Iowa Unionist (Newspaper) - July 4, 1908, Des Moines, Iowa IOWA UNIONIST X 1 of All WHAT MS Ten Dollars the Average Weekly Pay In America WAGE CENSUS STATISTICS Ara Computed on Not Rat of py Wage of Women and Children South Worit Showing Children whose weekly earnings are women who labor from Monday morn big until Saturday night nud make and men whoso average weekly wage Is are some of the Industrial conditions revealed In the census bureaus bulletin treating of the earnings of wage earners The figures which go to make up this bulletin are secured from 123703 es throughout the country 53 per cent of all manufacturing concerns having employees Moreover the bulletin contains the first regular census report ever made of earnings covering n large number of establishments The Investigation on which this bulletin Is based covered some workers of whom In round numbers 2620000 were men women and children By way of explanation the census officials make this statement When the material for the federal census of manufactures was collected In 1005 each manufacturing establish ment was requested to report for the week In 1004 during which the largest number of persons were employed the number of wage classified bv the amount they earned The returns are those of earnings or wages and not of rates of pay Rates arc higher earnings because they arc for a full week whereas earn ings shown In the bulletin wore re ported for the time actually worked and this In some a less than the full week The figures show that more than half of the workers received nt the time of the Investigation or more a week that the average pay for the whole country was n week The aver age man received the average woman and the average child un der sixteen of age Of all the classes of workers engaged In the manufacturing Industry the lapidaries are credited with the high est earnings Next In line are those who make womens corsets their average wages being close be hind these specialists come the men who work nt photo engraving and pho to lithographing their earnings being while the skilled artisans who are employed in the manufacture of statuary and art goods receive 51045 The average earnings of the man watchmakers Is scarcely less being while the women employed in the same Industry receive which Is a remarkably high average for wo man workers But these classes of wage are highly skilled specialists it is when we turn to the kinds of labor whore tile skill nnd less mind arc required thut we touch tbe of In come Of all the classes of mim work ers embraced iu this census those engaged In the manufacture of turpentine and rosin receive the lowest wage Their average earning are only 523 The majority of these men arc engaged In gathering crude gum and represent the lowest order of employ ment considered In the census report A grade higher are the men In the cot oil and business average earnings being only The Industries thus far mentioned are of Interest because they are ex tremes and not because thov employ largo of earners Tho average earnings of the men in some of the more Important Industries were ns follows Iron and steel steel works and rolling mills Iron nnd steel blast furnaces foundry and 1 machine shop products lumber nnd limber products furniture cotton goods 5771 boots and shoes mens clothing womens clothing tobacco cl gars and cigarettes newspaper and periodical priming and publishing glass The average weekly earnings or women In some of tho Industries which employ numbers were as follows Cotton goods hosiery and knit goods silk and silk goals bools and shoos mens clothing womens cloth Ing shirts glass The lowest average for children were week by the children engaged In the manufacture of pickles preserves and sauces The only Industries employ Ing considerable numbers of children under sixteen years of ago were glass and cigarettes and tho live Industries In connection with the cotton Indus try the bulletin makes nn Interesting comparison of the earnings In the north with those m the south Fly the comparison lo establishments en In the manufacture of plain for printing and converting to a extent the between tbe of DBS SATURDAY JULY 4 1908 differences In earnings This com parison shows that the average euro Ings of men were In New England in the south a difference of For women the average was In New England In the south a difference of while for children the average was In New Bng land in the south 273 a differ ence of For all classes the aver age weekly earnings In the north and but In the south PUSH THE UNION LABEL It a Better Standard of Living For Workingmen Secretary of State Jolm H Whaler of New York was tbe principal speaker at the opening of union fair recently held In Brooklyn The fair IE an annual event nud Is held under the direction of the Central Labor union ts purpose of course Is to advertise union made goods Secretary Whalen who Is a member of the Tobacco Workers union said hat he regarded the union label as he most important tMng In tbe trades union movement There had been in unctions against the unions by the but there bad never been an Injunction against the labeL There lever would be