The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1885-02-04
THE LABOR BUREAU
Commissioner Wright seourea Quarters
In the Kellogg Building,
TO HOLD UNDER CLEVELAND.
The Commissioner Tells About His
Plans and Prospects, and Prom
ises To Have His Bureau
Working in Ten Days.

The new Commissioner of Labor Sta
tstics, Mr.. Carroll ID. Wright, of Mas
sachusetts, to-day secured quarters in the
Kellogg building, the imposing new brick
Office building on + street, near Fifteenth.
The new quarters are on the fourth floor
but easy Of access by means of the elevator,
and consist of four large and well-lightod
rooms, suitablein every respect for the pur-
poses to which they are to DO devoted. The
rooms will be handsomely furnished, car
peted and fitted up as promptly as possible,
and the bureau will be in working order in
less than two weeks. Commissioner
Wright regards the location as the most de.
siTablo in the city.
Mr.. Wright to-day, after engaging the
rooms, called upon the President aud had
long talk about the prosecution of his
work. He said that he intended TO hold
bis position az chief of tho Massachusetts,
Bureau until he found whether Congress
would appropriate enough money to make
the National Bureau success. The Presi-
dent assured him that there would be no
objection to holding both positions Gov
ernor Robinson had previously told him
that there would be no objection TO
Wrights retaining the Massachusetts, Blu
reau, and the question of his right to hold
both can, therefore, be considered at rest.
Mr.. Wright said in conversation that he
had not fully completed his plans for the
commencement Of the work. He will prob
ably ask John Jarrett, president of the
| Amalgamated Association Mayor Powder
| ly, of Scranton, and other Pennsylvania
labor leaders to make suggestions as to the
best couree to be pursued, but does not ex-
| pect to visit any of the manufacturing cen
tres until next years Congressional appro-
priations are made.
Mr.. Wright is quietly stopping at the
| residence Of friend to escape the army of
oflice-seekers who would besioge him at u
hotel. He said of his work to day that he
was hopeful of having everything in work
ing order in ten days. OF the object of
his work he said to an interviewer the other
day
at is, briefly, TO collect all facts and in
formation pertaining to labor and capital
and their relations TO each other. In other
words, l hope to accomplish only on q
broader scale, what is now being done In
Massachusetts,, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsyl-
vania. 1t is my intention to employ COM
petent agent or representative in each State
TO furnish such data from time to time as
shall be necessary to the success Of the Ma
tional Bureau"
"Sball you put these people on salary ~
"No, don't feel that our appropriation
will justify that. / shall only need their
services periodically. aud shall only pay
them for the work actually performed"
what about the wage question Shall
you commence with that p
"No; the labor market is in too unset.
tied condition just ut present to make
that matter practicable. think l am able
to see a great revival of trade in all di
rectiors. Mills that have been running or
half time are employing their usual forces
Of men again. Factories that have been
closed for months are opening their doors
again. l may be mistaken, but | think
you will find three months hence that The
percentage of unemployed men will bi
much smaller than at present"
"How much money has Congress apDro
priated for the purpose of starting you
bureau?"
"TWenty thousand dollars is the appro.
pIiation for this fiscal year. l shall expend
half of that in equiping my office and get
ting things into shape"
"Will 100000 be sufficient to answer yOul
requirements after you got organized
mo, shall ask Congress for $4,000 an
nually. We have $4,000 in Massachusetts,
alone. Anything less than $4,000 would
cripple us badly. In fact, l shall have moth
ing to do with the bureau If l find Congress
disposed to be niggardly in the matter o
appropriating money. This is an importan
office, and 1t is due to tho laboring men o
the country that we should have tho mean
|
a laboring man comes to Washington or
business connected with the national bu
reau l want him to find an Office equal IL
| character and dignity to any under thu
Government"
Have you resigned your position il
Boston,"
!. mo; nor shall / until sec what Con
gress proposes to do for us. / want :
know whether they mean business, o
whether the creation of this bureau
merely sop to the laboring men to sat
isfy them for the time being. If tn
former shall remain and do my best t
make it practical success. If not, shal
return to Boston and resume my fOrme
duties.'
Mr. Wright will associate with him a
chief clerk Mr.. Grin w. Weaver of Boston
9 Mr.. Weaver has been connected with tn
i Census Office here for the past FIVE year;
!, but prior to that was associated with Nj
i. Wright in the management of the Masss
Q chusetts bureau.
Q 1t is learned on good authority that M
Wright has received positive assurance
g that he may retain his office under the in
coming administration and THAT he
making his preparations with view to re
naming in charge during Mr. Cleveland
'' term of Office.