Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1886-03-27
BUREAU OF LABOR.
The First Annual Report of Carroll D.
Wright, Commissioner Of the
Bureau Of Labor,
Figtres and Logical Deductions concern
ing Industrial Depressions and TIL"
Labor Question Discussed-A
lengthy Report.
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT.

W,suISGToS, March 22.-The first annual
,eport of Carroll D Wright, Commissioner OF
.hc Bureau of Labor. has been submitted 10
the Secretary of the Inter or and Will soon pe
printed. The report will make volume III
$40 pspes containing facts, figures ana ioglca
deductions concerning industrial depres-
sions and the labor question, so novel ana
and At times so startling that II
IS safe to predict for the volume wider read'
ing and m ore discussion than IL usually ae'
corded 10 public documents. The report /
moro than forty industries, I
nharty 1Gl establishments and over iFlMu !
employees I'm the'ntrodnctorS chapter MT |
Wright SAYS that the present ,ndustflal uc- |
press on is the hist ol lts klha u an theti ~! ~,
In modern times We have, IN place OF the
ionp reaches of the past, short, shaff ana !
frequent disturbances IN the business "oriu,
so under the investigation uhher'aheh ny
the bureau, the aim has been 10 group IN IN
nortant facts bearing upon modern lndustrlai
depressions No necessity, he says, exists
for studying any species of Crisis ekistll9
back of nifty years, because the regularly
with which depressions and crlses occur ~
annarent dur ny that period and Oecause,
top Inc accompaniment OF the depression
back OF that did not involve tne moderh III
dustrial condltlons. Anvil, ,ao,,o,
In the chapter devoted to The Industrial
Depression in the Tn ted states ne Gstl,
men unemployed in the United states VINO,
according 10 the cenais tf loSJi were tp
gagged II agriculture, trade ana uensppttT-
lion mining industries anu mahlidctutt
meaning by the unemployed those Wno' di ni'
der PROSPEROUS times, would De enploNeu'
and who in 1898 were seeking employment.
a million of men out OF employment means
n loss 10 the tonHulhptiVc power Oh lne couh
try of at least $3,UW,U01 per DAY, pi GRIP
| Ming of the trade of the county q over
I N II
| however, he saws that while the severity OF
| tha dcpre sSun causes crippl nR 10 ine eN'
| tent OF several hundred millions OF uollars
| pcr yea. of the consuming power OF tne peo.
| ple the volume OF business transacted hu'
| cripuled comparatively to any such eatent
! The pOpular idea of the severity OF tne
present depression, Mr.. Wright says, 'would
| lead one to suppose that all brahcIes VI
| business were severely stagnated ana thh'
failures were the order OF the day put al
| kyonitatiot, OF some of the principal com
mercial aud industrial facts aVallani'
| teaches the error of popular opln'oh III ~
respect. While the number oi faliufts ~
1Ss4 was but little more than the number o
iSsb the total amount of lIablitles was YER
nearly double and the total amount OF llaoll
tics for 1885 was less than the amount o
liabilities for either Of the years iS0', o. q
| VA ~ 10 II ~, 'S} or 81. These certain
orn Mr. Wright adds, very significant fact
when the great increase IN the pulk OF @ uus
n, - transacted is taken into conslderh'iol
and they show concluslveiv that While tHcr
has been widespread depression the lacls
to actual business disasters, SO Tar a
a1noufit is concerned or, even average Iiau
ity. for the year 1889, present an eXceedIhgl
satisfactory exhibit. II IRON 'aI.nnIi'@s - "
turn to production we small li'ln sun hlui
| gratifying results; IauIes hfc 9tT" 81 Lon hna
: eating that the volume of business mas p'e
fairly well preserved at least not grippe
to any such extent as nd Gated by inc ctl
Ming OF the consuming .poWerIahd M,
| prices have constantly ial en-. Aoilg WV
these two features there has been a CuhSta
= | dim m shing of profits. Many industries ha'
! heeu conducted with little or no Iharglh
! | those puynged and Freat lowering Oh WaE
y III general some industries, o. o"nreo, u.
t. hpau badly crippled temporarily, hut on
whole the volume of business Of the couhi
2 during the depressed period has been ran
n | sat SiGctOrY. ..,..-..t,, .,.,
: Dscue sing the causes OF industrthl deprt
u sion. Mir. Wright says: one OF the chI
e causes which produce depressed periods
Il n fan in prices. 1t matters not Whut caus
n | ,hc fall The first influence OF lail III pr
H. q nm apprehension of loss where 10" pti'
f. | may he regarded as one OF the chicl anu anu ~ ~
T. | of the leading causes, II not ihe iVhul
I. cause. of industrial dcprCss ons, the lh'iitt
~ Of the cause is sure to react upon llNeh Il
n. brtnp about un activity through eNamI
f. the effect of which is tctt III various uII
H. | tons. ..... ,
# | word in its largest and most eomprehehs
r, sense has been most potent III bfihRlhg
te mechau cally producing nations VI
X | world to their present lhuusttlai l"aE .
me rapid development and adoption OF
chinerv in all of the activities belonging
~ production and transportation nave 9lou
NJ, | what is commonly called over produc''
nf so that machinery and oXer,pfoduet'o"
W. | two rauses SO closely allied that II Is lu
~ | ditficult to discuss the one without '"h
IT. thp other side INTO cons deratioh, !
