| Show prosperity WAGES I 1 the wonderful prosperity of tho country is shown in the following from the denver news we are informed by dispatches from new england that a labor famine in the building trades exists in section and that a great impetus has been given to trade schools tor boys and young men conducted by abu cities and towns tree of cost to the pupils except a small expenditure for books and tools the causes ot the labor famine says the springfield republican are twofold two fold first the amount of construction work now in progress is larger than ever before and second rigid rules of the labor unions limiting the number of apprentices leave employed emp loyes no source to which to turn for reinforcements for years building plans have been held in check in the belief that the high prices which followed the recovery from the industrial depression of 1893 would be only temporary the conviction that values will re main on the present high level has given an impetus to the delayed plans the union scale for bricklayers calls for 4 for an eight hour day the workmen however arc receiving and 0 o and advertisements appear daily lottering ottering ott ering steady work at 5 per day the finishing of scores of buildings is delayed by the shortage of lathers who are paid 25 cents per bundle 2 cents more than ever before and are earning from to la 15 a day ability to nail fifteen bundles a day or to earn Is a qualification tor membership in the lathers union carpenters receive 3 and a day though the union scale is only A year ago the carpenters struck to obtain the scale now prevailing and flare beaten at every point the contractors announcing that thereafter they would conduct their business upon an open shop basis the open shop still prevails members of the union have adopted the policy of using persuasive means to enroll nonunion non union carpenters in tho union and in most instances have been successful notwithstanding the scarcity of labor the carpenters manifest no disposition to renew the contest in which they were worsted last year painters and plumbers are unable to meet demands and paperhangers and decorators are apt to be had the fact that new york is making this year an improvement record of 1250 with night shifts the common ale on largo buildings accounts in part for the new england scarcity there is however another side to this question and it is a very wide one tho human family alko its alleged ancestor Is fond of imitation the easily made millions in wall street and in life insurance circles have led to all kinds of extravagance on the part of the newly made and badly balanced rich in reviewing the general growth of extravagance the heavy imports of diamonds paris gowns and automobiles tho new york world estimates the amount expended this year by americans abroad at and by the work people of new york and vicinity at coney island alone at this does not read like the simple life it has small relation to the new england workman of before the war who raised and educated his family and improved impi oved their docial and mate rial position on less than 2 per day |
