The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-19
Thr Labor Qucstlon.

Editor OF The TimestD Dispatch; I.
AS the scarcity Of labor has been
pretty thoroughly discussed through
turers Of Virginia. and even taken up
by the Legislature, l wish to present
to you and the general public the other
side OF the case. II you will look back
over the history Of Virginia for the
that thousands OF the best young men
In Virginia have emtgrated to the West
or North. Ton years ago there were
% Of ha not
find employment at any price: they
were forced by necessity to seek a
living elsewhere.
We are told that q great wave of
country for tho past few years. Now
l would like to ask the Iaborng men
OF Virginia Just how much they have
been benefited by that prosperity. It
and they have steadier work, but how
much better living are they making
for themselves and their families? It
Is a we'll known fact that the cost of
creased in the past five years from
twenty-five to fifty per cent. while
house rent has practically doubled. A.
the same time the price OF labor has
per cent.
1t is true that skilled labor is llav-
Ing a better showing-those engaged
IN the various trades where they are
tual protection But take common
labor. the farm hand, the men who
make our railroads and perform the
greater part Of the work in our fac
labor, and YOU will find that they are
very little better off than they were
ten years ago. They have no voice
In the regulation of their wages, but
employer chooses to offer, and in many
cases. IL one Of these men dares TO
ask for an increase In his pay. he Is
promptly discharged or told that II he
thinks he Is not getting enough. to Quit
and go somewhere else.
Nor Is the scarcity OF labor as great
as employers would have the public
believe. Many! employees turn away
they have all the men they need at
present, but telling them to call again.
Yet these same people Will advertise
for laborcrs. Now there Is a purpose
their employees believe that there is an
abundance of labor, and that 1t Is use
less for them to ask for an increase in
wages, for their places can be filled
at any time by men who are ready to
work for the same or even less wages.
There are plenty Of honest. Industrious.
laboring men in this country who are
glad to find steady employment II they
are pdlll ~ rTedSQllttD le PRICE IOr tn6
labor performed. Less than a year ago
an advertisement was inserted In the
daily papers here for few laborers.
Offering good wages and steady work.
The writer was one OF the applicants
In answer to this ilattering ADVERTISE
ment and was given job at wheeling
pigiron over about twenty yards of
rough cobblestones. then up an incline
of about thirty degrees. and for this
very desirable. steady job, he was paid
twelve and one-half cents per hour. Is
1t any wonder that employers OF this
class are complaining Of scarcity OF
labor? Whenever the manufacturers
and farmers Of Virginia are ready to
pay the same price for labor that Is
paid for like services in other States,
they will get all the labor they want.
and they won't have to ask the Legis-
lature to make appro priations for Inn
porting the pauper labor.of Europe into
this State. They will find plenty OF
laborers right here In Virginia,
LABORER.
Richmond Va E'g