New-York tribune., 1886-03-30
LABOR STATISTICS n MASSACHUSETTS,.
COST OF FOOD FOR WORKING PEOPLE-cO-oPEGA-



BosToN, March % (Spoc'aN.-Colonei Carroll
D Wright Chef OF the Massachusetts, Bdrean OF stats
tics OF abor sent 10 the to-day the seSenteenih
annual report OF that department. The most interesting
ehaper I'm the re port food consumption by the
laboriny classes Colonel Wright has endcaVoFed 10
supply measure the Information necessary 10
enable the workingman more intohgenty TO regulate
his expenditures for food. From schedules OF dot"e'
carefully made with the view OF showing what IS the
most economical and nourshng food. it appears that
the French Canadian la5Oring man consumes ut nome
three and one-half pounds of food unclndlHS
milk per day. But when lie comes to AaS'a'
clusetts and works in a factory, engages IN
other manual labor. ho consumes five pounds
while other aborers. factory operatives, mechanics
etc. in Massachusetts, each consume I'VE
and ono- h pounds Of food per day The food OF the
French Canadian homo costs fourteen cents but III
Massachuse5ts he ezpends twcntyfour cents while he
food Of the Massachusetts aborcs costs twenty
five day. In Canada the French Caradian has
one pound of animal food meat. fish, milk. butter,
cheese eggs etc. Massachusetts, he has pound and
half while his fcllow-.abOrers OF other nationalties
have two and onenuh pounds per man per day. There
is corresponding variation ~ the proportion OF animal
protein TO the totaI protein or l,e IoO Ine u.taiIrs
thus studied all point IN one direction aud Indicate tha
only by well to-do ueople also Dy the poor, The
OF food consists mainly of meats ana sweeneat
OF all Is the common practice Of the poor 1"
purchase the more expensive food materials especially
cost would be equally wholesome and nutritious.
The report also the subject ol cOopcraton
The operative manufacturing corporations Of MaSsa
chusetts though authDrZed by law TO distribute their
profits among wOrkmcu purchasers and stockholders
do practice divide any other bds3 than thdt OF
capital invested Though each stockhcder has one
VO the interest Of members stOckhOlcrs has sub
Ordnatcd labOreIs These corporations
are, therefore profit sharing enterprises only tlrouIh
the distribution OF their capltal STOCK. In tae
five years from 1870 to 1870, there were or
ganlzed thirteen cooperative manufacturing cor
puIations, only or which are now
in There ten cooperative manuiaclur-
companies operation ia this state last year The
men who succeed IN corporation are the KIND or men
tina; generation ago, bciOr' the advent Of great cor
poratOns succeeded as indepondr employers on small
scale-,ncn with capita! saved up. Of superior
character and energy and with qualifications Tor DuS
ness mana cement. They cannot hope to-day Win tne
limited capital at their command To compete success
fully In manufacturing indlvduale, but by combining
their resources and talents they occupy cooper
ators industrial position of considerable Importance
There s crnde popular conception OF corporation ~
plan to rid of the employer ana the wascs system
This scheme is purely visionary and lmpractcabIc Inc
capitalist employer may be an association OF lfe work
ers themselves. but II the less an employer
moral personality possessing all the powers over moi
ydua workers that individual employer would have