Morning journal and courier., 1885-05-29
1hG W LHzAII JOOkNAL
 Ls PUBLISHED EvERY THURsDAY MORNING.
Friday, May 29, 1sse.
A GOOD SCHEME,

"A UOOD SCkA
 The circular letter which has been sent by Secretary Bayard to & number of prominent manufacturers shows that it is the purpose of the Secretary of State not only to obtain, through the consular service of this govern ment, that species of information bearing upon industrial pursuits in other countries which it has hitherto supplied, but to ex- tend the scope and nature of the work so as to include the collection and transmission of data by means of which accurate conclusions can be drawn as to the relative cost of pro- duction and the condition of the 1aborers in the different countries of the world In a report the predecessor of Secretary Bayard, Secretary Frelinghuysen, said: fIt would be g legitimate field of inquiry to ascertain what are the conditions which enable England to manufacture machinery and other products at less prices than similar goods can be man. ufactured in France, and at prices equal to those in Germany, while the rates of wages paid to workm en engaged in those manufae- tories in England are, on the whole, higher than those paid for similar labor in France, and, as foregoing table shows, more than double those paid in Germany" It is Secre- tary Bayard's purpose to pursue the inquiry in the direction indicated by his predecessor.
 The Secretary believes that the data re- quired as to the rates and sum of the wages and the quantity of product from which the cost of labor per unit of product, whether it be the yard, pound or bushel, can be computed and may be ascertained without having ask ed any information from produce which would expose their business if given. In almost all the consular reports up to this time only the rates of wages have been given, but there has rarely been any clew to the sum or amount of wages, or to the number of the operatives required in the production of any given quantity of goods; therefore, the cost of labor could not be deduced from these reports.
 Consuls will also be instructed to send, when possible, full example of the fabric in duplicate. For instance, in the case of 2 textile fabric, what is technically known as a headpiece, that is, 8 piece of sufficient length to show the full width and weight of the goods, the customary way of finishing, orna- menting and stamping, to which may be at tached card showing the customary mod e of packing and other details. The intention of the department is to retain one of these samples in Washington and to place the other two perhaps in Philadelphia and Bos- ton, where they may be placed within easy reach of manufacturers.
 In order that the work thus proposed ma y be well and effectively done Secretary Bay ard asks the assistance of experts in the vari- ous arts in which this country comes into competition with other countries, to the end that the forms of the interrogatories sent to consuls may be such that all the information needed may be acquired, if it can be ob- tained. These interrogatories, he thinks, may well be made to cover certain products of agriculture, such as wheat. cotton, rice, tobacco and sugar, which arc principal sub jects of import and export, and also the staple or principal articles of manufacture, which also enter in great measure into our foreign commerce.
 This is very praiseworthy and promising scheme. The Secretary should have all the assistance he needs in carrying it out.