The Level Of Wages

The fifth annual report of Carroll D. Wright, United States commissioner of labor, is devoted entirely to railroad labor. The differences between the wages of men doing the same work in different parts of the United States are shown to be very great. The following table exhibits these differences in detail;

AVERAGE DAILY RATE OF WAGES.

Brakemen... New England: $1.80; New York: $1.73; Georgia: $1.26; Ohio: $1.86 1/2.

Conductors... New England: $2.82; New York: $2.54; Georgia: $2.58 1/2; Ohio: $2.61 1/2.

Engineers... New England: $3.32 1/2; New York: $3.15; Georgia: $2.91; Ohio: $3.07 1/2.

Firemen... New England: $1.89; New York: $1.72; Georgia: $1.29 1/2; Ohio: $1.79 1/2.

Laborers... New England: $1.51; New York: $1.23 1/2; Georgia: $0.88; Ohio: $1.21 1/2.

Tel. Operators... New England: $1.42 1/2; New York: $1.34 1/2; Georgia: $1.50 1/2; Ohio: $1.47.

Switchmen... New England: $1.78; New York: $1.27; Georgia: $1.11; Ohio: $1.53 1/2.

Brakemen... Texas: $1.95; Northwest States: $1.75 1/2; Pacific States: $1.96; Average: $1.78.

Conductors... Texas: $2.92 1/2; Northwest States: $2.85 1/2; Pacific States: $3.00; Average: $2.63.

Engineers... Texas: $3.55; Northwest States: $2.79 1/2; Average: $3.22 1/2.

Firemen... Texas: $2.04; Northwest States: $1.90 1/2; Average: $1.79 1/2.

Laborers... Texas: $1.21; Northwest States: $1.30; Pacific States: $1.87 1/2; Average: $1.26.

Tel. Operators... Texas: $1.67 1/2; Northwest States: $1.38 1/2; Pacific States: $2.09 1/2; Average: $1.43 1/2.

Switchmen... Texas: $2.30 1/2; Northwest States: $2.15 1/2; Pacific States: $2.20; Average: $1.50 1/2.

These figures are very important in their bearing upon the tariff question. The protectionists assert, in season and out of season, that if it were not for the tariff wages with us would at once sink to the European level. In order to make good that claim they ought first to explain why wages do not sink to the same level in all parts of our own country.

The firemen on railroads, for example, do precisely the same kind of work in all parts of the country, yet they earn $2.04 in Texas and only $1.29 1/2 in Georgia. Engineers earn $3.55 in Texas and only $2.79 1/2 in the northwestern states. Ohio pays its brakemen 6 1/2 cents a day more than New England does, but New England pays its switchmen 29 1/2 cents more than Ohio. Engineers in New York get 35 1/2 cents a day more than in the northwestern states, but switchmen are paid 88 1/2 cents more in the northwest than in New York.

The same differences and cross differences run through the whole table. Why do not wages sink to the same level here in our own country? What right have the protectionists to assume that our wages would sink to the European level if it were not for the tariff?