New-York tribune., 1904-08-02
INCREASE OF WAGES.
1t More than Keeps Pace zcitb i'd
Uanced Cost of Living.
tgRoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAU.

IgRoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAU
Washington, Aug 1.-The bulletin issued to-
day by the Department Of Commerce and Labor
the condition of labor is source of gratifca-
ton to the administration. because it sustains
the contention put forth all along by Repub-
icans. that. although prices have increased since
the depressing times Of the last Cleveland ad-
ministration wages have increased still more, 50
that the condition of labor is better than it has
ever been before
Although work on this bulletin has been in
progress for several years. it was not until re-
Gently that any was able to forecast with
precision it's ultimate showing Now It appears
that wages have increased ISIS per cent since
1894. while the cost Of living, as indicated by
the selling prices Of various necessary commodI-
ties has increased only 1916 per cent Since
1896 wages have increased 1876 per cent and the
cost OF living has increased 15.5 per cent.
In neither instance do these figures take cog
niZance of the increased amount OF employ
ment now. as compared with the former years,
when thousands were out Of employment nor
OF the decreased hours OF labor which charac-
terize almost every branch Of industry The
investigation OF the department covered 519 oc-
cupations. representing sixty-seven industries
IN 3429 establishments. and included every i'm
portant manufacturing centre IN the United
States. So carefully and impartiaIly have the
oSS Sat4lcietA lI4l X VIII De iupOSSi bic
for any campaign orators 10 question the con-
clusions successfully. and the results are bound
10 cut an important figure IN the campaign. as
Democratic orators have already shown dis
position 10 Offset the acknowledged increase in
wages by the assertion that the cost os living
had increased IN greater proportion
The statistics concerning the cost OF living are
based on the retail prices Of food. etc. which
the department decided represent the extreme
cost Uf living. The figures given FOR wages refer
| 10 hourly pay. AS there has been a decrease
| IN the hours OF labor. the Increase in weekly
wages has not been quite So great as In hourly
, wages The increase IN weekly wages in 190a
/ was 12.9 per cent greater than IN 1896 and 14g
/ per cent greater than IN 1894 IN 1903 the
| hours OF labor per week were Al per cent less
/ than in 1890. S.5 per cent less than in 1895 .
/ per cent less than in 1900 ard = per cent less
/ than In 1902
AS an indication OF the vastly greater amount
OF money disbursed IN 1903 than in previous
years. It is shown that in the establishments
/ that had been running continuously from 1894
10 1893 the aggregate of the wages paid in 1903
was 451 per cent greater than IN 1896 and 544
/ per cent greater than in 1894. In all these es-
/ adjustments the number OF employees in tho
trades entering into the statistics Of the bureau
26.6 per cent greater in 1903 than in 1890
| and - per cent greater than In 1894. These
! figures apply only 10 the establishments that
were IN existence from 1890 TO 1903. and do not
/ include establishments that went out OF exist
ence or which were created In that period II
/ 1t had been possible TO take into consideration
/ establishments that ceased TO exist in this
period IL is said. the showing would have been
greatly in favor Of the still better comparative
condition OF labor in 1903 over previous years
The Democratic committees are preparing 10
/ circulate charts whereby they pretend 10 show
that the cost OF living has increased 81 per cent
/ over 1897, but their figures are based on
/ wholesale prices and entirely disregard the re-
/ tail price, which is all that concerns the con-
! suner, or which be regarded as a basis for
statistics showing the cost Of living. they OF
no value.
/ AT the Department OF Labor the greatest
/ confidence is expressed in the statistics show
/ ing the cost OF living and the rate of wages.
! The experts who have been making the investi-
/ cation declare that they never undertook any
work with greater care for every feature OF ao-
/ curacy. and they believe 1t to be the best sta
| tistical work of that kind that has ever been
! issued in this any other country. They say
I that they would rather enjoy having the sta
tistics attacked in some definite way if there is
! any one who believes they do not represent the
/ exact change in the economic conditions OF the
! country in the period they cover.