the grand total Of employees who will
receive higher wages during 1903 Is 900,
CO. and the sum involved viii be IN the
ndghborhoOd OF SJ0,OJOOOO
FIFTY millions Of dollars more in the
pockets OF the wage earners for the
year means nearly $1,000 600 more "a
week, or about $4,000 for each Of the
working days
Railroad men receive more generous
share Of the increase In wages than any
other class Of workingmen. There are
about l,20J000 men employed by the
railroads of the country including
everybody from the lahore up to the
president OF these 100000 over 100000
or more than half, viii receive on
an average 10 per cent more in wages
than they did in 1902.
Not only have direct increases In
wages been granted, but other corpora
tons have deviSed schemes by which
employees viii be able to share substan-
TALLY in the profits realized notable
instance Of this kind is the plan Of the
United States Steel corporation, the
greatest employer of labor In the coun-
try.
10 enable every employe down to the
CCmmonest laborer to become a stock
holder, $2O00,O0O Of the preferred stock
| has been set aside to be sold during the
coming year at price lower than the
present market rate. Payments are Il
be made I'm instaliments, and If neces-
sGry the payments can be divided over
a period of three years. From the out.
set the empoye receives the dividends
and at the expiration of a certain pc
Rod, as long as he remains in the EN-
poy Of the company and retains pos
| session Of the stock, he Is to receive an
extra bonus Of s. a share.
Another sum, based upon the net
earnings of the company. is TO be sci
aside annually for division among those
employees chiefly responsible for the
business success OF the corporation.
me Republic Iron and Steel company
has also adopted a profit sharing plar
with its employees, but less elaborate
than that devised by the United State'
| Steel corporation,
The closing months Of 1902 were char
aoterized by general movement on tn
/ part OF large employers Of labor corpo
rate and Individual, not only to dca
more literally on the wage question
but to provide intelligent and feasible
means by which employees would b
permanently benefited
Some of the increases made were no
altogether voluntary particularly OF
| the part " railroads which were threat
| ened with tie-up In the most prosper
Gus season In the country's history. A
| majority Of the increases were how
ever, purely voluntary, the officials
granting them being actuated in par
By the higher cost of living and a de-
| sire TO distribute a share Of the enor
nous profits Of their companies among
| tho men.
The wave Of wage increasing wa.
| started early In November by the Penn
| syIvania Railroad company, which un'
| oxpcctedly made the announcement
that the pay of every one OF its li6QOl
employees would be raised 10 per cent
| This Increase involves the immense sun
OF about $4,000. 600 annually. 1t was thu
greatest single increase Of the kind ~
| he history Of the country.
A few days later the New York Cen
trail made announcement Of an increas.
| TO its employees and then from all
parts OF the country came similar an
| nouncemcntC,
A new standard Of wage was finally
set and those roads which have not yet
raised the pay Of their men to higher
Lowell have been asked to do so.
Stockholders in the roads which have
made the increases Will not suffer, II
fact the indications are that they vii
gain materially by the Increase, as Il
was employed as a reason for advanc'
ing freight rates from 10 TO 20 per cent
4 10 per cent advance in freIghts bring.
in on an average 81 for every 81 paiC
out on 10 per cent advance in wages
Thus while operating expenses of thl
railroads which have made wage In
crcases will be much heavier. the gros'
receipts win grow almost douhly az
fast. ard In the end the sum applicable
| for dividends will be considerably
greater than Il was last year.