The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1907-02-14

500 ........................ s6S.hoi 13.1H,1lo
ieVo ....-..--...............l ,lu-h9 ln'tt'fuln
isO1 ........................l.2 is,NeS .e.V.-Mi
500 .s..................-...l Nl,ll -.'asi'iss
isH .....-....s..........s-.lf aa.-st'H.'
1904 ...........,............@.1 S,stt l-'solslsl
| 1906 ..........................a $50 f.sle.ole
Isos ........................s, oS6SS eS,oi''se'
In the eight years. 1892 10 1893. In
clusive-two OF those years being pro-
tective tariff years. aud sixoyears COW
ering the free trade tariff period and
the recovery from the effects OF that
tariff--American money orders sent
abroad amounted to sii2.5S6,5S5. be
ing an average OF s1i.072,0iS per year.
In the next ensuing seven years q
the full benefits OF Dlngley tariff pro-
lection, 1900 10 1906. inclusive. the
total of money orders sent abroad
was sGis.14S.0S2. the yearly average
being s35.572.7S3.
These are purely postal figyts. They
do not include the amounts sent
abroad by express money orders, by
registered letters. or b. small drafts
purchased from American banks. II
would be safe TO say that. all told. the
1906 remitssnces by American wage
earners TO foreigners amounted to full
~ si00.00O.00O.
Is not this unique. an cxtraordln-
airy showing?
Does 1t not reflect in striking form
the unparalleled position OF American
labor?
Does Il not bear directly upon thu
question whether the wage earners
have or have not shared literally In
the great gains OF American Industry
In the past ten years OF adequate pro
lection TO domestic labor?
Does It not tend 10 prove that the
increase alike in the rate OF WAGES
paid and in the total sum of wages
has far outrun the increase IN the cost
OF living?
over S63. 900. 900 was sent abroad
through the post Office during the year
ending June 80. 1906. by prosperous
Americans Of foreign birth or extrac-
ton to their relatives in other lands.
The figures OF postal orders issued
IN the United States for payment
abroad begin with 1892. That was
what may be termed a normal protec-
ton year. The labor OF the country
was we'll employed under the McKin.
ley tariff OF 1890 AZ the end OF June.
1893. the Wilson-Gorman bin had not
yet been enacted. Labor had not be
gun 20 feel the pinch OF tighter times.
so the amount sent abroad went uD TO
S16.341,S3s
Now. note the next year. 1884. after
the force OF the panic Of 1898, a free
trade panic. became visible. Then
there was n drop to s13.7s2.455. The
next year. 1895, after the mills and
factories had closed their doors to a
million wc.k people. there was a fur.
Their drop 20 s12.9O3.isG This was
low water mark. Wage earDers had
less TO spare to send abroad.
In 1897 came the DIngley law.
N eanwhile tho warehouses and store
shelves had been filed with foreign
goods rushed TO the United States at
lower tariff rates In anticipation on the
higher tariff OF 1897. Wherefore the
real benefits of the Dingley tariff were
not visible until these supplies were
exhausted, and II was not until 1900
that the first big jump In foreign re-
mittances occurred. That year the
postal orders amounted 10 $16.7i9.0 obs.
The sums sent 10 other countries by
wage earDers In the United States In
postal orders increased by leaps and
bounds from 1900 on: In 1901. over
$40. 100000: In 1902. nearly $4,000
600; in 1908, over $4,000 900; in 1904.
over s42. 100000; in 1905. over $47.-
SOC. 900: and in 1906, over s63. 900 coo!
Where did all this money come
| from? Not from the savings banks,
for the savings deposits of $i,747.-
e6i $50 in 1894 free trade tariff pc
riod) had in 1905 been increased TO
s3,261 ,236,11s. an increase OF almost
100 per cent in the protection period.
Not from the building and loan asso-
citation form OF savings. for these show
an almost equivalent increase In 1906
az compared with 1894 Rot In dimi-
mutton of what Is known as i5dustrlal
or wage earners' life Insurance. for
this line Of insurance has increased
enormously In ths past ten years.
SO the GO ard odd millions OF dollars
which went abroad last year in postal
orders to foreign relatives must rep
resent clear savings after meeting the
increased cost OF living. after swell
ing the savings bank deposits to an
estimated total OF 100000. 900 for
1906. and after investing money In
building ana loan associations and In
life insurance.
There is no escape from the conclu-
sion that the wage earners of the
United States are accommodating mon
ey at a phenomenal rate In these years
OF protection prosperit: