The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-03-15

tation with working men, and others. To
the fourth objection, the Bureau an
sWcrcd that no such gentleman as
! the gentleman referred to was ever re
| fused a position on the Bureau but, on
the contrary, that MIR. Phillips promised
| his aid to the gentleman, the editor of the
! TORE. but afterwards withdrew it To the
! fifth objection, that the Bureau had OPP
posed rs influence 90 independent political
acti the formation If labor parties,
the u replied "Me can only say
that conception Of duty differs widely
/ from that Of the principal speaker. He,
| Ia his conversation with US, conveyed the
Impression that We should become part
! ID the political labor machinery, and our
assistants should be organized as agents of
| the labor movement. We judged. on the
contrary, that our official duties were Of
All entirely different nature. Individually,
each of us acts according to his best Judg
Inent Officially, we neither aid ner op-
pose any political party" To the last
charge. the Bureau reply I'VE have not
sought the approval Of any class of men.
we have reported such facts as have come
IN our knowledge. If the labor organiza-
tluns are oppuSed to us, or dissatisfied
with our reports, we have yet to learn It. "
! Then, to show the interest in the reports,
She Bureau copies extracts from a great
variety Of sources, both at home and abroad,
and from various newspapers and maya
zines.
A charge was brought against the Blu
reau. during the last session of the Legs
lature to the effect that 1t had furnished
members of Congress with copies that
! the State had been attacked by the
| Representatives Of other States, who
/ founded their arguments on the statements
/ Of the Bureau The report gives the cor
rcspuudence between it and the Hon. q.
| A Finkelnburg. Hon NJ c Kerr. and Hon.
! Geo r. Hoar From this correspond
| ence it appears that no advance sheets or
copies were furnished to any member If
| Congress The only party who was fur
nished with facts connected with the re-
! mort was Hon. Geo. r. Hnar, Of MSssa-
chusetts, in letter marked unofficial
The Bureau then give the objections Ia
their reports in detail, with brief state
ments Of the authorities upon which their
statements were based first the objection
W the statement of the condition of work
ing women second, 10 the statement III
regard ~ the whale fisheries Of New Bed
ford third, to the statement that agrIcul-
ture was declining. Upon this subject the
Bureau says we based our opinion upon
tina figures contained IN the nited States
Census. corroborated as those figures are
w a comparison " the Census If 1850,
1850 and 1870 rs to population, bushels of
wheat required, bushels Of wheat produced
as well as the decrease in the production
..f ft.-- ..f nd IN,
Der Ceutages uf improved land, &c These
figures were further substantIated by re
turns from 2y5 of the most intelligent
farmers III the state, 1879 Of whom were
assessors These returns represent 1876
towns Of each county IN the state.
The fourth election was that the Bureau
had drawn the condition VI the laburlng
classes darker than the facts would war
rant, which the Bureau deny. The fifth
objection was that the data upon Savings
Banks were to, incomplete to admit ~
correct deductions
The Bureau reply that their data consist
Of the reports Of the Bank Commissioner
from 81 81 1879. Gov ClatlIn's address
~. ana the testimony Of lawyers, doctors
and citizens generally. And the returns
Of - banks made t. 1t, and given IN the
last report. All Of them substantIated by
the returns from l25 banks out If lTU.
contained in the present report
The Bureau then proceeds to the detail
IF its WORK. They state that they entered
upon the work Of the 4th report with the
purpose Of ascertalnlng and presenting the
facts relating to the annual average earn
lngs Of all persons employed in the me
ChanIcal ana manufacturing industries uf
the State the wages and earnings anu con-
dltiun of NnskIlled laburers the cost Of
living the distribution of wealth as shown
IN the ownership az real and personal Is
tate and deposits in our Savings Banks
also the effect upon wages and production
Of the reduction If hours Of labor from | 2
to III the effect ~ special emTloyments
upon the health, morals and prosperity Of
the people Cooperation, lis successes,
failures and dangers condition uf tene-
ment houses, and the condition Of labor in
the early part Of the century In this con
nection the report states that the Bureau
has suspended its examination into the con
dItlon Of working women, having reason a.
believe that the statements Of the previous
reports were not overdraWn, and that the
recent great tire IN Boston, destroying the
work rooms IN which thousands II women
and girls were employed has proved beyond
contradiction the poverty Of their condi-
ton. Reference is made to the great strike
in New York, and the increase of the agI-
tation for ten hours and the condition Of
tenement houses. MOn this subject the Blu
reau says Visits 70 these houses show
that the homes 81 the poor are still ne
elected, and that public health and public
safety are still trihed with in our large cit
les and towns.
Upon the question IF the employment
Of children, 1t SAYS: The barbarism IL
employing children II tender wears a. work
I'D. III Or II hours day III factory and shop
has been 50 often dwelt upon BY US that it
would seem that nothing further could be
said but as the question is one Of vital
Importance to the future of our institutions
and our country, we shall risk repetition
and give again the story Of the wrongs Of
these unprotected and uneducated chill
dren.
Reference is made to the reduction of
the hours of labor in two of the largest
manufacturing centres, Lowell and Law
renee from &c to 62s hours per week, and
as to the result of this education say mo
gross immoralities have marked the advent
Of this conceded time, no emigration Of
capitalists, no removal Of laborers to other
States where longer hours Of work prevail
no failures of great industries, no confu-
sion and we are strong in the belief that
a still greater reduction can be made with
out endangering the peace and plenty of
the commonwealth.
The statistical part Of the report com
mences with statement Of the sources Of
the information, which are as follows: the
census Of the State from the ninth L. S.
census the assessors Of 300 towns in the
commonwealth gentlemen recommended
to US by the assessors, -treasurers Of saw
ings banks, manufacturers, employers and
employed. The blanks sent out by the