Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 May 1895 — WAGES BEING RAISED [ARTICLE]

WAGES BEING RAISED

GOING UP FASTER THAN THEY EVER WENT DOWN. Prospects Indicate that Wage-Earners by- Next Year Will Have Regained All They Lost by Redactions During the McKinley Period. Republicans Silenced. There is a conspiracy of silence among Republican newspapers just now in regard to the rapidly increasing wages in woolen and cotton and other textile mills, and in various other mills and mines. It is perhaps fortunate for the Republicans that the tariff is not likely to’ be the leading issue next year, t Present prospects indicate that by next year the wage-earners will have regained all that they lost by thousands of wage reductions during the McKinley period. They- certainly will not care to experiment with another such wage-advancer as was the McKinley bill. We got free wool on August 28th, 1894. Before one Week had passed wages had advanced In the woolen mills of Rawitzer Bros., Stafford Springs. A score or more of wage advances were reported in large textile mills before the end of 1894, and the disease was beginning to spread to other industries. Early in 1895 everybody was surprised to learn that H. C. Frick & Co., and other coke producers had voluntarily advanced the wages of 15,000 workers 15 per cent Below is given a partial list of wage advances from April Ist to April 22d. The most startling feature of the situation is the fact that in all but one or two cases wages have been advanced “voluntarily”—that is, without a strike. The 200 employes of the Pakachoag worsted mills at South Worcester were surprised on April Ist at the announcement that their wages had on that day been advanced about 18 per cent—a restoration of a 15 per cent reduction made a year or two previous. On April Ist a 15 per cent, restoration of wages took place in the three woolen mills of ex-Congressman Moses T. Stevens & Sons, in New Hampshire. These mills represent the most extensive woolen manufacturing business carried on by any one firm In this country.

Thomas Dolan & Co., large manufacturers of woolens in Philadelphia, on April 4 advanced the wages of all weavers employed 15 per cent. Other firms were expected to follow suit. The Globe Iron Works, of Cleveland, Ohio, on April 14th restored the 10 per cent, reduction of wages made in 1893. Wholfender, Shore & Co., Cardington, Pa., posted notices in their mills on April 4th, restoring 5 per cent, of the 10 per cent, reduction made some time ago. Notices were posted' in the Washington Mills at Lawrence, Mass., on April sth, restoring wages reduced a year or two ago. Nearly 4,000 employes were affected. Representatives of the Bricklayer’s Company, Philadelphia, Pa., on April sth agreed to advance wages to bricklayers. The 400 employes of the Belding Bros. & Co.’s silk mills -were notified of a 5 per cent advance in wages on April 6th. On April 6th the Willimantic Linen Co., Willimantic, Conn., employing 2,000 hands, decided to advance wages generally 5 per cent. ”"x The American Linen Mills, Fall River, Mass., ordered an increase of wages on April 10th. Five hundred silk-ribbon weavers in New York City on or before April 10th had their wages raised, and 200 others were threatening to strike for an advance. Worumbo Mills, Lisbon Falls, Me., ordered a 10 per cent, advance about April 10th. The Fall River Iron Works mills (cotton goods), Fall River, Mass., posted notices on April 11th, advancing wages 10 per cent, in all departments. It has 1,800 employes. T-welve hundred employes in the mills at North Grosvenorsdale, Conn., had their wages advanced 10 per cent, on April 13th. E. W. Chapin & Co., manufacturers of woolens, Chapinville, Mass., advanced wages 10 per cent, about April 12th. United States Bunting Company, Lowell, Mass., advanced wages 10 per cent, about April 12. The Lakeside Manufacturing Company, Leicester, Mass., promised to “shortly restore the 10 per cent reduction which went into effect a year ago.” United States Cotton Company, Central Falls, R. 1., gave notice to its employes on April 11 that their wages would be increased 5 per cent to 10 per cent. All the cotton factories in Fall River, Mass., following the example set by Mr. Borden, on April 16 ordered an increase of per cent., restoring the rate prevailing before Aug. 20, 1894, the diange to take effect on April 22. More than 25,000 employes are affected, and the wage payments will be increased, it is stated, by §IB,OOO per week. the cotton factories in New Bedford, Mass., a restoration of the rate paid before Aug. 20, 1894, was ordered on April 17, an advance of about 5 per cent., affecting about 25,000 operatives. The Quinebaug and Danielsonville Manufacturing Companies posted notices on the 15th in their mills at Danielsonville, Williamsville and Wauregan, Conn., announcing an increase of wages to take effect on April 22. More than 4,000 operatives are affected by the advance. B. S. Stevens, manufacturer of woolens at Quinebaug, Conn., on the 17th increased the wages of his 200 employes by 15 per cent., restoring the rate paid In 1893. The Slater Woolen Company of Webster, Mass., gave notice on the 20th Inst, that the wages of its employes would be increased on May 1. An increase has been ordered by the same company in its cambric mills at East Webster for May 1. The rate paid before the reduction of last year is to be restored. In both mills 1,500 employes are benefited. John Chase & Sons, manufacturers of cassimeres at Webster, Mass., have Increased the wages of their 300 operatives by 10 per cent

