The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-11-02

GUS lHdt the WoFRlnSman does not Duy
his food at wholesale. 1t is, therefore,
clearly wrong to compare the working
mans wages with wholesale prices. The
Democratic Text Book learnedly dis
courses on the stability of wholesale
prices. while as matter of fact. it is
recognized by all authorities on prices
that wholesale prices are exceedingly
sensitive and that retail prices are more
stable, never reaching relatively as high
OF as low levels as the former. But.
leaving aside the question OF stability, Il
is the retail price which the ordinary
consumer is compelled to pay, and which.
therefore diScloses the more accurately
the cost of living Further, it is stated
in this Bulletin of the Bureau of Labor
that these retail prices were secured
directly from the books of sales of over
300 retail merchants-that these prices
represent actual sales to consumers eN-
tending over each month Of the fourteen
year period covered-that they represent
every important center Of industry III the
country--and that the stores cOntribut-
ing the data are such are largely
patroniZed by the working classes. 1t is
understood that these prices will be pub
Lshel in the greatest detail for each city
covered in the Eighteenth Annual Re-
evidence that the officials OF the bureau
have no doubt as to the integrity of their
data.
AS the final court, the Democratic
managers suggest that the whole mat
ter of cost Of living be left to the house
wives of the country. They do not per
haps recall the statement made in the
criticised Bulletin thIt over $4,000 fam
lilies contributed to the report-that the
bureau has practically done already what
is suggested-left the matter to the
wives of over $1,000 representative work
iugmen.
Fulk of Misstate ments.
The criticism of the wage data ap-
pears to be quite as futile AS that OF the
figures for cost Of living. 1t is full
of misstatements Of fact, as may be seen
by reference t. the Bulletin itself The
method of averaging imputed to the
bureau was not used. Even the most
cursory examination Of the Bulletin
could not fail to disclose the falsity of
the premises upon which the entire criti-
cism as to method is based. 1t has been
charged in some quarters that the In
crease of 1873 per cent. in wages shown
by the bureau is greater than is actually
the case, because the wages which form
unionzed centers. where wages have
been increased most rapidly. This charge
is readily refuted by comparing the Bull
letin wages with the average of the mini
mum union wages shown for the same
occupations as compiled by the Secre-
tary of the Building Contractors Coun-
oil of Chicago ILL.,. and published by the
Building Employers Association of New
York City. Bearing in mind that the
union wages quoted are minimum wages
and that the actual union wages would
average considerably higher, the. COM
parsons III Il few occupations are as fol-
lows: Minimum union wages of masons
in % cities average 81 cents per hour.
while the average Of the bureau is not
quite 45 cents; minimum union wages
OF bricklayers in % cities average o1A
cents per hour. while the average of
the bureau is o44 cents: minimum
union wages of structural iron workers
i'll % cities average 46A cents per hour,
while the average OF the bureau is less
than 41A cents; minimum union wages
of plumbers in % cities average 47M
cents per hour. while the average of the
bureau is 43M cents. These examples
might be multiplied but those given are
sufficient to show that the averages of
the bureau are considerably lower than
the average OF minimum union wages,
and arc, therefore. fairly representative
of both union and non union labor in the
occupation covered. The charge that
an unjustifiabe increase in wages is
secured by the bureau by the collection
OF it's figures from strongly unionized
centers is readily refuted by the above
facts.
The principal charges have been men
tioned-the minor ones are equally I'M
warranted and unsupported by the facts
The report Of the bureau represents the
sum of patient and painstaking investi
cation OF nearly three years, and its per
manent value cannot be leSsened or OBJ
secured by partisan attacks. Its valu,
as a scientific study OF economic condi
tions and as a contribution to the some
what meagre statistics of wages and cos
of living has already been recognized
both at home and abroad. The accurac!
and excellence of the reports of thi;
bureau of the government have never
been seriously questioned during its eigh
teen years of existence. Under the abb,
and conservative mana cement of Com
missioner Wright, it has always merit
ed its reputation of being a non-parti
san Office for the collection and presen
tation of facts, and 50 far as can b.
seen from a careful examination of it
latest report, the charges made for par
tisan~ effect will not warrant the Will,
drawal of the confidence of the public
Olney and Clevelnnd's Monume mt a
Brass.
The Democratic donkey is trying t.
dance into power over the graves o
United States soldiers who died for tn