Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-09-08
THE PAY OF LABOR.
Republican Policy Tends to a Steady
Increase of Wages.


The question OF wages is a vital oties-
ton in this country. and the late Thomas
b. Reed, in 1883. said: ITO insure our
growth in civilization and wealth we
must not only have wages as high as
they are now but constantly and steadily
increasing"
Ii was then thought by some of Mr..
Reeds friends that he had gone too far
toward a promise as to the meaning Of
the Republican policy of protection, and
that his prediction would lead working
men to look to this policy for benefits
that could not always come.
Ii is now sixteen years since Mr.. Reed
made his speech defending the vital ques-
tion in our economic policy. and there
have been three tariff laws since that
time. The Bureau of Labor. directed by
Prof Carroll ID. Wright. who was APP
pointe? to the position by President
Cleveland. has for three years been CON
Quoting an investigation to determine the
effect of tariff legislation on wages, and
the result was made public in the July
bulletin of the department. The inves-
ugation covered the period from 1890 to
l9o3, and it shows an increase in wages
and work under the Mckinley and Ding
ley tariff laws and Il decrease in both
under the Wilson-Gorman, tariff law
From 1890 to 1893 the increase in en-
ployes was from 94.9 to 99.2: from 1893
to 1884 the decrease was OIL, and from
1891 to 1908 under the Dingley law the
increase was from 100 to 1864. There
was like increase of wages under the
Mckinley and Dingley tariffs and de-
crease under the Wilson German tariff.
The significant comparisons are of con-
ditions in 1894 under the Democratic
tariff and 1903 after six years of the
Dingley tariff. -There was an increase
of BIB per cent or more than one third
in the number of employees, decrease Of
81 per cent in the hours of labor. and
an increase of 1873 per cent in wages
per hour. These are striking figures be-
cause they show that under Republican
tariff legislation more than one-third
more men had employment than under
the Democratic tariff legislation, and
| that they received nearly one-ifth more
wages per hour. The average earnings
of labor was more than 81 per cent
greater in 1903 than in 1894, or more
| than half as much again.
Prof. WriGht's investigation went fur
| Their and showed that notwithstanding
the increase in the cost of food proliats
the principal increase in the lau ten
years has been in wages. or the price
of labor. That great commodity of this
country in which Thomas Il. Reed saw
the development aud progress OF Ameri-
| can civilization has increased in value
more than has the cost of living. so that
the benefits of labor have been constant
| ly increased by protective tariff legsla-
ton and embarrassed by Democratic tar
| i'll legislation.
| President Harrison said years ago that
cheap coat had the tendency to make
cheap men because il tended to degrade
the labor used in the manufacture. The
Republican policy has been to enhance
the price of labor, and that has increased
the cost of living because all our pro-
| ducts entering into the living in this
| country represent labor.
But the protection and the ideal OF
| Thomas b. Reed has been realized under
the Dingley tariff law. The value OF
| labor, the rate of wages has constantly
| and steadily advanced 10 lift the civiliza-
| ton of America. where labor is the lever
by which all mankind advances. from
| drudgery to independence.