The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-04-07
THE CAUSE OF LABOR,
First Annual Report Of the National
Commissioner. cS

Commissioner.
The first annual report of the Bureau of
Labor has been submitted by the COM
missioner, Carroll D. Wright, to the Sec
retary Of the Interior. Mr.. Wright says that:
Of factories, mines, etc., existing In the couns
try, about $ per cent we're idle during 1885,
and that S per cent. more were idle part Of
the year. In round numbers 1000, 900 were
thrown out Of employment, which means q;
of over $500, ,OJ0, 600 year. The volume Of
business, however, has been fairly well pre-
served, and prices have constantly fallen.
There has also been q constant diminishing
Of profits and lowering Of wages in general
On the whole, however, the commissioner Is
of the opinion that the volume of business OF
the country during the depressed period has.
been fairly satisfactory.
The mechanical industries Of the United
States are carried on by steam and water
power representing, in round numbers, 3. .400,
600 horsepower, each horse power equalling
the muscular labor Of six men. To do the
work accomplished by power and power ma
chinery in the mechanical industries would
require men representing q population OF
IT., 500, 900 in addition to the present popil-
lation Of the country of 55,000, 900. The
present cost Of operating the railroads with
steam power, In round numbers, is $50, ,000,-
080 year; but to carry on the same amount
Of work with men and horses would cost the
country $11 ,30S, ,50u,O 600. These illustrations
show the straits to which the country would
be brought if it undertook to perform it's
work in the old way. The apparent evils re-
to a large extent have been offset by ad-.
vantages gained. Prior to each
period of depression since 1857
there has been large increase in inmigra-
tion, and following the inception Of the de-
preston sharp falling off. Many instances
might be given, he says, to illustrate the i'll
effects Of the inopportune importation Of
foreign labor-the employment Of Hun
garians in mining districts the padrone
system in some localities, and other features,
not only Of foreign contract labor, but of the
freely on certain kind Of solicitation. =
Considering suggested remedies for depres-
sions, the commissioner says that q halt
should be made in freely granting lands to
corporations When immigration becomes
subject Of inducement of contract for tho
purpose of displacing higher grade Of labor,
the authority of law should be called in to
prevent the continuance Of the wrong The
effect that the enactment of laws to stop
SpeCuldulOu WOuu nave, IL tuey Cotlu
for the public good. A sound
currency is demanded by labor in
order that the laborer may know the value
of his earnings at all times, and by the pro-
ducer that he may calculate with reasonable
accuracy the cost Of production. Reform in
the methods of distributing supplies would
bring great relief 10 consumers. Co-opera-
tion in its distlibutive form is suggested as q
remedy; but cooperative distribution is only
half measure. There is no contest be-
tween labor and capital, nor be-
tween the laborer and capitalist as such, but
there is q contest between the latter as to ths
profits Of capital and wages of lapor, or, in
simple terms, as to the profits each shall
receive for his respective investment, and
this contest will continue SO long as the
purely wage system lasts. It is absurd to
say that the interests Of capital and
labor are identical They are no more
identical than the interests of the buyer and
seller. They are, however, reciprocal, and
the intelligent comprehension of this recipro-
cal element can only be brought into the
fullest play by the most complete organiza-
tion, SO that each party shall feel that he is
an integral part Of the whole working estab-
lishment. 49,