Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-23

.ESsS
ma this fall, which in all probability
VIII mark the ending of one and the
| beginning OF another era of canal con-
struction, is not likely to have an eye
opening and remodeling effect on the
public opinion concerning the progress
OF the work on the big waterway. The
chief executive is nothing If not out
spoken, and it seems likely that his
trip will provide him with some new
impressions of the tremendous difficult
ties In the path Of the work-impres-
s1ons which, it is safe to say. will be
handed out to the public on his return.
This should not be taken to mean that
there will be any faltering In the work,
or any weakening in it's support but
only chat the present fragmentary, var
led and often erroneous information
concerning it will be surplanted by an
honest conception which is the thing
most to be desired. Mr. Roosevelt, in
deed, will Occupy the position of inves-
tigator for the whole country. The
need for such investigation, not in the
spirit of antagonism but rather of the
truth, in order that the work may be
intelligently supported, is patent. One
has now simply to take his choice of
the Information which comes, to be
that the canal will be finished in seven
years, or that it will never be finished
In other words there is a crying need
for statement of the whole truth
from reliable source, as it is gener-
ally admitted now that those reports
which enthusiasm does not harmfully
less exaggerate In one way, personal
. dissatisfaction as harmfully distorts in
the other. AS affording an opportunity
to supply this need against the day
when possible Encouragement might
otherwise become too strong, the i'm
portance of the Presidents trip can
hardly be overestimated.
At High Tide.
j Just where the calamity howlers can
find anything to howl about in present
conditions, it is hard to say. Income,
expenses, imports, crops and manufac-
lures are all at a high tide of pros
perity, such as this country has never
witnessed before. On top Of all this
comes the report of the department of
commerce and labor showing that dur
er and there were more plentiful Jobs
than ever before to say nothing of no
increase of hours. Corporations may
not be extremely popular at present,
but the fact remains that to them is
due in large part the condition which
enabled more men to draw higher
wages than in any preceding year of
the country's history To put the
statement into figures, wages were 1.6
per cent higher than in 1904, and the
number of employees 6.3 per cent great.
er. In other words, there were LOG
people to receive higher wages in 1905
in place of 100 who received lower
wages in 1904. The cost of food in.
creased in 1905, it is true but nowhere
near the same amount as did wages
for it's increased cost was only six.
tenths Of one per cent, thus leaving
the workingman a clear advance of /
per cent. That is, an hours wages in
1905 had 1 per cent more purchasing
power in 1905 than in 1904, and 63 per
| cent more people had chance to dc
the purchasing. If these figures be
, carried back further, the steady In
crease is more readily seen, for the
. average wages per hour in 1905 were
t 1879 per cent higher than during the
J ten-year period from 1890 to 1900
, while the cost of food advanced only
| u per cent in the same time, leaving
IS per cent gain in favor of wages
From Large Industries.
These figures are compiled only In
industries paying over s10,00O,O00 a
year in wages-that is, as a general
thing large corporations-but they
show the general degree Of prosperity
The only workers who are not rejoic
ing are the employees of the Target cor
poration of all--the United States gov
ernment-and those of municipal cor
poration for it is fact, sad but true
as witnessed by the experience Of
many government employees here, that
the wages paid by any form Of govern
ment, federal or municipal remain
practically stationary. The only wage
earners included in the report, indeed
who have not enjoyed the advance are
those either in the employ Of Uncle
Sam or Of states and municipalities
The comparison becomes particularly
strong when it is noted that as soor
as a municipality engages in the con
duct Of any business. the material in
crease in wages which is found under
private ownership at once disappears
to say nothing of the conduct of the
business on a healthy competitive
basis.
Something New.
Nicotine free" cigars are. accordina