New-York tribune., 1872-06-07
THE LABOR QUESTION.
REPORT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS LABOR
BUREAU

| TIME SCHOOLS RECOMMENDED.
| BOsTON, May 27.-The third annual repc-t
OF the Bureau Of Statistics has presented TO an.
Legislature. IL embraces variety Of topics table,
covering nearly coo pages and contains Vauats
and interesting information Numerous quotations N,
in the report from the late reports OF the BANK
Commissioner TO show that large OF the deposit.
are not the savings OF working people. but eaoA
year shows increase OF deposits the part Of ca
| talsts. Several tables are given showing that the
largest percentage Of deDoors wageaborers. but
That they hold the smallest share in the deposits Tho
total number Of deposits in y banks past year
was SGl5 Taking the number OF depOsitOrs 523s II
| would make an average OF about twOand a half
| deposits per year 10 each depOstOr. The amount
| deposited was S8,3ls23l o. an average OF 800
| TO each deposit, $40 co TO each depo.to
The number Of deposits banks for the p
year is 34,GO2 The amount OF the IL BOB 81
IL is shown that 22lO OF these deposits we're IN sums o.
and exceeding 500 each, the Of such deposits
being according to the Bank Commissioners Report f
1870 1878 49, Calling average Of $500 this class Of
deposits would amount % t1.lO5OO Subtractng thLa
from the total amount. have the amour.
OF deposits in sums less than $500 giving
$50 81 TO each Of the 3392 deposits $40 % to each
deposition Of less than 500; 992 deposits were
made in sums between $50 and $500 These deposits
aged Sl2O 90 each, amounting TO s99475 leaving s78
985 80 the amount Of deposits in Of $50 and less n
number OF such deposits was 22471 giving an average
each deposit Of S32 49, The of wageabor depo
Ors in these banks 1867 showing the averae
number OF deposits 10 be as year. 500 OF to cac
depOsitor According TO the returns OF these banks,
per OF these deposits amount % 25 per cent OF
total sum depOslted-that s the wagelabor depositoi
hold about 2 per cent Of the amount deposited durin
| the past year
BY another table Of returns from 80 banks hay
OIs34 deposits Of 2ll725 So $50 SO to each deposit
1882 deposits Of ssOe7O or 1916 IS each deposit
showing, by this calculation, that these immense sum
credited to labor, belong have before stated Il
profits upon labor or its results Even carrying this
Of possible wage deposit s3OO the statement hold
good 1t appears that not the BostonIbanks alone tn
recepaces of the deposits Of the wealthy but that tn
country savings banks largely used by the
class.
WAGES AND EMPLoYMENTs.
Among the conclusions which have been arrived at BY
Gen Oliver the chief and Mr. Mcneil deputy froaa
various tables and prices paid the following: 10
agriculture, wages higher in all in the vicinity
OF large commercial and manufacturing centers-the
greatest difference being 81 % per month The same is
true Of agricultural in England The general con
dtOn OF the mere farm aborer in all countries s lower
than that of the mechanic The average earnings OF
laborers all classes does not exceed 5000; and what
amount Of comfort in house clothing food or whatever
else that will buy may be learned by consulting our
wage is too small or the weight it can lift is great
which means that the present ratio OF one to
the other is out Of proportion days work IL not on
with enough Of comfort make labor aurng or at
tracve to the Young, stimulating 10 those who are
already in IT, The variety OF empoyments mas, III hou %
ern times, greatly increased Many employments have
wholly changed or have passed away, while the average
earnings per year in most Of them do not differ skill
the strong defense Of the artisan, is now trembling
in the balance to-day Of value, tomorrow OF none rap
ldy letllng WIN lts alIfehtced PupS, OloIo @ le ~
vance Of machinery In fact, 1t Is about conquered
where the most women and children employed, and.
before stated the wages lower and this is true,
rule that wages lowest where the hours OF labor
longest and wages are highest where the hours OF
labor are shortest Every return made to this office.
Vhp has
wages not reduced with decreased hours but that
the true although It is not admitted that the
increase of wages due to the short time The confession
many that production has not fallen of that IL has
| is worthy of note.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
Among other conclusions and recommendations, ars
the following: We think that the history Of wage.
abOran wageabOrers which We have presented proves
that the great body of working peoplefrom tho date Of
the organization of wageabor, has only kept along
a general level with their earnings-they, however.
barely paving their way and being oener in debt than
out OF debt That those who perform the seyerest labor
and work the greatest number OF hours the lOwesE
paid, always have been, and under existing systems.
must so continue TO be, they embodying that class
which, from the necessity Of inadequate wage, must
aS'D''TS' as to be- be deprived Of fair de-
perpetuated as the ignorant class, from which springs
OF educational advantages already exists here, es
pecialy in our large municipalities. That powerfully
which we mean inability to subsst for any considerable
period Of time beyond the dscOntnuance for any cause
regular labor always has been and is, the
mai condition OF wageaDorers and that therefore the
historic method of wage eabOr-Or that system by which,
IN all time heretofore, the most work has been obtained
Tor the least wage s radically erroneous ana should be
changed for more Just and more equitable IN s dis
tribuOn of the wealth produced by labor; that reduc
ton OF wages has not followed reduction OF tino.
but the contrary wages have increased with reduced
hours has prOpOrtlonate reduction OF product fol-
lowed a reduction OF time the of tho de
pOsits in Savings Banks is not evidence Of the in
creased means OF the working classes hut that. the
contrary into which have been able TO
examine prove that the greatest amount OF deposits is
al dgpOSlTs
Is very niue legislation thdt can DC made To apply,
directly, 10 the solution of the labor problem. Any aud
all legislation that tends 20 make men better
valuable, Is in favor OF labor.
We therefore recommend that the Commonwealth, in
its employing capacity, adopt the example set 10y tho
abridgng the aborday for all manual laborers in her
employ, either by contract otherwise, that the
pertinent may be tried at public expense whether re
ducOn Of hours is, or Is not increase OF wages We
further recommend that law be enacted similar 10 the
Factory LawOf Great Britain limiting the hours Of labor
IN all manufacturing, mechanical, Or other establish
mens in the state 70 ten u0 hours in any day. or co
hours in week and that child under l3 years ot
age, shall be employed in any such establishment:
that unless such child has received the elements
of common school education and shall De physically
qualified for such labor age, education, and physical
condition to be matters OF due certificate provided
for by law; and further, that all children, be-
tween 13 and IS years Of age employed. shall
not be employed more than five hours in any one
day said hours be between 6 o'clock IN the fore
noon and o'clock in the afternoon and that they
shall attend school, vacations excepted three hours
each and every day the same law compel protection
against accidents by unguarded betting machinery ele-
yators or hoistWays; this law 30 be enforced by
sueciay APPOINTED inspectors who shall have power To
the premises OF any establishment when in opera
tiOn TO make research and 10 enforce the law. We
further recommend the establishment OF system OF
half schools half time classes Tor such children,
between the of 10 and Is years, unable from
any cause 10 attend fun time schools And lastly, We
recommend the authorization by law. with methods of
| carrying it into effect of thorough aud exhaustive
system Of statistics to be gathered 10y the persons EN-
plOyed in taking the state census I'm 1916 covering
the subjects of the earnings, and sHlngSO OF ue
employed and lost OF all classes Of workns people ns