The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-11
KANSAS cOAMENT
WAGES HERE AND THERE.

WAGES HERE AND THERE
A Mr.. Gearing Hiatt, English, of
course as you guess from the double
barreled name, has been Investigating
industrial conditions in this country.
and comparing them with those of his
native land. Summing up, he states,
what everyone knows, that the Ameri-
can Workmen receives consid erably
larger wages ON an average than his
British cousin But this investigator
also states that the American toiler
has no more in his pocket at the
weeks end, after the bills are paid,
than the laborer in J. Bulls vineyards
or factories. At first thought, that
sounds like considerable indictment
against the increased cost of living,
but there are other things to consider.
The fact that one passes this way
but once is no excuse for prohigate ex-
travagance, were that possible on
workman's wage even in this we'll fed
country, which it isn't But it is reason
enough for living by the way. Not
overlooking the fact that there are
dark spots on the American Industrial
map; cotton mills of the South where
little children toll; mines where condi-
tions are unnecessarily dangerous. and
where boys work the breakers; steel
mills where the hours are too long to
permit much living by the way Con-
sidering carefully all these things, the
fact remains that no other country on
earth offers the average toiler similar
reward for his effort, and barring Can
ada and Australia, none other offers as
good.
Even in those broad and liberal
commonwealths remains to some ex-
tent the touch of the mother country,
whose people have known more of
poverty than prosperity. for which
reason the standard of living remains
little lower than our own. Also, no
doubt, little less ambition and incen-
4r,d SxTcT1 Oav saF7
Where class lines have been closely
drawn for centuries. even colonist OF
such nation may feel less like break
ing away from the paths his fathers
trod, and there may be less opportu-
mites in his way Therefore American
workmen have cause for rejoicing.
But they may also learn a lesson,
if they will, from the recent investiga-
tion and from conditions in other
lands. w. Y. Morgan lately remarked
that Kansans, should they toll as the
Dutch do, and practice the same econ
omy, would soon corner the visible
supply of wealth. But, he added, they
wouldn't see much fun across life's
weary pathway. Something to that all
work and no play gag, and no one
would. If he could. make the people
of this bright, reSpIendant state a race
of duIlards. But little of the Dutch
stuff wouldn't hurt in Kansas, as else
where in this home of the brave.-At-
Gibson Globe.
ATTEND TO YOUR OWN FLAWS.
This would be a splendid world to
live in if we were all as good as we
think the other fellow ought to be.
You can stand around on the street
corner most any hour of the day or
evening and hear a bunch of men
picking out the flaws in someone else.
And women, also, are not above such
talk. At the same time the lives of
the gossipers may be so full of faults
they are bubbling out of their ears. If
we worked as hard to pick out the
good points of those around US we
would all be happier. Just try to be
as good as you think the other fellow
ought to be for a while and see how
it ZOeS-DOWuS News.