The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-06
,ur MINIMUM WAGE MOVEMENT

rho unskilled worker has not Ill
~srlv received rair proportion "a
che increased wealth arising from our
,-o,acrful mechanical and industrial
,rorress. Indirectly. great dement's 90
-. result Of decreased costs OF pro-
spction have come 70 him m the form
~ greater comforts and pet'er
standard ~ living. In the struss'e
eo- higher money and real vases
,.l,...,..~ he has been exploited both
~, skilled and organized fe4low-"o'N-
.-s and by INSCRIPTIONS employers
This situation was TO be expected
,.,.-, The neeessitous condition Of the
...spsl,es ware-earner. his compare
tive ignorance and lack OF moral
etraint. and from the weakness "a
his BARGAINING power. Recently MS
ea,,o-able status has 0een intensihea
.brousb an extraordinary increase III
the supply OF unskilled workIneh o'
.rs Sisnlacernents caused by the ao'p-
-, - greater extent q machine
,-,cssses in rnining and manutactur-
&c .,s BY an increased influx OF is-
,,or,n, and Inexperienced Immigrants
81, search Of employment The unfaVor-
able industrial conditions which nave
inns been brought about have been
,-.Sa the basis for a demand for the
auacting Of a legal wage minimum
a,olicsr,le 70 all our leading industries
Massachusetts, has already passed such
o. rax the Ohio constitutional Conven-
ION has authorized the Legislature 70
90 likewise. and Governor sulzer' on
the occasion Of his recent Inaugural.
strongly urged a legal minimum wage
FOR New York.
The majority Of employers would
not probably object TO minimum wage
r,ouirements. provided It should DC
made obligatory upon all producers
in the principal branches OF industry
Voluntary efforts have often been
made by the larger and better class
OF employers 10 obtain general agree
ment within a certain industry 10 con-
rede higher rates of pay or more
literal working conditions to employees
The frequent attempts OF large
number OF Southern cotton mill own
ers 10 shorten hours OF work or 10
ADVANCE wages may be cited as an
illustration Of this tendency. The
obstacle in the case OF the more al
rru.stic Southern mill owners. and one
which has always confronted similar
.,,oven,euts. has been the fact that
less scrupulous. but powerful employ
ers have always refused 10 enter into
me proposed arrangements. Their re-
fusal 70 40 so obviously meant that
they could undersell their more liberal
cornpetitors IL better wages or shorter
hours should be granted by them AS
= consequence voluntary action in
..nelioratine Industrial conditions has
usually ended in a failure ComPeh-
ton and the law OF survival made
favorable result impossible
similar obstacle Is Characteristic
~ the present situation. 1t consists
in the diNcr.ry. in working out prac-
,,csble and -"i,ist legislation. The
british minimum wage boards have
Teen created by an ACT ~ Parliament
ard are effective II certain trades
,1,oYrbout the United Kingdom. IN
+rss country. however. no such general
4. e-isla,ion can be enacted by the Fed
.-al government. Minimum wage
Hesitation must emsnate from our
state LEGISLATURES. Capital would.
therefore. be attracted. as in the case
o. our incorporation laws. 20 the state
o- states which offered tho most liberal
oondi-sors. The lack OF uniformity IN
.-inimu-n wage requirements might in
ire seriously one state. Or h. causing
q -edis--.--fiou o. manufacturer and
rroducers bring about large and gen
era! Industrial losses. Ire recent con-
tention o. Professor Seaze-. O. Ear-
ard University. m ar address before
ne American Ecoaors'c association.
-az- the state wri-h forbade .fs wage
e-rners 20 work below a minimum rate
-rouls b compelled &c support those
Who could rot ind employment. is
academic 1-d theore-f-aL and should
czuse 70 apu-eh--s lu rractl.e. The
problem - to devise -rrasurcs watch
VII teac tosssrcs l-iecruiry and fair-
rcss. ard -f.cn wll not ses-l; So
t~cal o. g,-t-al Industrial disturb
a-ces.