Vassalborough Woolen Milla, near Augusta, Me., increase of 10 per cent Burke Holl Company, Rowley, Masa» Increase of 10 per cent, restoring old rate. Weybosset Woolen Milla, Olneyvllle, R. 1., wages increased in certain departments on the 18th Inst. Dyervllle Manufacturing Company, Dyerville, R. 1., increase of 5 per cent on the 17th Inst About 400 loom hands at the silk mills of John M. Stearns & Co., Williamsport, Pa., had their wages advanced 1 cent per yard on April 19. The firm of William H. Grundy & Co., the largest worsted mills at Bristol, Pa., Increased the wages of all employes 5 per cent on April 18, and promised another Increase of 4 per cent, if business shall continue to improve. The strikers in the Linwood mill, North Adams, Mass., returned to work on April 18, the old schedule of wages demanded by the strikers having been granted. The weavers In the Westerly Woolen Companies’ mills were notified on April 18 that they could return to work on the following Monday at an increase of wages and steady work.

A Good Showing. The current impression that the farming interests of the country are in a bad way has not all the elements of fact about it. The farmers have without doubt suffered from the depressed prices of the past few years, and those who have staked everything on wheat have sometimes come to actual loss. But, as the low prices have come to most other industries as well as agriculture, probably the average farmer has been able to exchange his products for as much machinery, clothing and food as he got in years when his proflucts sold at higher prices. The chief burden has fallen on those who borrowed money at the time when a. dollar was worth a bushel of wheat, and have to pay interest and debt when a dollar Is worth two bushels of wheat Yet even this* class is not so badly off as the calamity howlers have asserted. Estimates are misleading, but the returns of the money-lending companies furnish the best kind of evidence of the actual condition of the farmers. An insurance company that lends large sums on farm property makes the following report of its farm loans for last year: “Of the total interest that fell due In 1894, amounting to §2,953,969, only §200,151 remained unpaid December 31st, and this amount, the greater part of which w r as pot due until the latter part of the year, has since been largely reduced. The entire amount of interest due and unpaid December 31, 1894, (including the §200,151), amounted to but §253,058, or less than 5 (4.5) per cent, of the interest §5,628,340) that fell due in 1893 and 1894. Even this small amount is in no danger of loss, however, as it is amply secured by the property mortgaged. The interest accrued but not yet due on mortgage loans amounted to §784,325. The total real estate acquired under foreclosure and now owned after an experience of over thirty-six years, during which time more than §115,000,000 were invested in mortgage loans, amounts to but §431,372 during the year. Included in the amount acquired by foreclosure in 1894 were but three farms, involving only §9,781.” This w’ould be a good showing in what are accounted good times. When it is reflected that the statement covers the year of greatest depression in recent history, it is safe to assert that our farming industries are on a solid and enduring basis.—San Francisco Examiner.

The Supreme Court’s Duty. There can be no two opinions as to what the court ought to do in the matter of again taking up the income tax. A 3 it now stands the court has nullified a part of the law as unconstitutional, and has failed to render any decision whatever as to the rest of it. The law as it is now being enforced is left to rest upon negation alone. The court has not ruled either that it is constitutional or that it is not. Four Justices have decided one way and four the other. The ninth Justice has not heard the case. This is unfair alike to the Treasury and to the people subject to the tax. It compels the Treasury to collect the tax in uncertainty whether or not it may have to refund it. It compels the people to pay without knowing whether they are bound to do so or not. It leaves the country in perilous uncertainty as to .ts resources, the extent of its taxing power and the policy it should pursue. We w’ho have advocated the income tax as a just and equitable apportionment of the public burdens, equally with those who have opposed it, want all the questions touching its validity settled. The whole country wants to know whether it is or is not a constitutional tax, and the Supreme Court has no right to withhold its decision upon so important a point It is intolerable that the revenues of the Government and the rights of citizens should be left dependent upon a mere failure of the court to decide as to the validity or invalidity of a disputed statute.

A Blessing, Certainly. The New York Press says: “California fruit growers desire that currants should be' taken off the free list, as their business suffers in consequence of the importation of foreign currants .in large quantities. This is one of the blessings of the Wilson tariff bill, the practical workings of which have everywhere been fraught with disaster to the industries of our country, both large and small.” Certainly this is one of the blessings of the Wilson bill. To have cheap currants is a blessing to all of the people in this country, except the few fruit growers, who have beefi trying to monopolize our markets and advance prices. Not having a tariff to keep out foreign currants, the California Currant trust people are having trouble in compelling Americans to pay trust prices. Of course they want the McKinley bill back again—what trust does not? There are only 71,895 divorced women in this country; there might have been more. Too many men never praise their wives until after they bury them.