one by any court hut here was by the union men thein elves That was the reason why the air was It to show men the meaning of the union label It means better wages shorter hours the abolition of the sweatshop and the destruction of tlie greatest eurso In this country child labor Did they realize that today tn this coun try were 2500000 little children working under the age of fifteen They were not the children of the men and women present but they were na dear lo their fathers and mothers That was the things the labor movement was doing They may speak or fraternal organizations or of any other organization but It was the la bor organization that stood for better health better conditions in the land Continue to preach the union said the speaker By so doing you are helping the condition of those who toll The label means a better standard of living for American He was glad to see the women present for they could do much because they hod the spending of the money He would say to them Practice what you preach do as you would be done by everything one uses or wears may he made by union muri and wom en Frequently It Is not The union label on n garment stamps It ns being made In a factory and not In n tene ment honso It means that union wages were hours were worked The union label on a box of cigars Indicates that the cigars were or I tenement so with everything which boors the label But few things tllo reason that the the bcra of labor organizations 10 not themselves demand that or Mt Hear the label Were the 2000000 members of he American Federation of Labor and their wives to purchase only goods bearing tho union stamp a larger her of manufacturers it la confidently believed would put the on heir goods ami would therefore be forced to pay the union wage scale The Side Lights on Holders of tbe Greatest Elective Execu tive Office In the Has It Been Scorned by That Indicate Higher Respect For the Post PRESIDENTS THROUGH DEAT LOVE The late John T when elect KLL whats the matter with ed president pro tern of the senate the vice presidency after the death of Vice President Hen Why is it that this high dricks said The vice president has Is held In such con two to preside over Chances Webster Missed Farther back in our history was nn Illustrious statesman the god like Dilute Webster who missed two sure shots for the presidency because he held the same sneering no tion of the vice presidency that some of our statesmen hold today Thurlow Weed tried to Induce Web ster to take tbe vice presidential nom on the Tippecanoe ticket In 1839 but the doughty Daniel Indig spurned the Invitation John Tyler was nominated and elected Exactly n month after President Harrison died and Tyler stepped up Webster who could have been president but for his scorn of the second ptace became Tylers secre tary of state Tyler was the first vice president to succeed to tbe presidency and It is curious to note that the situation caus ed embarrassment because many poli of the time were not dead sure that Tyler was a full fledged president Even Webster king of constitutional lawyers that he was held the opinion that Tyler president and taught to have him sign official papers merely ns acting president Then 1 was that John Tyler arose the high heels of bis dignity ana declared that he was president of the United States Daniel hud to acquiesce or gel out of the cabinet He acquiesced Ever since episode which seem amusing In the nobody has disputed that a deuth made chief exec Is actually and absolutely dent of the United States Webster missed his second to become president he refused WORKING HOURS REDUCED Splendid Success Of tho Printers Eight Hour Movement Bramwood of the international Typographical union In a recent report has tbe following to ln tlle An weekly decrease of about nnd hours Is the mean ing of these figures It will be noticed that in the number of reductions in hours nnd the aggregate thereof the hand compositors fared better than the machine operators This difference serves only to emphasize the success of the eight hour movement nnd shows what the membership When It Is remembered that the re duction In the hours of book nnd Job men affected at least 20000 of our members and the numerous reduc lo newspaper scales are observed tho Immensity of what has been gain ed In the way of shorter hours Is ap parent Using the total membership of these unions n basis nnd Ing the number affected the re In hours for nil affected mero Dcra 7150000 hours per year hoars or Soft days of eight hours per nmn oy political highbrows Why should the American vice pres be looked down upon from Im altitudes of greatness by men who deem themselves too big for tho Job The Into which this has Into which It fell at tho beginning of our a of most curious Interest Our manner of keeping tho posi tlon is enough to make laugh nt democracies If we accept the undervaluation of tho presidency It really is a pity that our ever Invented it Hut shall we the common miscon ception for It Is nnd nothing else We simply drop ped Into the habit of sneering nt the and far toe president Mr sometimes uttered Labor Temple For Plans aro being made by the