THE LAW OF WAGES.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11897, 30 March 1907, Page 2

THE LAW OF WAGES.

(Contributed. )

\Vhat is tke law of wages?. A cpi'ollary of the law of rent, and in sympathy with the law of interest, la all classes of labor attempts have been ayd are being riiade to.eqUftlis'e aiid adjust the prices paid for such labors WSigeSj wnie'h include all re Iturns received from iabor, aid Uniform to a degree, according to class. This result has been secured by labor organisations, unions, etc., and by legislation; and an established rate of wages is recognised in every trade. But there is no coni» tnon rate of rent, interest or return i for capital expended. Competition cannot affect wages as .it does rent; interest) ett>. Wage earners, seek to earn their recdmpenSe vVith .the. least exertion po93ible;and that feeqmnenee is not fixed by or result;, itig frdra Uncertainty competition* or caprice; but by law and pfttialtyi Consequently, wages are not liable to the outside forced of rise and fall; Generally speaking; the position of the wiige : earner is, mote favorable than the iioaitioii? of tile employer, simply because there is more permanent equation in the prices paid for labor (ban in the return secured by the employer. Labor takes no risks, therefore- capital must accept all. An employer, under such unequal conditions, naturally wishes to pay as little as possible. If the value of produce was absolutely fixed, then, if inadequately paid; the employees' demand for an increase of pay would be iristifiablG ; and) if refused, the di§pdte a matter for arbitration. But where such ail eleaient of risk obtains— as it does in the exportation of frozen meat— the employer dhould be a better judge as to a reasonable rate of wages than the employee Wages, when temporarily carried beyond a given limit either way are immediately subject to a strong' tendency to readjust: But strikes do nob advance the workers * welfare or tend fee secure that good feeling which is inseparable from the' best interests of bdth employer and employed: That the present labor market is somewhat congested is obvious, and the difficulty, from the earner's point of viewj is to obtain employilierit; which; at times— and always) to some — is impossible.. The laßt century was pre-eniinent for its advance in the invention of labor-sav-ing machinery. Trades which a few decades ago meant a speed fortune to an industrious, thrifty nian of business are now as deaJ as yesterday's echo — excepting to factory owneis and large producers. The march of progressive civilisation does ndt carry the wage-earner in its van. But there are other channels open, especially in a new country. Then, instead of strife, strikes, and suicidas it is well to remember that heaven helps those who help themselves. So why not manifest an independent spirit and work up some little industry on their own account. Kurther, it is an accredited fact, that anyone who makes a success of an honest calling is equal to the best, for no one can do more. But, at this {joint, the ordinary employee, when unberthed, fails— niiseribly, for the want of a little pluck and energy; and in this connection women often show more spirit than men, and keep their home together by dint of sheer determination, of versatile ability — if they cannot teach French, they can wash; if they cannot play the piano, they can sew. Yes:

"Seam and gusset and band—and band and gusset and seam ; Till over the buttons they fall asleep, and sew them on in a dream."