I'd labor saving machinery so-cailed' nul VIZ
~ more properly should he called laDor-hhA
III | or labor sting machinery, dlsplhces u
w. | te,nporarily cannot successfully ne ueh
H. All men of sound minds admit the per
lm' nent GOOD effects of mach merry; but the
az mancnt good effects of il DO not prtlVrut
~, Vr temporary displacement of labor, whleh
| placement so far as the labor nlSp'noc
i | concerned assists in Gripping the
Hc suInfrv mower of Comnun Is. y l
w. illustrations relative to the uIsplatth
i | of labor by the Introduction ol illacuIh
~ nrrhaps of no value in themselves ~
No | historic value IN preserving tUc pl"N'
"'' industrial systems and the chhngeN WI
80. | come with them, are given toEelher WI
nul mass of facts relating to the temporary
: Il placement of labor ana TO eohau uons U
Ms | dustrv and of society swhlcn "ouiu -, :
nm without the presence oil machinery -
Nv Illustrations Mr.. Wright SAYS show pos
ers IL the influence of inventions IN prl'
lon about industrial deprcssions. IN those e
Was tries where machinery has been heVel
nr, | To the highest, the greatest hum9et ui
tne | peoplc are engaged, and in thosc couii
the | 49, ,',,.. n nnrv has hccn developed L
nus tlo or no purpose poverty re EnS 'Euor
'uh- is the prevailing condition ana CIV 'ha
'rEe consenuontly far in the rear ANA Nc
il, saws II the Guest ON shoul1 ue "shcu'
)Sou the wagc-worker received MS tlui
uaN share OF the benefits derived from Tue j
lhe duction of machinery the answer hu
sell No. In the struggle for industrial SUI
pcv in the great countries ufNo.eu ~
Sh | chnnical production. Il mas been ii'pos
'hsn for him to share cluitAbly III sueh oel
act | That he has shared greatly as eonsui
trS' true and his greatest henent nus
eHN' through his being consumer
wv; W. The modcrn system OF carry,ng T,
'tate works Ivy stock companies Mr. Virgin
lhca- has done n great deal tnwarh Pr"''u, Pr,
GER ali countries The bad industrlai eohu
ates, under which.the present geheratioh Is
'nscs ing The result has heeu sulne t.a' NJ
ouHc less and abnormal organlIato GU nl "
lung and of interests aimed at the dcNclonm
was rho industries of the country. MA
ds- labor and capital have been overeohs
rtain nnJ 20 srch m extent that overprod,
rgeht stands for over-Consumrtlon. Inc re-
p N. cousumpt ON of all the materials an,
npnts necessary 10 industrial progrcs
always produced industrial staRhatloh
some of the causes which tend to c
-, | the consum ng power OF larRe uous ,
ieau' neople are remote, indeed, ana yet !
CLARA rect hearing upon the question IN
ANY disturbance in the monetary ans
gum our country, 10y which the purchasing
dis. of money is decreased. crirrles the cc
Ia, ing power of the people, anu wheh u
- ple, through apprehension OF tnroul
stcui results. feel that their consuming ro
The crippled IN ever s So s,.sn' ana rorr"sn,
inc. s,asnntion follows. The same resul
rearhad through lowering of wage
ie of any cause wna,eNsG ,roivr ppe ,npartati, Tn
AeW rnnid immigration generally, are ie
, lot | which have a positive influence III crl
, tbo consuming power. .t..,.a
II ''o The influence OF tore gn nun sr"
was | illustrated by appropriate tanies' WI
Ma a | the tendency of Immigrants ls 10 asS
with our mechanical industries u
owns creascs demand, lowers wages "ud 9
Il be- utes to whatever over ptodhttloH WI WI
cripples most decidedly the CON
gem rs,p rnppr Of the whole The fact is note
ed to pr or 10 each period OF industrial dep
,,o- In the United states s'nce ls'i' there n
P.o n lorre increase in inm graf on ana 10
. Ry | The incept on ot the depression u sha
NJ rn- | inv an This constant augmentation
~ number of Nhurers during pfospcrou
hns had lis full share in bringing ao
following period of depression
kable Under the head "Mannla.'nr'hs 1a' ar ,e !,
-. considered as II group IN relat on 10 I
seai ent depression, the cominlsslohel
Truth, The scnle OF wages \ tho conn,r es u u
paign according ped 70 ,ne ,tra ipi sta,es % Great
Mahdi france, Belgium, Germany. II Is dif
image connect commercial systems ~ haS w,.n ,,aw "
with 81 wages @ o9 opa 'hes" m. countries has over
heads tself wiib mnch uers aud mannf'
plants far In excess OF the wants OF
lion mud when II considered also