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Show H.tHI) TIMKS. Winter always brings with it a period of stagnatiou resulting from the discontinuance dis-continuance of building and other outdoor out-door work, which this year is aggravated aggra-vated by a stringency in tho money market unprecedented since 1884. At the same time it is the season of greatest great-est expense, when to the increased cost of provisions must be added the item of fuel and flannel and extra clothing. Winter is, therefore, the least propitious propi-tious time for employes to have their wages reduced, aud we regret to note, therefore, a tendency on the part of large employers all through the country coun-try to cut down salaries at this time. The Pullman company was the lirst concern to take this step and the Union l'acitic is tho lust one, thus far, said to contemplate a like measure. We hope not. The employes of tho railroad are none too well paid now and a reduction would be a positive hardship to many . of them. Under Mr. Clark' lirst man-) man-) ngetnent it was the lioast of the Union Pacific company that its men were the best paid iu the country. Since then a system of gradual decrease was adopted by which each vacancy as it 1 occurred was til led at a lower salary 1 uutil today there is r.o difference between be-tween this rond or any other in the matter of wages. 1 Of course, it cauuot be expected that ' corporations or private firms will assume as-sume all the burdens of hard times. That would bo neither human nature nor business. But neither should they tilrn thu entire weicht noon the ahonl- ders of the employes as is too often attempted. at-tempted. We believe the hard times are coming to n end. They hail a sudden birth in the scare created in Loudon by the collapse col-lapse of South American securities and they will die as sudden a death. Meantime Mean-time it would be well for large employers employ-ers to be considerate in tho treatment of their men at this season of greatest living expense. |