Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-21
APIea for the Labor Bureau.

APIea for the Labor Bureau.
To The Editor of the Dispatch
Every principle Of honor, truth, and
justice demands that the promises
made to the working before the
election shall be fulfilled by the Demo
cratic Legislature as the dominant party
placed in power by their votes. The
platform promised bureau Of labor
statistics. and we are pleased to see
that Senator Ellyson has moved in this
direction, and has introduced a bill to
create the Office of labor commissioner.
With the necessary appliances conducive
to successful administration Of the
duties Of a commissioner this Office can
be made boon to the working-man, a
benefit 10 his employer-producing re-
forms that will tend to harmonic the
differences between capital and labor.
1t will advertise the great industrial re.
sources Of our State, the enterprise Of
our philosophical citizens, the genius
and energy of our manufacturers. II
will publish to the world that the Old
Dominion. Phmnix-like. has not only
arisen from her ashes, and although
hampered with debt has made such
rapid progress in mining and manufac-
lures that her own citizens can scarcely
realize the fact that she is the new Vir-
ginis just twenty-One years old. The
manufacturing industries of our State
have never been sufficiently advertised
have never received that recognition
which is Justly due them, and even our
citizens are ignorant Of the great manu-
featuring interests in our midst. Whilst
we would not build a Chinese wall
around our city, yet it is a source of
pride for us to feel that so far as manu-
features are concerned that in every line
we have a class ofgoods and machinery
that can not only compete successfully
with all northern and western ma
chirery, but for durability and work
manship they far excel them. AS
models Of excellence in their line we
might mention the Tanner q Delaney
Engine Company, the Tredegar Iron
Works, Ettenger q Edmond, Belle Isle,
Joseph Hall, Talbot Brothers, Agricul-
tural- Works Of Ashton Starke, Charles
Palmer, and others. The above
are simply cited among a large
number Of the public-splrited citi-
zens in our midst contributing
to the material prosperity of our city
and State, whose genius, energy, and
liberality could receive just recogni-
ton from the State by means OF COM
missioner of labor. Statistical informa-
ton furnished in regard to the manu-
featuring and mining interests Of our
State would be Of incalculable benefit
10 the business Of those in these de-
partments by an advertisement oftheir
resources and nature Of their manu-
features that would tend to give an
impetus not only to local trade, but
one throughout the Union.
The collection and compilation Of
statistics tending to encourage and ad-
vance the industrial interests of our
State will also conduce to the comfort
and welfare of the working-man and
cause reforms to be inaugurated in
order to develop their intellectual,
moral, and social faculties.
The commissioner should have pro-
yided for workmen night-schoOls, or
some means Of instruction. Especially
should this be the case as regards ap-
prentices and girls. And in his office
should be kept a complete directory Of
the wants OF the trade, SO that all UNI
employed could 90 to him to be assisted
in obtaining work. 1t should be his
duty to see that fre-escapes are placed
in connection with all buildings in
which large numbers Of hands, and
especially females, are worked &; and
sufficient means Of egress provided for
in case Of fire, &c.
lie should be empowered to have all
boilers of stationary engines, &C., criti-
cally examined by experts, so as to
guard against accidents from defective
boilers that have heretofore occurred in
this community, and on the recon-
mendation Of competent mining engi-
neer to insist on the thorough ventila-
ton Of mines and escapes for the miners
in cases Of accident, gas, &c. The de-
yelopment of our mines and quarries;
the fostering and advancing Of the in
dustries and manufactures Of our State,
whilst aiding and assisting the laboring
classes, will tend to the mutual pros
perity Of both.
The agriculturists have bureau with
commissioner. Surely the mechanics
and working men, who constitute two
thirds Of the community in all our cities,
have a right to expect this Office, espe-
cially since it was promised them, as
they cannot believe that the party
succeeded in spite of its platform" or
that " some fool copied this plank from
the Republican platform for the pur-
pose of catching the votes Of the work
ing-men. The times are such that the
Democratic party should be both just
and generous, complying strictly with
its pledges. ,.