Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-11-19
Wages COUP MILLIONS
Increase in Salaries to Employees
of Big Corporations Are
Enormous
s2o,ooo,ooo BY THE RAILWAYS
ers Amount to ENORMOUS Sum Year
Iy-Motives That Inspired Some of
the Increases-UnparalIeIed Prosper.
ity Makes Them Possible.

Chicago. Nov. 19-Millions beyond
the grasp of the average mans mag
nation will be added next year to the
wages of the American workingman.
way companies mas increased their an
nual pay roll by $20000,000, while it is
predicted that increases to be an
nounced in the immediate future will
swell this figure to s100,000,000.
The railway employees are but sec
ton of the vast industrial class that
will reap an increased golden harvest
before the coming of another winter.
The secret of this flood of gold poured
into the pockets of the working class Is
to be found in. the country's prosperity,
a prosperity which has touched rich
and poor alike with its golden wand.
Never before in the history of labor
has there been such universal move,
largely voluntary on the part of the
employing companies, to increase
wages. So rapidly has advance fol-
lowed advance in the last few weeks
that the movement has become almost
sensational. Judging from the present
outlook, most, if not all, of the big rail-
advances.
Not only are the railroads affected
by this apparent wave of generosity,
but many OF the largest Industrial cor
poratiorfs of the country have Joined
it, and from all over the land come as
surances that other concerns are to fol-
low. In many instances the advances
in wages are coming Unexpectedly.
The motives which have inspired the
corporations to take such action are
several. The chief reason for the will
ingness to distribute such large sums
among the workers is, of course, the
abundant industrial and agricultural
prosperity of the country, which makes
it possible for the corporations to
spend the money. Statements given out
by railroad officials and others show,
also, that the corporations are dis
posed to heed the spirit of unrest as
shown in the recent elections. The
great concerns Of the land are in a
mood to mollify the antagonism exist
ing between the working population
and the corporate interests.
1t is difficult to make any estimate of
the total number of workers to be at
fected by the wave of prosperity, or
of the amount of money involved.
Among railroad employees however,
statistics are available. There are
about 1,296,O0O railroad employees in the
country, and if all the lines were to
grant an average increase of 10 per
cent the estimate of $100,000,000 prob
ably would not be far astray. Some
authorities place the figure at $780,
100000
1t is estimated that more than 200,-
900 railroad employees already have re-
ceived the announcement Of increased
pay, amounting to approximately $780,
100000 year.
The Pennsylvania railroad took the
lead in giving more pay to railroad
men, This company voluntarily grant
ed an increase of 10 per cent to all
employees earning less than 5000 a
month. By so doing it puts it's hands
into the corporations pockets and drew
forth an annual cash prize of S112,O00,-
600 a year for its workers. There are
$4,000 of these who will divide up the
nj