The Springfield herald., 1904-09-09
THE PAY OF LABOR.
Republican Policy Tsnds to Steady
Increase of WaKes.


Increase Of Wages.
The question of wages Is a vital ques-
tion In this country, and the late Thomas
B. Reed. in 1885, 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"
1t was then thought by some of Mr..
Reeds friends that he had gone too far
toward a promise as to the meaning u
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.
1t is now sixteen years since Mr.. Reed
made his speech defending the vital ques-
ton in our economic policy. and there
have been three tariff laws since that
time. The Bureau of Labor, directed by
Prof. Carroll d. Wright, who was mp
pointed to the position by President
Cleveland, has for three years been con-
ducting 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-
tigation covered the period from 1890 to
1903, and 1t shows an increase in wages
and work under the Mckinley and Ding
under the Wilson German tariff law
From 1890 to 1893 the increase in en-
ployes was from 94.9 to 80.2: from 1898
to 1894 the decrease was OIL. and from
1897 to 1903 under the Dingley law the
increase was from 100 to 1864. There
was a like increase of wages under the
Mckinley and Dingley tariffs and de-
crease under the on-Gormnn tariff.
The significant comparisons are of con-
ditions in 1894 under the Democratic
tariff and 1908 after six years of the
Dingley tariff. There was an increase
of 34.3 per cent or more than one third,
in the number of employees. decrease of
3.T per cent in the hours Of labor. and
IN increase of 1873 per cent in wages
per hour. These are striking figures be-
cnuse 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-ffth more
wages per hour. The average earnings
of labor was mere than 81 per cent
greater in 1903 than in 1894, or more
than half Us much again.
Prof. Wrights investigation went fur
tier and showed that notwithstanding
the Increase In the cost Of food products
tho principal increase in tho last ten
years has been in wages. or the price
of labor. That great commodity of this
country in which Thomas B. Reed saw
the development md progress Of Ameri-
Gun civilization hns increased in value
more than has the cost OF living; no that
tho benefits of labor have been constant
ly increased by protective tariff legisla-
tion and embarrassed by Democratic tar
if legislation.
Presiden, Harrison said years ago that
cheap coat had the tendency to make
cheap men because it 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 oil our pro-
ducts entering into the living in this
country represent labor.
But the protection and he ideal of
Thomas B. Reed has been realized under
the Dingley tariff law. The value OF
labor, the rate of wages has constantly
md steadily advanced to lift the ciriliza-
ton of America. where labor is the lever
by which all mankind advances, from
drudgery to independence.