Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-08-19


crazy. He had not far to gu. Judging from his
conduct in the committee ROOM Ii the mem
DerS oil the committee are preserved against
SofteniRg of the brain il will be wonder.
The published abstract from the tenth an.
nual report of the Massachusetts bureau of
statistics, in reference to the unemployed of
that state, is of especial value at this time.
Great care has been taken to make the figures
accurate, or at any rate not to understate the
evil. Where conflicting reports have been
made OF the number OF those out of employ.
ment In town or city, the highest has been
taken Without exception. It's ShOwings acquire
additional Importance from the complete
answer they furnish TO the exaggerated claims
as to the number of unemployed in that state
and the United States, which have been made
so often that they have come to be accepted
almost without question. Instead of more
than 2U4OOO persons out of employment in
Massachusetts, as currently reported, the
number is discovered TO be less than $1,000
and with the same proportion of unem.
ployed to the whole population, the total
numler OF those without employment in
the United States would be $4,000 instead
OF three mill ID, which figure has been asserted
AS the correct one, even in Congress. But
when 1t is considered that the plan adopted
by the bureau, OF accepting in every case the
largest estimate made of the UNEMPLOYED.
would naturally swell the aggregate for the
whole state much beyond its true proportions.
and when The fact is noted that with one or
TWO exceptions Massachusetts has a greater
proportion OF unemployed than any other
state, because her industries are so largely
artificial, it will at once be seen that even
57O,OOO is much larger figure than the truth.
III accurately aScertained, would warrant
Inc remarks accompanying the figures given
IN the report are sensible and pointed The
following is an extract:
I'VE do not wish it to be understood for
moment lhat we do not think the people are
poor. hey are poor indeed, but they are not
starving; and We venture the opinion that
they are not suffering for food to the extent
the popular estimate would lead us tOimagine,
and that the number now out of employment
Is not much larger than in ordinary times
The testimony of officials in very many cases
was tLat large percentage of those out of
employment would not work if they could or
would not work for less than the wages of five
years ago. The people are living on smaller
wages, are learning to live within their means
and trying to adapt their wants to the circum-
stances III which they find themselves; the
manufacturer Is trying to keep his industry
alive, is making every effort to keep his EN-
plOyes at work. They have been sick, both
employer and employe: but they cannot be
cured by constantly telling them how sick
they aIe-eertalnly not by making them be-
!ieve they are sieker than they really are We
nave had enough OF industrial hypOchondria,
and it is time the public recognized the facts
In the case and acted accordingly The indus
trial stagnatiOn and depression has been and
is severe enough; but every sign indicates sure
recuperation. The people are growing strong
er every month; and, while this country will
not Jump into prosperity, it will find itself
farther along during the next six or twelve
months than it would have believed possible
SIX months ago. There is no region but from
II Come reports OF business revival
The terrible story of the work of the yellow
lever at Grenada Miss, is told by the dis
patches in few words One week ago the
town contained 200 white persons The num-
Der is now reduced by flight and death 10 2OO,
and OF these less than ~ are We'll. The trch
of the disease is more to be dreaded than that
of an invading army.
The Pullman Palace Car Company hope that
Angelfs visits of the expensive kind they have
experienced may be, indeed, fey and far be-
tween. But the high prices which the conf
pany have persiStently charged for the priyil.
ege OF travelling in their cars, will probably
enable them 10 look upon the loss of $4,000 as
mere tritie. In fact, the Vice President of
the company says they will not feel it in the
least