The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-03
HINTS FOR OURLAWMAKERS.
UORKIvGMEN MAKING SUGGESTIONS
no NIX. HEWITT'S COMMITTEE
r,oieIning the BENEFITS OF Co-operntion-Why
1T. Held Government should Control Kali
road. aud Telegraph Iines-some Exceed
,rvIy Pertinent Questions and Answers.

The session Of the House committee for
Tho investigation Of the causes Of business and |
Industrial depression was attended by nm in |
creased number Of auditors yesterday. Mcssrs
Hewitt Rice, Thompson, and Boyd listened
,aiontly for three hours to an extensive list Of
suggestions for remedies. Among those there
v,re many representatives Of trade and other
organizations who expect to be- heard.
MIR r. II. Bartholomcc, piano maker spoke
nrst ne ono of ;hc delegates from the Socialistic
Labor Party, representing about 500 members
ofthc New York sections. lie said that among
the causes of the present depression We must
erumcratc tho unnatural relation Of capital and
labor lie quoted from the census to show that
IN one class the laborcrs received 1912. while the
capitalist for the use Of tho capital which gave
him that amount Of wages received s2i2. In
another clnss the laborcr received s5l head.
whir the capitalists received. for the investment
Of their capital, si2S n head. or moro for one
Individual than eight Of the real producing
rass. He denied that the cost Of living Is re-
au,ed proportionatcly to the reduction OF
wages. and declared that the difference be-
tween what the retail prices are and what they
ought 10 be- II absorbed by middlemcn. lnrcply
30 bis argument for bureau OF statistics MIR.
Hewitt inquired bow far he would have the
Government examine a mans private business
that the Internal Revenue Department does
hat now. Mr. Hewitt rctorted that no such
claim is made 10y the Government. which only
asks for results and not details.
Mr.. BarihOlomec said the Government should
ascertain the sanitary condition Of the work
lhops. factories. dwelling houses. the wages Of
he operatives. and what is the education Of the
children. In reply TO Mr.. Hewitt. he said he
would not have private business made public
but would have the information used by Gov
eminent officers for the benefit of the people
Quoting from Massachusetts statistics he said
pnly fourteen per cent. oi the pcuI !" were CONE
portable, md the real producers did not receive
In reply 10 Mr.. Thompsons question rs TO
whether Congress had power 10 regulate the
Jaws should be changed so as to confer that
power upon Congress TO interfere in the differ
fn, States. and that more good would be done
by Congressional power than 10y State power.
saying that If the entire nation were conducted
by one Government instead Of so many differ
tnt Governments. II would be better Tor the
Mr.. Rice.-Thon YOU believe that the present
serving 10 themselves these local powers i
rather mistake than otherwscy
Mr. Banhol9mcG replied: consider II
failure We should have more uniform laws
Then he proceeded to the subject Of the in
lury 10 the working classes 10y tho use OF ma
out machinery there would be- more lahorers
employed than now. He believed machinery
was u b'ufllk 10 mummy. huk II WIS u CURSE
ihat inc Nrotls were absorbed by capitalists; In
reply To- Mr.. Hewitts question whether marhin-
cry could exist without capital he replied that
he thought It could. and 10y that he meant that
PIE profits could be distributed TO the real Ia
Mr.. Hewitt having put number Of queries ms
a. what legislation could prevent the excessive
profits derived 10y The owners OF machinery. or
what was 10 prevent other owners II idle cap
enormous pro1ls Mr, Bqitholomee replied
with some statistics Of the low rate ~ wages
paid. and the number OF small establishments
that are obliged 10 succumb 10 the competition
Of large capitalists.
In reply to question by Mr. Rice whether the
capitalists Of to-day were not the workmen Of a
few years ago he said that was SO. but there are
cooperative societies established in different
trgdes under Government supervision.
'Then the committee questioned him closely
ms TO how this would succeed in the piano trade
and how competition would be prevented. how
the rate OF wages and prices could be controlled.
To all these questions he replied with hopeful
ness ~ 10 the practicahility Of Government
piano factory. Should the business fail in ono
region he would have II aided by that Of an
other. and, If necessary, from the general fund.
Mr.. Thompson. Then nobody would aecu-
Mr. Bariholomec-N Nobody would have any do
Fire to accumulate. because that thing would be
done away with. All things would be taken
had larger family than he could take care ~
the deficiency would be made w by the CO.
Mr.. Thomr son-Then you would have pre-
MUM on large families. ll.aughterl
ihai private property should accumulate
Mr.. Bartholomee-N sir. ,.
Mr.. Hewlu-Then you would abolish private
Mr. Bartholomce-Yes sir.
And you. would have no accumulation 10y
No, sir, not privately; everything belongs
4 the community"
md wishes 10 spend only 400. what lie he TO DO
with the remainder
Mr. Bartholomee-Turn II over 10 the coope-
ldtlgp society. Laughter.
Mr. Rice asked what object man would have
"a work and earn more than the 800 but be-
fore tie question was answered, Mr.. Bartholo-
mo- became deeply involved in a discussion
with his associates. and finally gave way ~ Mr.
Bennett Of the same delegation.
Mr. Bennett is cigarmaker. He proceeded
. argue that the use OF machinery was mainly
FOR the benefit Of employers; that there has
been great over-pro luction. and by that he eX-
llained the production Of more than the people
in their present condition can buy.
Mr. Hewitt-Whnt would you dol Would you
destroy machinery
Mr. Bennett;-No, sir. Machinery Is a benefit
T. mankind. but. under the present system. it
brings wrong, because II is in the hands Of non
producers. The real producer, 10y the aid 81
machinery. is deprived OF his rights The non
ti d6Ha@cer Is the man VINO lives O' the labor 0i
This definition elected a series Of questions
ms 10 what Is a non producer: whether the fore
man who walks about the shop. or the small
proprietor, is non-producer. and whether the
foreman should not be paid more than the work
men. and the employer more than either. Mr..
Bennett answered all these by saying that there
Is ne need OF any such positlon as that Of en-
Nj. Hewltt-is there anything to prevent the
i9fmallon Of cooperative society in New
We lack tho means.,"..
On. you want capital Z"
Most und luhtedly."
Mr.. Ree-Suppose some persons did not
want :. 20 into your co6pertlonf
.,WA ihcy would be all willing.
h5 aoni YOU form il. then p
bo,n H". WH have not the means we must