Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-01-06

To higher levels rise. |
The tidal wave of deepest souls
Into our inmost being rolls,
and lifts us unawares
Out of our meaner cares.
.Tennyson.
lars month, which isn't great
deal to shout over.
In the city, naturally, wages rule
higher than in the country. Em'
ployees in the urban factories
that is, those in towns of eight thou,
sand inhabitants and upward-receiv-
ed on the average about IL per cent.
higher pay than the employees in the
rural" factories; but the labor-costI
in the urban factories was lower than
in rural establishments; machinery
being more extensively used, the la
Dor is more productive. English la
Dor, using machinery great deal,
produces much, and England, with
relatively high wages, has free trade.
Russian labor produces less; with
low wages has high protection.
Census reports covering all indus,
tries, factory" mechanical and
"neighborhood," show that in 1860
the number of wage-earners employed
in such industries was 1,311,246 and
the value of the product was $685.
\ 86I676. In 1905 the number of en-
ployees was 6,157,751 and the value
of the product s16,8s6, ,706, 1856. In
1860 each industrial employee produc-
ed SLABS; in 1905, $2,739. In 1860
wages amounted to 20 per cent. of thp
product;. in 1905 to only IS per cent.
The manufacturer therefore paid
relatively less for his labor, in 1906
thah forty-five years before-because
q the EFFICIENCY Of labor had greatly INF
; creased. There is only one census
period in the forty-five years during
which the value of the product failed
> to increase faster than the number
of employees. This was from 1870 to
3 1880, when the number of employees
S increased 33 per cent. and the value
n of the product only 27 per cent. From
e 1880 to 1890 number of employees
e. increased Sc per cent, value of pro
S duct IA per cent. From 1890 to 1906
L number of employees rose 25 pei
r. cent, value of product 80 per cent
It From 1900 to 1906 number of employ
W ees increased 16 per cent, value
r, of product 80 per cent This las
n period was marked by rapit
e advance in wages; but as produc
" ton per man increased, the labo
cost did not.
= Protection for Pittsburs's Poor Mil
" lionares.
;, = At the last report-covering 1906
:, the labor cost of our industrial out
!, put was under Is per cent, and tn
tariff was over AZ per cent.
- Steel is the classic example of
y, ~ protected industry. AS far back a
~ ~ 1886 and 1888 Jacob Schoenhof Qat
. er tariff expert attached to tn
Treasury Department. reported t
: the State Department, after pers'
nal investigation of correspondent
labor fields in Germany, England an
:. the United States, that in steel-ra
-. making in all branches, from coal an
:. ore to the finished product, our e!
:, penditures for labor were not nighe
:. than in either of the other coul
- tries. That, for at least doze
- years, it has cost the American ma
ufacturer, to produce finished a
;. ticle in steel and iron, rather LEI
- than either the English or Germa
=, manufacturer, has never, believ
~ been seriously doubted by anybot
.ui competent to judge. In 1899, M
~ schwab, president of the Carneg
~, Steel Company, wrote to Mr.. Fricl
'I know positively that England ca
~ not produce pig iron at actual co
~ for less han $11.50 ton, and ca
on not put pig-iron into rail, wi
,os their most efficient works, for lie
of than $3.50 ton. This would NAL
-, rails at net cost to them Of $19
of ton. You know We can make raj
nm for less than $12 per ton"
to Iron ore is, of course, the basis
ew he steel industry. In the steel Ct
rat porations rich Lake Superior min
a machinery is most effectively e
ten ployed. The ore is scooped up
dol huge steam shovels. Writing to \
in Frick about these mines in 1897, HI
Ems ry w. Oliver, who secured the b'
of the ore deposits for the Carnel
Sc. concern, observed: although
raj are mining at present for less tn
port five cents a ton tor labor, we MI
nit. lcok to the future, when we will ha
,aid t. go deeper" He meant that in
val future the labor-cost would incre'
per perhaps double or treble or qu
S Of ruple. AS it happened, three d;
,out before Mr.. Oliver penned this lett
1905 Congress, passed the Dingley Ii
the which thoughtfully placed duty
the AZ cents a ton on iron ore--in or
ally to protect American labor (getti
mes according to Mr.. Oliver, less Il
.ver- five cents ton) from the pau
fac labor Of Canada.
dol The ore goes first to the blast