The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-08

ing selections for quotations the bureau of labor experts are untrammeled. The one who can make the best showing, how ever, will have the strongest pull for pro- motion.
 Jumping at Conclusions.
 The prices of thirty articles of food are quoted. The cost for all foods Is based upon the prices of these articles, and the estimated cost of living Is based upon the cost of food which forms only about 40 per cent of the total cost of living. For aught that this report tells us, the cost of clothing, of fuel, of rent and of other Items of cost of living may have gone up three times as much as nas the cost or foodstuffs It Is easy for an expert to Jump at conclusions.
 Recipe for Raising Wages.
 These few statements convey some idea of how statistics of retail prices are made to order. The methods employed to raise wages are equally questionable and in- teresting, though less intricate. In a general way you should, if you desire to raise wages, select such occupations as have, during the period covered, develop ed strong labor unions; then select only such establishments as have been highly successful and have increased the quan- tity and quality of their products; if you
 
 any industry or occupation, cut it out.
 Colonel Wright selecting his industries and occupations carefully. He paid no attention to whether an industry was pro- tected or not, unless 1t was to keep away from the highly protected ones, for they usually pay smaller wages than are paid by the unprotected industries. The build ing trades, entirely unprotected. provided the best statistics for showing a raise In wages. Hence, out of the 3429 estab- lishments selected for comparison, 1199 or more than one-third, are in the build ing trades. Of the remainder, 11SS estab- lishments were flour mills. bakeries. foun- dries and machine shops, blaming mills, newspaper printing offices, marble and stone works, blacksmithing and horse shoeing shops. and street and sewer works. All of these and many others are in the unprotected industries, and in many of them the strength of the unions has been developed in recent years so that the rise in wages comes within the period covered. Not one-fourth of the estab- lishments selected are in the protected industries.
 Railroad Wages Cut Out.
 Colonel Wright began an investigation of railroad and mining wages. In his report he expresses regret that the force available for the prosecution of the work did not permit of the extension of the investigation to cover transportation, mining, agriculture, and the other great industrial groups"
 The last report of the interstate com merce commission gives railroad wages. This report indicates that average wages were only about per cent higher In 1903 than in 1897. Their publication would have spoiled the coloneps figures and seriously marred the harmony of the eff feet Hence. he wisely decided to cut them out.
 More than 1,3o0,OOO workers were em- ployed on the railroads in 1903 Only 176.- S27 wage earners were investigated by the bureau of labor. In no other industry are as complete and accurate statistics available as in that of railroading No other industry offers better opportunities for comparison with previous years. No other industry Is a better barometer of average wages. The railroads employ both union and non-union labor The wages of engineers, firemen, conductors, etc, change infrequently and slowly; those of section men and of common la Dor change frequently and rapidly.
 Each railroad reports the total wages paid during each year, and the total number of workers on June 30, of each year. There Is no juggling with average numbers; all Is simple ana piafn. These probably are the real reasons why Col onel Wright stopped his investigation of railroad wages and made no report upon them. Had wages in railroaang made as favorable a showing as do those in the building trades, no pains or expense would