La Junta tribune., 1904-11-05
LABOR PROSPERITY.
YssgibIs Rsssiss fhss Are frsessbis
to ksps blicaa Policies.

YssgibIs Rsssiss That Are Tpeeesble
TO ksDssiicss Policies.
TIE Democrats are silsn: As 60 tsa
alleged benefits their party has brought
20 American workmen: this silence -
som~t hing worS men should seriously con-
alder. turning fhs matter over and over
in their mands before they cast their
ballots.
In sayinE benefits" the word 10 meal
90 cover the most substantial good OBJ
eafnabls a. q result for iabor-shs best
wages and the fewest hours Of work
Such results are not within the power Of
the President to directly produce, but
they do come from wise legisiation-ths
conception and enactment of nsronAi
laws that are to brins prosperity.
Democrats are "mui.i" because what
they might show would be so much to
their discredit as TO st once turn al
classes of u sborers away from the Dem
ocratic party The most they venture TO
ssy is in their national platform; and
that okferance 10 TO suggest the eoacf-
men, Of impartial laws for both labor
and capital. bat the Republican platform
Is wider. longer, stronger and more com
prshsasivs. Neither OF those documents
promises the laborer higher wages or that
be may work fewer hours TO get them
But whas the Republicans do promise In
platform. and speech, and documents.
sbow wing how IL will BE- done. backing Il
with forty year, of incontestable prooss.
IL the maintenancs Of the government on
such economic foundations A. experience
has given ASSURANCE are for the prosper
ity of the country: that promise Is for
legislation first and adminiserat ation next
that shall b wias and comprehensive as
10 public interest The Republicans have
established themselves as . power capa-
Bile OF pro1uciag and' maintaining . con-
dition in national Attain of the greatest
benefit to the working classes: but In
showing this 10 also demonstrated the
fact that the Democrats have hurt Ia bor
in all its various lines By laws created
sDd conditions established that have
brought disssters for which there was
neither avoidancs nor remedy under their
ma na cement Of federal ahairs-
Since the Cleveland administration OF
1898 to 1897 the Republicans have
changed labor matters wonderfully for
the better. Take the wages of 1896. the
last year OF his term, for basis. Last
year 1acf). as Q result OF Republican
finances and laws, blacksmith got over
]. per cent more wages per hour and
worked 3 per cent. less hours per week
than in 1896: carpenters received over
81 per cent. increase per hour and worked
over per cent. less hours per week;
painters wages Increased nearly 70 per
cent. per hour, and their hours of labor
were reduced nearly . per cent. OF the
hours per week; bricklayers were gamers
ty an increase of &c per cent in wages
per hour and by a reduction Of per
cent. per hour for labor time. unskilled
Ia bor went up IS per cent. per hour, with
a gain also in the reduction OF almost b
per cent in the number OF hours of work
per week. Other occupauons-iron mold
ers. machinists. masoas, stone cutters,
etc.-all have had their wages per hour
increased and their time for the week
decreased as among the appreciable hap
py results of Republicans in power At
Washington. Another feature of this
labor condition for the period mentioned
Was In the Increase in the uumber Of
workers. The Republican prosperity
following Mr.. Cleveland's administration
WAS such that. in 1903 as against 1896.
there was over 40 per cent more black
smiths, 20 per cent more brcklayers.
2i per cent more carpenters, 70 per cent
more laborers, and 10 per cent more
painters. Everywhere more work. more
men, higher wages and fewer hours of
abor.
Does not that show that 4 Republican
administration of the government stands
for labor prosperity? Such an admins
tration had first to get the country ou:
of the quieksands OF Democratic ineni-
cheney. which took more than one year.
After that the possibilities for getting
work and the wages for doing il were in
creased for working people, until now th.
United States is the golden land for the
rest Of the world. IL the Republicans
have accomplished this great good for
labor, and the Democrats have made
botch OF the sttcxnpt whenever they had
q chance, common sense and the pocket
book should keep the workingmen with
the Republicans. who have put up the
proofs of well-doiug.