The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-01-29
COMFENSATING WAGES.
Works msn on the Verge of star
yation In Many Lines Of
Industry.

Several democratic congressman have
taken Congressman Hepburn. OF Iowa.
TO task for his reckless and unfounded
assertions on November ~. that:
There is labor in every part Of the
country for every man who wants a
place to work. and there IS a compen-
sating wage Tor every man who Will
perform a days work"
But no other congressman has made
Mr. Hepburn and his statements APP
terms-as did Congressman Baker. OF
Hooklyn in his maiden speech in con-
gress. The following is a part Of the
column report OF Mr. Bakers speech as
it appeared in the New York Times Of
December is:
Is there any man. even upon the re-
publican side" he asked, who, as We
see growing up gigantic fortunes al
most beyond calculation, and in our
great cities hundreds OF thousands Of
individuals who scarcely know where
their breakfast is coming from in the
morning. will pretend that these hun
dreds Of thousands OF individuals who
have none 0; the wealth Of the world
nave received compromising wages for
their toll?
'Compensating wages we ere told.
exist Tor every man who desires 10 work.
and yet the evidence was brought out
before the coal strike commission that
under the system OF slavery that ex-
listed in The anthracite coal regions OF
Pennsylvania persons have worked for
Il years and never received one solitary
penny for wages.
Cardinal Gibbons says OF the per-
sons employed in the clothing indus
try in Baltimore: They are living on
few years they become incapacitated
for work When they become inca
pacitated for work where are they go
ing TO receive the compromising wages
that are TO support them?
This condition is not unique. Right
in my own city Of New York. for near
ly two years. men have come 10 my door
almost every day 10 ask me for what lit
tie influence | have to get them a job
in the city parks That pays two dollars
day, but a foreman in that department
tells me that on an average the men
only work four days a week.
These men are begging for an OPP
portunity to earn eight dollars a week
in the great city Of New York. where
rents are so high, where prices have
been increased in this period Of pros
perity. where trusts have been able 10
squeeze labor down and raise prices
up.
The cost Of living has gone up 81 pei
cent during this period Of so-callec
prosperous times, and at the best
wages have not gone up more than ten
\ per cent. A compensaiing wage Is il
compromising wage that gives 10 ths
toiler one-fourth OF the increase and
makes him pay the whole increased
cost Of his commodities
In the great state OF Iowa Hep
! burns statel. where we are told every
man has his bank account" he conun-
ued. the farm laboTers do not receive
n wages as much as the mileage that Is
paid To the gentleman from Iowa Il
come TO congress
"A gentleman who az the time Of the
great labor trouble al Homestead was
/ very careful TO remain secluded az Ski
bo castle; who was very careful not to
respond TO cablegrams sent him asking
/ him TO use his infnence 10 see that the
struggle should be ended-Andrew Car
negie-has a great deal TO say about the
\ 'benehcent system instituted by the
/ United States Steel corporation. which
! is called their bonus Tor tteir err
ployes.
Says Andrew Carnegie. In the
bonus granted to employees We Lavs
proof Of regard for them which carnoi
I but tell. and the distribution OF shares
in the concern has an advantage which
so far even no partnership has en-
joyed'
Yes. never before in any large way
on any large scale has an industrial cor.
poration been able To foist upon its
workmen stock at s2iz which sells 10.
day in New York at 52as"