Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1885-12-30
LABOR STATISTICS.
CHIEF ARTHUR T. HADLEY ISSUES
HIS FIRST REeoRT.
Men Who DO the Most Physical Work
Have the Least to Show for IT.
Cheap Foreign Labor
- Trades Unions.

NEW HAVEN, Conn.,, Dec 2S-Arthur 7.
Hadley, chief of the newly established state
bureau of labor statistics, issued his first
report Saturday 1t covers period of five
months, ending Nov, 80. The bureau was
established by the last legislature. Mr.,
Hadley has found out good many things
not generally known. The report will
create much discussion throughout the state.
1T is found, says the report, that the
men who do the most physical work have
the least to show for it, have little indepen-
dence of action, and are frequently victims
of evils and abuses"
Mr.. Hadley's investigation showed that
the ordinary estimates of wages, even when
most carefully made, almost always were
too high Employers could not be relied on
for truthful answers, and employees who
did answer the bureaus circulars could not
properly be considered as representing the
average ge-earner.
''It is almost impossible that trades unions
should be judged on their merits squarely
by the public. They are apt to be made an
instrument of agitation, which is an evil
and leads to bad and inefficient work.
another thing" the report says, ''the
law regards them with disfavor A fair i'll
vestigation of trades unions is impossible,
and he is unable to obtain any thing beyond
voluntary information 1t disapproves of
the employment of unSkilled labor of child
rem and the labor of married women, which
breaks up the home Foreign cheap labor
should not be encouraged French-C Cana
dians have standard of living which it
would be misfortune to American work
men to adopt. .-.-s.-..-.r.
In this direction Mr.. Hadley thinks that
matters are slightly improving Still, he
predicts that if Italian immigration increases
in Connecticut for the next five years as it
has in the past five very serious social
problem will result The Italians expenses
are at 4 minimum, he bears infinite crowd
ing by employers, and he has simple diet
The piece-work system can not be abolished
Growing out of it is the contract system in
factories, by which owners let out the privi-
lege Of getting work out of men to a fore
man, who makes their wages and superviSes
their work. There is every danger that its
effect upon the vast majority of workmen
who are not contractors and have no hope
of becoming contractors will be bad. The
contractor is likely to economic by crowd
ing down wages to the lowest possible limit
The demand for weekly payments is
extensively made, and in many respects is
well founded Holding back part of
worknan's pay is deplorable and the
necessity not as great as represented. 1t is
done to keep hold on employees. The re-
port adds: "Distrust man and you will
do much to make him untrustworthy.
Of ~ concerns which sent in reports 20
employed more hands in 1885 than in 1880,
Is had less, and 9 reported no change In
these concerns $500 persons were employed
in 1880, as against 6,3O1 in 1888, an increase
Of s. l per cent Twenty-four factories
showed increased pay-rolls, IS diminished
ones, and 5 were unchanged. Actual wages,
Mr.. Hadley finds, are almost the same in
the two years