The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-06-06

causes which produced what has been
worked out IN the course &c time-must
closely shows what ought to be, what is
coming and what. will he, unless checks
based upon this knowledge are mterposed
And, sir, | ask, if this be not quite suffi-
cient to induce the convention to aid the
diffusion and comprehension of that science
by the adoption Of this amendment
We cannot by any system logic or any
system Of ratiocination discover or deter
mine the laws which govern and regulate
the intricate and complex fabric Of human
society. We must necessarily proceed by
induction from facts collected by some au-
thorized agent, and think it impossible
To over estimate the value Of that science
the science of statistics which particularly
and specially concerns itself with the col
lection and arrangement Of those facts, by
which alone the laws Of sociology are cor
rectly ascertained and determined. The
value II statistical information has long
been appreciated by many Of the leading
minds Of the country The establishment
of bureau of statistics has been frequent
ly recommended to Congress by presidents
and heads of departments. In the Con-
gress, think, uf 1874, the House referred
the matter To select committee, which
made thereon very favorable report,
from which will read one or two ex tracts /:
THE Importance of statistical knowledge
is proved by the circumstance that scarcely
any civilized government exists in the
IN the world where department OF bureau
has not been established for the purpose
of collecting, recording and arranging sta
tistlcal facts, and for the dissemination Of
correct information upon the fiscal, com
merclal. agricultural and manufacturing
interests of the respective countries where
in such institutions are established Cor
rect anu extensive statistical Information
is ho less necessary t. the mass of the peo-
pie, IA order that they may desire, appre-
clatc ani understand correct legisla-
tion than it Is for the legislator to enable
him t. comprehend and to promote the
best interests Uf his constituents. The
want Of such bureau, or rather the want
OF the information which 1T would be the
means Of collecting and disseminating, has
long been felt and acknowledged, and by
none more than by those members of the
national Legislature who have been anxious
to legIslate correctly and impartially, and
thereby hest advance the true interests of
the nation.
In his preliminary report Of the eighth
census, Superintendent Kennedy, speak
ing ol the establishment Of such bureau,
says
The labors If a statistical bureau would
most essentially contribute t" the increase
Of sound knowledge upon all subjects con
nect,d with national and international
affairs among the people. The theories,
often conflicting. Of political economists
would give place To- the political results
of experience, the sober truth Of figures,
and the unerrins demonstrations of facts
The true interests Of the people of the
country, As a people one dad iRiirisible,
would he perceived and understood
knowledge # the most important kind
would be gwen Ia the community add
tio.ral power. the result Of knowledge, be
placed IN the hands uf the legislature the
Weifar,. of the country advanced hy its in
tert>is being better understood and legis-
laro would he consistent and onward,
uniformly conducting to individual happi-
ness and national honor and prosperity"
| am well aware, sir, that many Of our
cItiz are opposed to a measure Of this
character. Employers and capitalists may
feel unfriendly toward it. They may think
its object is aggressive as far As they are
concerned that its aim is a mIschievous
Interference with and dlsagreeable, un-
necessary prying into their business affairs
But, sir, If such objection be made, it fur
nIshes the strongest reason for the ere Ition
If the bureau. The man who can san say
with Shakespeare, "Let the CALLED jade
vince, our withers are unwrung !" will IN
tcrp"se no such objection. The honest
man never fears an investigation. The
charge thu the most appalling wrongs are
inflicted upon the laborcr f; that he is plum
dered and robbed at every turn in the road
# life that his life is melancholy
funeral march to the grave"-is boldly,
openly and persistently made. Whether
this be wholly or partially true the bureau
will determine, and the employer who is
conscious of no wrong perpetrated by him
upon his employees viii not object to an
elucidation of ali facts connected with
these whom he employs. He only objects
who IS conscious Of wrong. The State Of
Connecticut established a bureau of this
nature about one year ago, and in recent
circular to manufacturers and others the
chief of the bureau, Hon. j. f. Babcock,
uses these words
The capitalists and employers, who
were at first sensitive and jealous Of some
invasion Of their rights, through these in
stltutions, have, with some exceptions,
become satisfied that these investigations
were reasonable and proper, and that in
stead Of begetting unpleasant antagonisms
between employer and the employed, they
have rather tended to the promotion Of
mutual confidence and good.
"Wbere abuses exist-and they are
liable to exist anywhere-and where it APP
pears that men are void Of the instincts Of
our common humanity, and that they ex-
ercise a merciless dominion over the poor,
the young, and the otherwise dependent,
it is designed by the bureau, kindly but
thoroughly, to bring the evidence of such
evils to the knowledge Of the General As
sembly and the people of the State, in
order that the rightful remedies may be
applied"
1t is perhaps natural that those who, as
Mr.. Babcock says, ''are void Of the in
stincts of our common humanity" should
oppose any and all measures calculated to
expose their methods Of oppression, and
the extent Of their contrivances for crush
ing iAc atiu AA1nhOO0 Out VI ShOsc "HO oho
unfortunate a. to be in their service. But
the employees who recognize the motto as
live and let live" have no fears Of labor
bureau. A few weeks ago there assembled
at Philadelphia the iron makers of the
United States. We may judge of the
amount Of capital represented when we
remember that the pig iron, bar iron, steel,
and iron interests generally, were repre-
sented there in council. The great iron
convention, among other things, adopted
a memorial which has been presented to
Congress, and one of the sections reads in
these words:
Your memorialists, sympathizing with
the general wish that the government may
be brought into more intimate relations
with the people, which has suggested the
erection of executive bureaus of labor,