Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-13
JARRETTs PROPOSED BUREAU.
A Department Of Statistics Reiating
60 all Manufactures In the Country
and LabOrerS' Wages

A Department Of Statistics Relating
TO ali Manufactures IN the Country
and LabOrerS' Wages
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, August l2.-Presl.
dent jarrett talked freely and frank-
" to a reporter this evening upon many
timely topics connected with the labor
question. The following was the converse
tion in the main: !
1T has been stated that you left the
Knights OF Labor in order to ally yourself
with the Amalgamated Association
The statement is correct
May l ask what were your reasons for
leaving the Knights"
Il have no objection to stating them. |
STAYED with the Knights as long as | could.
! found, however that the branch of the
organization in the town in which l then
lived was drifting into the hands OF certain
ambitious parties who were converting it
into a political agent. Then got OUT
The question of q proposed union of Ia
Dor has been much brulted. WOuld you
OBJECT to explsining in general terms what
is your idea of such q federation
Il want a federation of every trades as
srmbly or trades union in the country TO
com bine together for
Mutual Protection,
for the common good of all. | have no
objection TO the knights of Labor, or the
independent Knights Of Labor, or the pres.
ent Federation OF Labor, or any other labor
league, but want confederation that
will embrace them all, into which each can
can come upon a common basis
"DO you hold to the principles OF triah
stepLens-frst to organize for proper
Wages-and then for the proper education?
Il do, most aSsuredly. | am what is
called a compulsory eduCationist. Every
child should be educated
III this grand federation is formed, or
can be formed, would you be in favor OF
the setting up Of an independent party in
IOlitiCs?'
cannot see the advantages to be thus
gained II l. my belief that the wants Of
the wurkiugmeu. - far as concerns the
present. can be administered to ~ an al
lance with one or the other OF the exist
ing parties. The experiment o.
Labor Party
was tried in tie Greenback Labor party,
and I cannot consider Il aS haVlus been
successful.
will you explain. please, the nature
and functions Of the Bureau OF Statistics
which you have been for some time seek
ing 10 have established?
with pleasure. | want a Bureau OF
Statistics, or Bureau OF Manufactures, as
yOu may choose to call it, set up at Wash
iDgton. that shall bear such relation to the
manufacturing industries OF the country
as those now existing between the Depart
ment Of AgriCulture and agriculture itself
lie yastnesS of the manufactures OF this
country is not properly appreciated. Why;
last wear $I.UOb,Un.Uu) worth OF finished
- yU.S IN p1 Duf
This Bureau Of Manufactures
should gather complete statistics relating
10 manufaCtureS-suC as prices of raw ma
ter.al-Of cost OF production. OF manutsc-
ture rates of wsges, value o. finished prod
uC'S, relation Of wsges to profit. etc, etc.
But have not those functions been al
ready assumed by the Census Bureau?
They have not. IL IS not enough that q
dry collection Of figures should be read and
published for nobody TO read. What |
want is a department to 90 into and thor.
Oughly investigate the subject, so that
when desire to know what a certain class
of goods cost, for manufacture, or their
selling price, or the schedule OF the en-
ployes' wages. msy have an authoritative
fountain of information. Wages should be
regulated more in conformity with some
Just schedule
Il presume this new department. almost
al the outset, would come in contact with
the tsritf laws as they now exist?
Exactly. that's the point. To make
proper tariff there must be the requisite
knowledge regarding these matters OF
which have Just spoken. 1t is Impossible,
for instance, TO TX
Just and Proper Tariff
upon tin plste, until it shall be known anu
appreciated what it costs to make tin plate
and the other details connected with its
production.
Won are in favor Of protective tariff,
aFe YOU not"
Decidedly. What want and what the
yorkingmen of this country want is q
tar:T that shall DO away, as far as possible,
with the importation OF manufactures. IL
is the eXports that should be stimulated.
Everything that this nation needs, pracu-
rslly speaking. can be manufactured within
its limits. There is no need Of going out
side. In this workingmen can be guarsn-
teed living NsEeS. The Bureau OF Statistics
of which have spoken, would examine
into this subject from beginning to end.
What particular import duties in the
revised Iaritf are distasteful 10 the Assocla-
ton and to YOU asked the reporter.
After studying q moment, President
Jarrett replied: Those upon tin plate,
cotton ties and wire rods.
And why upon these? pursued the re-
porter.
because they cannot he manufactured
in this country under the existing tarln'
other than at loss, provided the
Norkmen are Given Proper Wages.
Take, for instance. tin plate. The wages
of tin plate workers should be about the
same as those received by the fine sheet
ron workers. Vet the tin plate cannot De
manufactured here upon this basis. So, II
il IS produced al all, the workman is made
20 suffer This is where the protective
tariff protects the workmen."
Has there been any change IN the CON
dition Of affairs at Bethlshem? asked ths
reporter. chspging the subject.
The latest reports are that the men are
determined to hold out The trouble may
De lOrg proirscted.'
Reverting TO the original theme. President
Jsrrett was asked whether he had made
sry move 10 have his bureau established.
Yes" replied be, last winter l spoke
to several Congressmen Of the Pennsylva
MIA delegation. They all regarded 1t favor
ably. shall attempt to get the matter be;
fore the coming session Of Congress. l
hsye strong hopes of getting the depart
mani Snuathinp of this kind must De