Omaha daily bee., 1907-09-09


investigation of the bureau of 10
wages and the retail prices Of = : he
report on which has just g cd
in the hands Of the printer, nat
in the principal manufact and
mechanical industries Of the co~1try
average wages per hour in 1906 were
45 per cent higher than in 1905, the
regular hours of labor per week were
O.5 per cent lower and the number of
employees In the establishment investi-
gated was per cent greater. The aver
age full-time weekly earnings per en-
ploye in 1906 were 3.9 per cent greater
than in 1905.
During 1905 wages were increased gen.
orally in nearly all Industries, forty OF
the forty-one industries covered by the
investigation showing some increase. The
greatest increase was in the manufacture
of cotton goods, where the average wages
per hour in 1906 were 11.2 per cent
higher than in 1905. In the manufacture
of electrical apparatus and supplies the
increase was 101 per cent. In street
and sewer work done by contract the in
crease was ST. per cent; in iron and steel.
Bessemer converting, SO per cent, and
in the manufacture Of cigars, S.4 per
cent In the manufacture Of bar iron
the increase in wages per hour was SO
per cent ana IN the DullulnB ITduSS vi
per cent Briefly stated, two industries
showed an increase in hourly wages OF
more than 10 per cent seven industries
an increase of per cent, but less than
10 per cent and thIrty-one industries an
increase of less than per cent. In
one industry-paper and wood pulp-there
was a decrease OF IL per cent. In the
industries as whole. weighted accord
ing to Importance, the increase in hourly
wages was as per cent.
Only Applies to Factory Workers.
The fact should be borne in mind that
these figures apply only to wage work
ers in manufacturing and mechanical In
dustries ana do not show conditions so
far as salaried employees are concerned.
The retail prices of food, weighted ac-
cordinE to consumption in representative
workingmen's families. were 2.9 per cent
h,ssi1er IN 1893 than in 1905. As the advance
Hh wages per hour from 1906 to 1905 was
greater than the advance I'm the retail price
OF food the purchasing power of an hours
wages, as measured by food, was greater
in 1905 than In the preceding year. In 1906
the purchasing power fan hours wages
as expended for food was IA per cent
greater than In 1906, and the purchasing
power OF full weeks wages was per cent
greater in 1905 than in 1906, or. in other
words an hours wages in 1905 In the man
ufacturing and mechanical industries of the
United States would purchase Ia per cent
more food than an hours wages In 1905 and
full weeks wages in 1905 would purchase
/ per cent more food than full weeks
wages in 1906.
The price of food was higher in every
month Of 1906 than In the corresponding
month OF 1906. The increase over the cor
which in February. 1906, was only O.4 per
cent. grew steadily greater throughout the
year. the price in December, 1906, being 81
per cent above that of the preceding De-
cember. The price in December 1906, was
As per cent higher than the average for the
year 1906, which year showed a higher av-
erage than any other year during the sew
enteen years, 1880 TO 1905. covered by the in
vestigation of the bureau OF labor.
Increase I'm Supplies.
The increase in prices I'm 1906 over 1905 ap-
piled. in unequal degree, TO twenty-five Of
the thirty articles included in the investi-
CATION. The articles which showed the
greatest advance in prices are lard, ss per
cent evaporated apples, 81 per cent: fresh
pork, SIS per cent; dry or picked pork, 81
per cent; bacon, 80 per cent; ham. rs per
cent; while the advance in fresh fish and
mutton exceeded per cent. The only
articles which showed any material de-
crease are -four and sugar.
The articles which showed the most
marked advance IN prices in December.
1905, over December, 1906. are butter, Is per
cent; lard 1879 per cent; fresh pork l2.2
per cent; dry or picked pork, r.s per cent;
bacon Ill per cent; ham, Gs per cent. The
only articles which showed any marked
decline In price in December. 1906, from the
price in December, 1905, are potatoes, 5.s
per cent. and flour, As per cent.
AS compared with the average for the
ten-year period, 1890 TO 1899, the average
wages per hour In 1895 were PAP per cent
higher and the number Of employees in the
establishments investigated was 429 per
cent greater, and the average hours of
labor per week we're A6 per cent lower.
The average earnings per employe per full
week in 1859 were 1875 per cent higher than
the average earnings per full week during
the ten years, 1890 TO 1899.
Big Increase in Foods.
The retail price OF the principal articles
OF food, weighted according to family con-
sumption OF the various articles, was ISL
= per cent higher In 1906 than the average
Nprice for the ten years, 1880 TO 1889. Com
pared with the average for the same ten
year period, the purchasing power OF an
hours wages in 1893, as measured by food
was 7.s per cent greater. and OF a full
weeks wages "a per cent greater the In
crease In the purchasing power OF the full
weeks wages being less than the Increase
in the purchasing power Of hourly wages
because OF the reduction in the hours OF
labor.