, 1874-03-11

Tho fifth annual report Of tho Massachusetts
Board Of s.atistics Of Labor, Judged by al ab-
stract TINT hns roachod us, is ~ valuable aB its
predecessors. 1t noodH no higher praise. This
Board gathers yearly tho data for Legislation
through al future years. 1ta reports havo put
within every mans reach facts which person
Of average Intelligence might havo sought before
for yoara and in vain. They chow the roBl and
nominal wages paid nero mud abroad, the sort Of
lifo led by tho uorking-clasBcs, their comforts
aud disoomforts, the hours of toll and tho ages
Of tho toilcrH, tho comparative va1uo Of male aud
female work, tho e1reot OF labor laws, etc. Thoy
treat not only OF day, but OF year, laborers, Of
workers with muscle and with mind, Of ditchers,
mechanics, teachers clorgymen, and others.
This year's report says that tho laws about
compulsory education and tho employment Of
children III lactorios arc failures. About 25,000
children botwoon & and 1t years Of ago re-
ceivo no schooling whatever. Tho romedY
is to 10 sought il rigid enforcement Of exist
ing laws. Despite tho special safeguards
thrown by legislation around fomalo labor, girls
aro hired at worry curly ages and are kept at
work all day, and day after dny, to tho permanent
damage Of their health. Nor aro women alone
the sufferers. Machinery not only comuotes
with human 1nbor, but sometimes kills it.
sNearly all tho cotton mud worsted mills in this
State, If not in tho world, uso SHUTTLE which is
| simply doath to tho operatives. Agents Of mills
inform us that two years is as long as a weaver
| can work without contracting disease" Death
lurkH everywhere, in the nlill and In tho
| tonemont~houso. Tho operatives, young aud
old, men aud women, 60 from bad air aud
light in factories to worse ar aud light III their
lomes. OF tho food they cat in the latter, the
report says: Alroady, in q comparatively brief
investigation, we have discovered tloo hundred
aud serentecn adu1terationB and impurities in
articloB Of common consumption, only tho poor
or grades Of which the working people common
" buy" Garbage posons them. Dofoctiyo
draiunge kills them. Houses saturated with
altl and crammcd full Of pooplo arc their homes
Is 1t strange that they drink and koop dirty
wages Of labor lozo aud abroad. It appeara thai
ale American workingman carns moro money
tllan AlB European fellow, but spends moro, too
10 that Lis surplus Is larger It ia by no meant
uncommon to tlud that mon who got tho lowest
wages aayo tho most. Tho reports OF liz out o
the lG0 savings banks Of Massachusetts SHOW
TINT 67.7 per cent OF depositors arc day.laborers
aud that their deposits aro ALB por conf
of tho whole. Thla is an inoilout-
! al proof Of the correctness Of Cur
schurz's statement that tho laboring-classoE
from tho principal crcdltor.olass III tho country
and have, therefore,, most to four from depro
ciation of tho currency. Tho ayorago AIaHsa
chuHotts minister is depicted with groat clear
noAs by tho Rtatistics hero given. He ia As year,
old, IL married, haa W children. Ho devoted
years, O mouths. altl 8 days to preparation
During this time 1t cost him 935o.78 per your tt
live, Ho has been in the harneHs for II year,
aul 10 months, and hns beon paid e1.00o65 .
yoar. Last year his expenses were 81, ,504.59. Hi
louso-ront WINS 7s2s.as. Ho works 0 hours
81 ninutoa day.
Tho Donrd oyidontly entertainH no hope O
improving the condition Of tho minister. Eli
treasures laid up In heaven must countorbalanc.
those ho fails to lay up on Garth. But 1t mike!
no1no practical suggestions about bottering ths
condition of tho workingmau. Ho needs clear
aud comfortable home. Ho and capital aut
philanthropy and Legislation must work, sing1.
aud together, In order to got It, Ho tant
especially aAo) neoda safeguards for Aealtl
while at work. Capital ought to provide these
II 1t douH not, law should forco 1t to do 10. III
moods, aually, mutual.bonodt oluba aud coop
| oratlyo Htoroa.
| SUICIDE.
Special DspatoA to IA4 Chicago Tribune.