The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-08-02
Y IL ATTACK
The FIGURES.
k,ocrats Declare Government.
bulletin to be Campaign
Document
INCREASE Al IN WAGES (:
err Says Average Income Is
Now Greater Than Cost
Of Living. &

n .,tt..i, from Our Regular. Correspondent.)s f
ssss711ksH1NGToN, 4 d. c., Aug. 1.-The
I. lRItin inslied by the Department OF
D a.. t1erce and Labor showing that wages
u SIp Sil Increased greater than the cost Of
G5P.ig in the past eight years Will be at
z q \, ed by Democratic speakers and news
saE 4 IRIS and the cha rye will be made that
Department has been used by the
~ ,lldent to gather statistics to be used
low clustering up the Republican cause IN
4 =, q. campaign. Democrats In Washington
DepaIe that the bulletin is misleading.
}I t'ftrt Is not true that wages nave In.
B,sg id In proportion to the Increased
4 Is v IL living. much less to "a greater ex-
s'uin1grtg' he stati presented In the bul-
f SSns, cubt eddy be used as thunder
- IS - sfpnblicHns and HB the bulletin
h Il and will be regarded by the
ftent as final. the Democra is will
on1 fo some troubleto disprove It.
,n.thktigation Was Painstaking.
FIT N data concerning wages has been
Sea{ tied In former bulletins. but his lis
herd jrst time the Department has gone
socf Ian extensive investigation Of the
\ CON lot living. The figures are based on
10y 1retall prices tO1p &necessaElcSa u 9lhc
III the i1vestiga ton was painstaktng
sf1sof detailed. t covered $40 occupations;
~ Sesenting 81 Industries In 1929 sepa-
MI establishments. 5 II covered nearly
II III the important manufacturing cen !
u j Y and was made 10 include all portions
@f HE country. IT shows that the linz
4se In the cost OF living from 1876 un-
The present yearsfas been 1875 per cent.
fHh11e the increase In wages for the same
+ i3od has been ] Sc per cent.
rThls Increase In wages takes no ac-
t1nt 9of the greater amount OF employ.
a Chit in 1903 than In 1896. 'rhousa nds Of
4 hen. were employed in 1909. who were
h die or working on half time in 1885,
i The difference In cost Of living and
J wages between = 1874 and 4 s9S. are still
8ireater the larger increase being in the
n natter OF wages. During that period
n b1e;cost OF living Increased 1915 per cent,
shile the rate OF wages Increased 1S.S
Il Ter cent. 5i5 II n 81 KS; sf5s
IN These figures also show that from 500.
here has been a gradual decrease in the
tours OF daily labor. The figures given
iIbovc are based on hourly wages.
a1l AS there has been a decrease IN the
Hours OF labor. the Increase In weekly
t}ages has not been quite SO great as IN
l3agcs ir}lao3 was 1913 per cent create
la Il In 1898 and 1A.o per cent. greater
fhan In 1884. = ss i
\ In 1903 the hours NJ labor per week
were IL per cent. less than In slS9O 20
per cent. less than in 1885, 2. l per cent.
less than An 1900. and a per d cent less
Than In 1892. M 53s 81 d d VA
4 WillsWelcome Inquiries.
VAS an Indication OF the grea ter mount
Z money dlsbursed In 800. over previous Y:
liars. It Is shown thai In the esta blish--
q Ants which Il have been running con-
Ja1,iously from 1890 to 1903. the aggre-,
fatte OF the wages paid in eos. vas 45.l
her cent. greater than In 1896 a nd Sb4,4
grea ter than In s94
In all these establishments. the number
of employees IN the trades entering into
the Statistics OF the bureau were 26.8
! erea ter in 1903 than In 1896 and 34.3
greater than ipSis9i. Il
The experts. who have been engaged
sk,athe compilation OF these sta tistics 5ex-
ssss Ms the greatest confidence In their
4 St1pGei "a cy. saying that the utmost possible
care was exercised and declare hat they
will welcome any attempt that may pc
made to show thai the figures are err IRON
y Z