The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-03-23
MEMPHIS DAILY APPEAL--TUEsDAY, MARCH %, 1885,.
OVER 100000 MEN IDLE
FIRST REPORT OF THE BUREAU
OF LABOR.
The Enormous Money Loss TO the
Country by the Gripping
Of Trade.

The Enormous Money Loss TO the
Country by the Gripping
Of Trade.
WASHINGTON, March 22.-The first
annual report of the Bureau of Labor
is completed. 1t will cover about 500
pages. Under the head, "ihe Indus
trial Depression in the United
States" Commissioner Wright says:
"From the observations of the agents
of the bureau, and from other sources
from which it has been possible to
form conclusions, it is undoubtedly
true that out of the total number Of
establishments, such as factories,
mines, etc, existing in the country,
about ) per cent. were absolutely idle
during 1885, and that perhaps 5 per
cent. more were idle a part Of the
time; or, for a Just estimate, u per
per cent. OF the whole number of such
establishments were idle, or equiva-
lent to idle, during the past year. APP
plying the percentage arrived at (74
per cent? we obtain a total of 99S, $3.50.
as constituting the best statement of
the unemployed in the United States
during 1885, meaning by the unem-
ployed those who, in prosperous
times, would be employed, and who
in 1885 were seeking employment,
that it has been possible for the bu-
"a to make 1t is probably true
that this total, as representing the I'M
employed at any one time in the
United States, is fairly representative,
even if the laborers thrown out of
work through the cessation of railroad
building be included.
A MILLION OF MEN
out of employment means n loss to
the consumptive power of the coun-
try of at least , 100000 per day, or a
crippling of the trade of the country
of over S300,00o,000 per year. The
earnings of the people involved in the
classes named above would not be far
from $3.50 each per annum, represent
ing a total earning of $40 0,7l6,0O0.
The wage earnings of the millions that
should be employed are crippled to
the extent of over $50 ,000, 900 per
annum, a sum sufficient to cause a re-
action in business and a general cur
tailment of expenses, from which re-
suit apprehension and timidity among
all classes. 1t is curious to observe,
however, that while the severity of
the depression causes a gripping to
the extent of several hundred millions
OF dollars per year of the consuming
power of the people, the volume of
| htretVnga trangontn1 80 mt artnpln1
comparatively to any such extent. 1t
is shown that just previous to the
financial panics of 1857, 1873 and 1882
there was an immense increase in the
mileage of railroads constructed in the
United States. The results of this in
throwing men out of employment have
great bearing in producing depression
through the
GRIPPING OF CoNsUMPTIvE POWER.
The commissioner concludes as fol-
lows: "Tables are given indicating
two things, viz. That while as shown
the extent Of the existing industrial
depression involves a Gripping of the
wage receivers of the country and a
consequent crippling of the consum-
ing power of the people. The volume
of business has been fairly well pre-
served-at least not crippled to any
such extent as indicated by the Grip
ping of the consuming ~power-and
that prices have constantly fallen.
Along with these features there has
been a constant diminishing of profits
until many industries have been con-
Quoted with little or no margin to
those engaged and a great lowering of
wages in general. The mechanical
industries of the United States are car
ried on by steam and water, repre-
s~enting in round numbers 3,500,000
horse power, each horsepower eqalling
the muscular labor of six men, that is
to say, if men were employed to fur
nish the power to carry on the indus
tries of the country it would require
81, 000 1000 men, and q ,000,0 600 men
represent a population, according to
the ensus of 1885, of 105, 600, 900. The
industries are now carried on by 400,-
600 persons, in round numbers repre-
senting a population of 20,000,000
only. The employment of contract
labor OF foreign importation and rapid
immigration generally, are features
which have a positive influence in
crippling consuming power. By the
census Of 1880 the whole number of
people engaged in agriculture in the
United States was 7,870,493 Into
this number there had been absorbed
Sl2,829 foreign born. The total num-
Der employed in manufactures, me-
chanical and mining industries was
1887, ll2, of whom 1,225, 7S7 were of
foreign birth. 1t will be seen at once
that the tendency of the immigrants
is to assimilate with our mechanical
industries. This increases the supply
of labor in comparison to the demand.
1t lowers wages, contributes to what
ever overproduction exists and sup
plies the consuming power of the
whole. It has been true that for the
past fifty years immigration has been
of inestimable value as an element in
American industrial progress, but it
cannot be said now, and probably not
10 any great extent in the future, that
America is the home of the oppressed
of all nations. This advertisement
will, undoubtedly be withdrawn, as
well as the other, that there is enough
in the United States for oil. Many in
stances might be given to illustrate
the evil effects of the
I~NoPPoRTUNE IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN
LABOR,
the employment of Hungarians in
mining districts, the padrone system in
some localities, and other features not
only of foreign contract labor, but Of
the employment of foreign labor which
comes freely on a certain kind of So
licitation. So far as the Investigation
in hand indicates, the employment of
foreign labor under contract, to take
the places of dissatisfied home labor
ers, has been a miserable failure for all
parties concerned, except, perhaps,
the parties imported. II has been
clearly shown that the depressions Of