The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1908-03-26
EXORBITANT RENT
RATE DISCUSSED
In Connection With the Oppressed and Neglected
Common Laborers of Our City---High Prices
and Low Wages Cause of Poverty.

Inc popular sound throughout
the state to-day, and for month.
now is ths dismal heart rendins
incoming cry of distress and grief
All our industrial workers are onl,
partly employed. The coal mines
work but one and two days week
Charity has extended its feeble
hand with scant morsel to prevent
or defer the death of some of uh,
unemployed in this city.
Appeals have been read from
the pulpits of our churches and
many good intentioned people
have contributed money and time
to increase the supplies available
to relieve the distress. Words of
praise for all these evidences of
kindness, for and, toward the un-
fortunate victims of HIGH PRICES
AND LOW WAGES are rightly
deserved by. the noble hearted
"neighbors" and workers, and no
fault is found with the spirit that
prompts the charitable heart to
stretch forth the noble hand of
kindness to Zone of these little
ones," and the "Mantle of charityn
falls in graceful folds upon the
Multitude of sins' covering the
benevolent form with the Diyine
declaration of reward and duty.
1t is of these things I desire to
write in general way yet, speci-
fcly as to our own city That
great sins are committed in the
modern methods of reward to
honest industrial workers would
require but very short argument;
yet to clea,3y convey my subject.
l must goI deeper than the surface
appearance; and, for the lack of
space cannot 60 into minute par
ticulars, much as l would like to
do.
The modern conception of the
common laborer and his or their
relations to society as it exists
today is with some modification of
the term, brutal. Even to heart
lessness, not with standing our
charity organizations. We do not
give the most ignorant common
laborer nothing of the credit he is
entitled to nor, do we pay him for
his unselfish services in our be-
half more than 25% of his real
worth.
I know that there are some
people who object to such state.
ments as l have just made. But,
it is because of the sin cursed
system by which money, not men
is regarded as an agent of pro
duction, while in real truth it is
not money so much as factor in
production.
In the commonest laborer in cur
midst was protected and guarded
in his labor as money is in all the
uses in which many employ it,
there would not be a pauper or,
half-fed, half clothed man, woman
or child within the confines of
civilization and but few-if any
criminals.
The men who toll as common
laborers are the most numerous of
any of the SUBJ divisions of work
men in our midst and, no doubt in
the world. Yet they are but lit
tie thought of. While the labor
they perform requires a small de-
gree of skill, it does require a great
amount of energy, perseverance
and industry; and, not infrequent-
ly great personal risk. Money in
the aggregate. takes nor assumes any
risk at all. Who SO ever uses
money must carry all the risk,
money takes nothing but interest.
The average compensation paid to
labOrerS in and about this CITY is
about one dollar twenty-five cept is
day. The average rent charged
is about 7O% or four dollars pei
room. for three and four room
houses. The average family would
consist of any, four persons, the