Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-02-14


Cent, Wages Have Increased but 70
Per Cent-Shnll We stand Pat or
Revise the TnriHs-A Proposition
For Voters to Consider.
We are all impressed with the pros
perity that the great business interests
Of the country are enjoying, but some
how many of us feel that we are not
getting our share. There is no disput-
ing the prosperity of the few, but there
Is still stronger evidence that many
farmers and wage earnerS are not get
ting just what should be coming to
them. The price Of farm products.
with the exception of wheat, has In
creased, wages of workingmen have
advanced, and yet the greatest econ
Omy is not able to equalize the greatly
Increased OutgO. The figures" Of Duns
and Bradstreets mercantile agencies
show that the price of all commOdi
ties has risen on an average over so
per cent since 1896, but the statistics
Of the average wages paid indicate an
Increase of only about 90 per cent dur
ing the same period.
The census figures show there arc
about 100000 people in this country
working for wages, receiving an aver
age Of about 5000 each per year, so
the total wages paid amount to $751;
OOO,OOO,O0O. Deducting 20 per cent
would give in 1896 for the same num-
Der Of wage earners $15,0OO,O00,O
But as the cost of living is now so per
cent more than In 1896, and 1t cost all
the wage earners earned In 1896 to live,
1t must now cost them 500, 100000 900,
or $500 each per year to buy the same
amount of goods and pay the increased
rent and other expenses Of living
that it did in 1896. Yet the evidence
shows that the wages paid are but 20
per cent higher, or $72O per year, In all
| $1S,OOO,O0O SO the difference be-
tween what the wage earners Of the
country now receive and what they
should receive If they fully participate
in the prosperity Is $4,000, 100000 This
amount approximately represents what
the protected trusts, combines and cor
porations are receiving In profits over
and above the average profits the pro-
ducers and manufacturers were get
ting in 1896. Surely the trusts are
prosperous, and their prosperity Is in
disputable, for $4,5OO,OOO,OOO Is d.
verted by the Republican system Of
protectionism into the remorseless
maws Of the corporation magnates.
But how about the balance Of US that
are forced by these tariff fostered trust
high prices to pay the extra $4,000 O0,-
600, or $3.50 each for the 3OOOO,O00
workers?
No wonder there Is unrest and that
all who earn salaries and wages are
demanding more pay; but, as the cost
Of living is advancing at the rate Of
psr cent annually, 1t would seem that
wages and saisries will never catch up
with the cost of living.
AS political proposition the voters
must remember that In 1896 and for
three years previous the Democratic
tariff rates were quite high, averaging
3S.6S per cent ad valorem, whereas I'M
der the present law the rates exceed
50 per cent, or over 20 per cent higher.
That enormous increase fostered the
formation Of trusts and combines,
which very naturally, finding they had
monopoly, have increased prices un-
til they now exceed 80 per cent of
what they were in 1896 under the low
er tariff rates. AS every one is CON-
PEELED to pay these increased prices, is
1t not the reasonable and only way to
reduce prices to so revise the tariff
that at least these high prices may not
become higher which are now increas.
ing at the rate Of per cent every
year?
The Republicans say, "No; we will
stand pat and allow the present trust
prosperity to continue and hope that
wages will advance to par with
prices" which under the present sys-
tenn experience shows they will not do.
The Democrats declare for tariff revi-
sion, so that there will be competition
with the trusts and force them to re-
duce the price of their products to a
reasonable extent. The voters when
they elect the next president and con-
gress must decide between these two
propositions.
| XV0r Il