New-York tribune., 1886-03-22
BUSINESS DEPRESSION AND ITS CURE.


CONDITION OF LABOR.
W,s1uvGTOX. March 21-The first annual
repor of the Bureau Labor has been submitted by the
Commissioner Carroll D. Wright. to the Secretary OF the
Interior Mr. Wright says that OF factories, mines, etc.
existing the country about per cent were Idle dur
ing $50 and that per cent more were Idle part OF
the year Ia round numbers 100000 we're thrown out
of employusnt which means loss TO the cOnsumptve
mower Of the country of S3OOOOOO00 year
The volume OF business however. Las been fairly well
preserved and prices constantly fallen There has
also been constant diminishing OF profits and lowering
of wages general On the whole however, the Cominis
soner OF the opinion that the volume OF business Of
the country during the depressed perO has been fairly
satisfactory.
The mechanical industries Of the United States
carried on by steam and water power representing,
in round numbers, 100000 horsepower, each horse
pOwer CQualling the muscular labor OF six men. To
do the work accomplished by power and power ma
chiuery mechanical industries would require men
representing population Of l7250oooO in addition to
the present population OF the country Of The
present OF operating the railroads with steam
power ia round numbers. Is S1o-"ooVVO year DuI 10
carry the amount OF work with men and horses
would cost the country fll,3OS,oonOOO these Nus
trauons snow ihe straits 10 "Aicn .no country
would DO brought undertook ne, 10
perform It's wGTR ran, ,hs ,n,ToJpctHo4 Of ma.
olnery to large extent nave been Offset By advantages
gained PrOr each pcTiOj OF depression since 1897
there has been large increase IN Immigration anu II,
lowing inception OF the depression sharp falling on
I'll effects the inOppOrune importation OF foreign
labrr-lhe employment of Hungarldns IN mining dIs
trcis padrOne sysem In localities ana 0ther
feature Ouy of foreign contract labor but OF the
employment Of foreign labor which comes freely on
certain kind OF solicitation.
Considering suggested remedies for depressOns, tie
Commissioner that malt should be made IN iely
granting lands 90 corporations. When Immigration
becomes subject Of lDducement or contract Tor the
purpose CT dlsplaclng "a higher grade OF labor. the
u hOrty OF law should he called in prevent the
tnuancc OF the The effect that The enactment OF
laws to stop speculation would nave II they could be
specIfciy app ell, would be for the public good.
sound currency is demanded by labor IN order that the
laborer the OF his earnings all times.
and y the producer that he may calculate with
able accuracy tho cost OF production Reform IN the
methods Of distributing supplies would bring
great relief 10 Consumers. Cooperation IN Its
dls;rihutiVr form 10 suggested as remedy ;
but cooperative distribution II only hall measure
here - no contest between labor and capital nor be
tween tpe ldUrer and capitalist such, but there 10
cOute, between the latter To the prOhls OF capital
and oi labor III simple terms as 10 the pTOus
each snail receive for ms respective investment
and this will continue so long as the puleIy
wage lasts. IL absurd To say that the inter-
ests or capital labor identical Ihey are no more
Identical an the interests OF the buyer and seller Ihey
are however reciprocal ana tie intelligent conprehei-
this reciprocal element only be brought IN o
the fullest play by the most complete OTgauZhl0n' so
that party shall feel that he Is Integral part OF
the wh6s working establishments
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