The examiner., 1886-01-02
THE LABOR BUREAU

direct from the office of the Commis- sioner, the "First Annual Report (second series) of the Bureau of La bor Statistics of the State of Connec- lieut." for which we return thanks.
 Our readers undoubtedly expect from THE EXAMINER an extended commentary on the same, and we would be happy to fulfill such expecta- tion if the task were not so appalling, circumstanced as we are with all the
 multifarious duties and cares of a newspaper office devolving on the shoulders of one individuality. An l vet, we hesitate to wonder if it would
 not be we'll to take this book from cover to cover for minute examination,
 giving chapter or so each week till
 finished. Not page is there but af-
 lords food for criticism. A cursory
 review can do it no justice; and yet
 we are afraid that that is all we can
 bestow, coming on the busy time
 when the actors themselves will be on
 the stage and the play going On, and
 MT. Hadley's ''Report" forming no
 part of the plot.
 The Commissioner has done remark
 ably we'll, however, considering the
 circumstances of his case. He was
 handicapped at the outset by the Leg
 islature appropriating nothing for tra-
 yelling expenses for the purpose of
 lence of age and an absence O person.
 al knowledge and feeling of the
 wrongs which wage servitude impose,
 together with being looked upon with suspicion by the thinkers and leaders in the Labor movement in the State, and therefore denied their counsel and assistance. Tie appointment was an inconsistency, to begln with; and the report shows mass of incon- sistencies to the finish. Still, no blame is to be attached to the Commissioner for this. It is the work of another, higher in authority. MT. Hadley has fulfilled the duties of his appointment faithfully and well-he has demonstra- ted how not to do it, and promises additional evidence after another years experience. We hope the Legis- lature will not cut him off, even if it does cost an additional S 900 or so, for the producers of this State can we'll afford this meagre amount in experiment, in view of the much greater amounts they have been hum- bugged out of for years in other di rections; and for the further reason. that the Corporation may not be al ways ruler in the State.
 Mr. HoIIau'c written document, and would appear to the best advantage in one of our Monthly Reviews. Yet, in that way 1t might never reach the average Con- necticut legislator, which of itself would be no small calamity. The question then lies between the propo- sltions whether it would have been cheaper to have it printed in that way and an equal number of free copies furnished, or by the present method. | We believe the former to be the most 
 MT. Hadley's ability as debater is clearly demonstrated. He can even hold debate with himself and bring out both sides of the argument vic;o- rious. This has been the favorite method adopted to enlighten the Gen. eral Assembly at the coming session. There are things set down as grievan- ces which should be remedied, but it is prophesied that in striving to do so, disaster is sure to follow, making each grievance worse than before. oo it goes, almost in every page from cover to cover, with one solitary ex- even that modifed- the hours of women and children working Tn factories.
 We had intended to give few samples If Mr. Hadley's inconsistencies, or at least lis style of advocating the positive and neg tive side of each proposition considered, ut time and space forbid. However, it is ut justice to the Commissioner, as we'll as 0 ourselves, that one at least be given in rder that suspicion may not attribute ad- erse criticism to seeming prejudice:
 And, finally, it is safe to say that the ex- erience of other states shows that personal z lvestigation, as a rule, or main reliance ' an not cover a sufficiently wide range of z round to make the work of the bureau at f Il complete. If it only deals with a few T oncerns it might be useful as means of S gitation, (by the way, something which MT. | -adley views with profound alarm all e trough his work,) but not as means of c curing general results which could furnish t proper basis for legislative action" pp. t. 10, ill ] Il