Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-19
. sKSs,RIE IssoR MOVEMENT.

SENSIBLE LABOR MOVEMENT.
The iaboring men of the country are
turning their attention to 8 very sensi-
bic and practical movement, In seeking
the establishment of Labor Bureau by
the government, for collecting statistics
OF labor and information of q kindred
character.
The REGISTER has heretofore referred
to this important matter by way OF
showing how much valuable informa-
ton might be put in the hands Of the
public If West Virginia, and in fact II
each State should give practical aid
and attention to this subject. 1t Is one
of the most vital subjects with which
any government has to deal, yet one
that is almost wholly ignored. We be-
lieve that Massachusetts, was the first
State to establish labor bureau, and it
has been of great value not only to that
State, but to the country.
1t might be supposed that the Nation
al Government covered the ground Of
such bureau, in the work Of taking
the census. But there is enough in the
subject in question to warrant much
more extended Investigation in this line
than could be contained in a census.
The Washington Independent enumer-
ates, in very exhaustive article the
subjects which such bureau might in
clude Among these it shows that "it
is important to know in much greater
detail than we have yet been able to
learn what becomes Of the thousands of
millions of wealth that are created
every year, how much Is absorbed as
rent of land, how much goes as interest
and profit on capital, how much is
divided among the various gainful
occupations, from the laborer who
delves in a mine to the primo
donna who MARBLES before the
footlights to the tune of five
hundred dollars a night. 1t is de-
sirable also to know the comparative
profits on capital in different invest
ments, how the profits of agriculture,
for example, compare with those Of
manufactures, and those of the indus
tries in general shat are unprotected by
import duties with those of the indus
tries protected, or how the profits in
lines of business where there is effect
i've competition compare with those in
lines where monopoly prevails. If
railroad, for example, is able to
charge its own price for the trans
pOTtation of the farmers produce,
il is desirable TO know the re-
suits of such a power upon the rail-
roads dividends and upon the salaries
Of its chief officers. Again, ii is deslra-
ble to know how the profits in indus
tries carried on upon large scale COM
pared with those in industries carried
OH upon q small one, and also how the
wages paid compare under like condi-
tons. Will million dollars produce
most when concentrated in one large
business, or when distributed in one
thousand small ones? If it produces
most when concentrated, does capital
get the entire benefit of the difference,
or does labor share in ii?
Another question of interest is the
rates of wages as depending upon the
skill of the workman; how the rates
in the unskilled occupations compare
with the rates in the skilled trade, and
how Il different occupations, both
skilled and unskIlled, compare with
each other in respect 20 wages, not in
one place alone, but III all parts of the
country.
In addition to statistics OF wages such
a bureau would obtain statistics of
prices of the necesSarleS and comforts
of life ard of the rent Of dwellings and
lands. 1t would thus be able to furnish
continuous data from which to judge of
the condition of the wage earning
classes from year to year, and from one
period TO another. Ifthere was period
of free trade and a period of protection,
| a comparison could be made showing
how labor appeared to be affected by
each policy. Similarly there would bea
means of tracing the effects of other
changes in the fiscal policy of the Gov
eminent, or of changes in our cur
rency system, or of changes in the pro-
cesses of industry due to new inveu-
tons, or OF good or bad crops or Of any
other circumstance sufficiently import
ant to produce material impression
upon the condition Of the people.
The above are mere suggestions Of
few of the uses to which a national bu-
reau of labor statistics could be put. If
further reasons for the establishment of
such bureau are wanting they may
be adduced in abundance; and among
them may be especially mentioned the
good work already done with very
limited facilities by the statistical labor
/ bureaus of some Of the States.
THE NnrE m THE THuRn DISTRICT