The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-02-01
Massachusetts Labor Bureaur.
The following circular fully explains
tself
BoSTON. Mass. Jan - 1873.

The following circular fully explains
tself
BoSToS. Mass, Jan. -. 1873.
TO he Members u the State Central Com
Bittee of tie Labor Reform Palty If
+ Massachusetts.
GENTLEMEN 1t IS proposed by some to
abolish the Bureau of Statistics of Labor
for this State. or if that cannot be at once
accomplished, the agents Of organized cap
ital will seek to obtain the control of it in
order that it may be abased to an unob-
lectIonable mediocrity.
1t has for three years been thorn in
the side Of INSCRIPTIONS wealth. and our
Legislature too generally subservient to its
demands, will, if a vigorous protest is not
made against such a course destroy it en-
tirely, or hand it over to our enemies to
be emasculated Of its more vigorous quail
tiles. II is not too much to say that our
State Legislature is As completely under
corporate domination as the United States
Congress. 1t contains many, however.
who would like to 10 right if they could he
shown that right, and many who dread the
remembrance If an honest constituency.
To the reasod Of some and To the fear Of
others successful appeal might he made.
| therefore invite you to prepare, cause to
be signed by those favorable to our cause,
and forward to the representatives from
your respective districts, determined pro
tests against destroying or impairing the
usefulness of this Bureau. Let those who
cannot be touched by arguments more
potent than what corporations furnish,
have cause in the future to regret their
action upon this question.
That the contest is really between the
corporations and the existing Bureau does
not admit Of doubt They divide friends
to the Bureau, lug in side issues, and by
every underhanded means seek to impair
our convictions in its usefulness. Here is
an example among others that came under
my own observation. Last winter before
the appearance Of the annual report, but
after the attorney for the cotton mill cor
porations in the contest with the Bureau
previous year, had obtained and exam
med some proof sheets, the Joint banking
committee Of the House and Senate we're
summoned together to consider the ex-
posture made by the Bureau Of our savings
bank system. 1t was proved by that
report that capitalists got the most benefit
from institutions which it was pretended
were carried on for the benefit Of the poor.
To show the contrary was a desire Of the
corporations, and their attorney, whose
capabilities may be judged by the fact that
he was chosen as the most suitable person
to preside over the deliberations IF the
lower branch of our very honest and very
useful Boston city government last year,
introduced and was allowed to place in
evidence by the bankers forming that com
mittee, testimony that penny court
would have excluded. The attorney read
number of letters from bank officers in
different parts Of the State, declaring that
they thought the report of the Bureau in
correct in regard to savings banks, when
they could not have seen that report. As IL
had not been published At an examina-
ton Of some bank officers, at which I was
present, an error in reading on the part Of
a bank President, nearly all the witnesses
read written statements, and not one had
his bank books, led me to ask the witness
if he wrote his own evidence that he was
reading. He said no Who did, then,
asked IL The attorney, he replied, gave
1t to him to read declared such course
to be outrageous the attorney might as
well have had so many plaster casts to hold
his testimony, but he as allowed to place
his precious document on file with this
honorable committee of bankers. MANY
more instances of the unfair means used
against the Bureau might be cited, but
from this. judge what taicks the corpora
lions VIII play to destroy it. Don't let
them do it if you can help it. Yours
truly, E. NJ CaAMBERLIN,
Chm n State Cen. Com. Lab Reform Party.