Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-06-15
ABSENCE OF A FAMILIAR CRY

the adjournment of two national repub.
lican conventions, there should be no
loud cries of protection and prosper-
ty emanating from the republicans
homeward bound from Chicago. Twen-
ty years ago. when Bryan was vitaliz-
ing the nation with his eloguence, the
favorte republican slogan was that al
literative battle cry that meant nothing
but made noise. Again in 1900, the
full dinner pail was deemed potent
argument. and so each succeeding cleo
ton has been wlnd-swept with republ-
can rally calls belittling democratic
ability to maintain the nation in shoes
and shirts and keep the wolf from eat
ing the handle off the front door,
Democracy, having found opportunity
under Woodrow Wilson'S 8 sanity to dem
onstrate its full capacity to run the
country fully as we'll and even better
than the republicans, who had incum-
bered the machinery of government for
so many years, feels bit dazed and
uncertain at not now finding itself as
| sailed with belttlements Were not
| the record clear and the books clean of
misgovernment and misappropriation
there would be something ominous in
| this quiet. AS matters stand we must
torn to facts and figures to assure us
there is nothing sinister in this republi-
can silence, that it comes merely from
inability to say anything biting, not
from lack of desire to do so or pur
pose to later heap abuse and bitter
tlings upon our luckless heads.
Reviewing the May report of the bu-
reau of labor statistics of the depart
ment of labor, we find the pay rolls of
| 139 iron and steel establishments which
have reported amounted to So 223, ,996
in 1915, while in March this year they
amounted to SIS, l6T ,920; III other words
| these are paying their employees 49,
600, 600 a month more than last year.
In other business we find car builders
and repairs being paid $To0,000 month
than last year; boot and shoe workers,
$3.50 900; hosiery and underwear factory
employees $66 900; silk workers, $780,
| 900
On May 3, 1916, 1so, 900 anthracite
miners received wage increase which
aggregates SIP 100000 year
Among the other industries which are
participating in the general wage in
crease are the following:
19 per cent Paint manufacturing III
dustries.
Il per cent = Automobile ami auto
part industries.
Is per cent Flour and grist mill in
dustries.
IA per cent Rubber goods, machin
cry, foundry and locomotives.
13 per cent Pottery, pressed brick
groceries, woolens.
IL per cent--Chemicals, soap, cloth
ing and fertilities.
10 to 20 per cent Iron and stee
working industries.
9 per cent Agricultural implements
furniture, shoes, leather, silk laces.
s to IL per cent Confectionery, cot
ton goods.
to i5 per cent Coal mining, carpet
glass, linoleums, rugs, tobacco an,
cigars.
10 per Paper and pulp thread
silk, cordage and twine, ship building
woolens.
Opposition spellbinders, confronte'
: with this evidence, will endeavor to ex
: plain the facts by declaring the pros
perity of the country is due to the ma
: tion's tremendous industry in war sup
I plies. But in what respect are most o
7 these industries affected by the war
: During the nineteen months of wa
3 that had elapsed when the taking of tn
] above statistics was commenced ou
munitlon exports amounted to total 0
q S34o, ,00o,0 900. That is equal to abou
I one tenth of the conntry's exports fo
a year. The report on bank clearing
shows that clearings of the country fo
a single week are greater than tn
value of our whole exports for year