Struc tural Trades alliance and the union of Spokane Wash to erect a labor temple In that city to cost There nre 7000 union men In Spokane nnd by 00 per cent of them taking 25 worth of stock the amount can IK The Chinese government levies a regular tax on beggars and gives them to return the privilege of bearing In certain districts second greatest elective executive o lice In the world In fact tho hall has grown upon us for a years or more Old John Adams the first vice pres Went was guilty of the earliest suce nt the office During his ho remarked My country hasIn It wisdom contrived for me tile most In significant ever tbe Inven of man conceived Stepping Stone to Presidency Nevertheless for Joan Adams tlm Insignificant was a direct step ping stono lo the presidency Thomns Jefferson successor to Adams as botl vice president and president also step peil straight up to the first office fror the second His own successor as president Aaron Burr edly would have succeeded him as president bad he not become such n chronic Intriguer that he was tcd before the nrls broke the stepping stone into flinders Only once since then has the presidency been a booster to Martin Van was pulled up to tbe higher pedestal by Andrew Jackson when the latter stepped down With the single exception of Im Hurons case the vice presidency has been Aaron Durrs time an orna mental tomb for the political Inter ment of men who otherwise might navo presidential ties There might have been carved nt the entrance lo tbe All hope f tho presidency abandon ye who enter hero Of course vice presidents succeeded to the higher by the death of bo president but no man since Marty Vim bus served u in out n vice presidential term and nomination ward stood In the glare of he spot light Why Well thr Is Interesting Theodore to be sure was elected president having been vice president nut he president of the United Stales when elected to hut Had be no succeeded at the assassination he have licen elected president n Tbe chances Judging from story and experience are negative to die jokes Automatic Succeeders Five times in our history president have died nnd vice presidents have suc them The presidents thus created by the automatic o the constitution were tn the order Tyler Millard Audrew Johnson Chester Alan and Theodore Roosevelt It Is Interest ing to observe Hint each of these dents served nearly the term for which the deceased president was elected Tyler served three anil eleven mouths of William Henry Har risons term served all sixteen months of Zachary Taylors four years Johnson became president less than six weeks after he became vice president Arthur nnd each stepped higher up after accession to the vice presidency Thus It is scon that the automatic succceders have been in each instance presidents for important periods un merely serving out the tail ends of terms Twentyone men have been elected president There have been twenty presidents Vice presidential climbers account for the difference Twentysix men have held the oilier of vice president It is worth while tc name Adams Thomas Jef ferson Aaron Hurr George Clinton Elbridge Gerry Daniel D Tompkins Jolm C Calhoun Martin Van Buren to accept vice nomination In Weed again urged him to run and ho could have had the place had be desired It Tay lor was elected president Millard Fill more vice president President Taylor died July after only sixteen months In the great died Oct 24 Suppose he bad ac the vice presidential candidacy and succeeded Taylor Granting that his death would have taken place whet It did the nation would have been con fronted with the problem of n presidency with no vice president tc step up High Honor For Clinton vice presidents have died In of fice They were Clinton Gerry King Wilson and Hobart Vice President King was ill In Cuba on in day and took the oath of office on foreign soil by act of congress lie died tbe day after reach Ing his home In Alabama In April 1853 but a few weeks after vice president Vice President Clinton died In Wash ington In 1812 after senIng nearly eight years as the second officer in the Government In May of this year bis remains were disinterred nud at Kingston N I oW home lore at least was one vice president highly honored ninetysix years after for Clintons remains lay in state In the city hall New York and there was an imposing military funeral Hut stuv Clinton was governor of New York foi NUMBER 19 dency Is going to see better High browed still there he imm too high nud mighty In their own estima tion to care for the office Yet one can not seeing Indications that the great political parties are coming to their senses in this matter nud nre In to name for vice president men of presidential caliber In every ular Tlie Democratic party of late years has been the worst offender In respect to the vice presidential nomi nation In Arthur Sewall of Maine unknown outside his own state nominated with Bryan In 1004 Henry Davis of West Vir ginia long out of publie life and of venerable age was ticketed with Par ker at these estimable gentle men the ticket was named because he was supposed to possess a barl a loose spigot hut It so happened In case that the spigot was hammered In and clinched on the Inside of tho barrel Not enjoying the favor of the big corporations the De could not hope for such large campaign contributions as these con cerns gave to the Republican party Money is necessary in a campaign If tho other fellow has of It This year the cash problem seems to be about on an even basis for both sides since public has relegated the corporation contribution the muck also tbe corporations do not love the Republican so fervently ns of old Availability of course Is a tbe nomination of vice presidential candidates For Instance Congressman James S Sherman of New York has been nominated by Republicans cans Jills year because they believe that he will help to carry the Empire State who the Democrats may nominate Governor Johnson for second place on their ticket because It ts apparent that he can carry ta which otherwise surely would be Republican But leaving the current campaign aside thp American vice presidency may be said to be looking up The con provides the vice president as successor to tbe president should that die or be removed before the end of the term to which he Is elected Undoubtedly the constitution makers Intended that no man of less than pres caliber should be made vice president None of us should ran hide when n nomination to the vice presidency Is offered for there Is bnt one higher elective honor on earth Convict Labor Unless a radical reform Is made the experimental convict camp at the rock quarry state of Washing ton will be abandoned It Is estimat ed thut convict labor costs a day Laborers can be hired for less money and three hired laborers will do more work than five convicts M Johnson George M Dallas Millard William I King joh Jolm vj ridge Andrew John son Colfax Henry Wilson William A Wheeler Chester thur Thomas A P B Stevenson A Hobart Theodore am Charles w Fairbanks In tho list we hid not n few names John Adams Jefferson Vnn Buren and were elected the presidency Five out of tin or practically be nme president by the death of the chief executive So It appears thai ven on Ingilis facetious ground ol walling for the president to die our have a irony fair show for the top notch In fact there arc men now alive who Won hi been presidents had they not re fused lo accept the vice nomination One of them in General Stewart I who carried he boon to a few ngo Ho declined o be nominated for vice president on the ticket In isso Another is revl p Mor ton now years old wlm likewise declined at that time was nominated and elected Arthur be came president Mr Morton iaur ar copied lie for second nnd was Harrl tn dli In oliice twentyone years That par amount In the memorial exercises his vice presidential experience being men only incidentally New York Is the mother of vice dents Tlie has supplied nine ol the twentysix Five of hose have been governors of New York Three of the vice presidents from New succeeded to the presidency under flu constitutional Vi and Two of their were elected president Van Urnen nm Mr was one of t scorning candidates who hud o tit driven into the vice presidency with a stuffed club He didnt at all It U the belief of political observer that had Vice President lived he would have been renominated with In 1000 and thus would have succeeded to he presidency Mr Ilo really wanted He proud of the ami did much to rescue It from the condition of Innocuous desuetude Into which the scorn of statesmen had plunged it Always on the Job Vice President Fairbanks Is another statesman who likes the He has helped to dignify it It Is said that no president ever so to tbe working privileges of the posi tlon ns Mr Fairbanks has done He Is LABOR NOTES Labor unions are no new Invention Accurate records of their existence In Roman times have been dun m in At the present time tlie constitution tho paving cullers provides for tha nine hour day but also contains a clause to tho that May 1 1000 the hours of shall not et eight The supreme of Nevada has handed down a decision which renders boycotts In nil forms Illegal The de of n lower court that a union being nn unincorporated body could not be sued is reversed Deputy stale mine inspectors of of West Virginia have begun n borough inspection of nil the mines in the state to determine to what extent the mining laws passed over n vear ore being observed Grand Jury Work There Is one sure way to get a man Interested the proceedings of tha criminal courts snld tho gray man and that Is to put him on n Jury just let a man once serve the public In that capacity and thence forward he becomes an Indefatigable student of tho criminal records That of his experience Is in a way Naturally any man HO lc always Charley on tbe Job lie pro sides over the senate to tho ultimate nnd great dignity and race There arc signs that tie y man spark of curiosity about him Is ani lons to know the outcome of Uie Mala of tho persons he has found Indict ments against In following eases through the various courts be ac quires an Interest In Judicial proceed ings that really never Sun H n Prudent G 8 Jonv A THE MECHANICS SAVINGS BANK 315 FIFTH STRECT MANHATTAN Capital Surplus
