The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-23
soMr suRpRlsINa FIoupFs
Regarding Labor Mat ors-Eir.t Report Ct
the National Bureau.

the National Bureau.
The first annual report Of the National
Buresu OF Labor is completed, 1t will
cover about 400 pages, Under the head
"IudustTial depTessions in the United
States" Commissioner Wright says;
"From tbs observations OF the agents Of
the Bureau, and from other sources from
which 1t haa been possible to form con-
clusiOls, it Ia undoubtedly true that out
OF the total number Of establishments such
as factories, mines, etc, existing in tht
country, about percent were absolutely
idle during 1855, and that percent NOR
were idle part Of the time, or for just
estimate, 4! p rcent Of the whole numusr
OF such establishments were idle or equiv
alent to idle during the past year. Ap'
plying the percentage arrived at T!l
We obtain total Of 09S. $50, sa constiIunnE
the beat statement oil the unemployed in
the United States in DISCRIMINATING by
the unemployed, those who, under pros
porous times, would be employed, AND
Who, in 1855, were seeking employ
ment-thRt 1t has been possible Tor
the bureau to make, 1t is pTobR-
oily true that this total, as representing
the unemployed ut any one time in the
in the United States, is fairly representa-
tive, even II the lGborers thrown out OF
work thr ugh the cessation OF railroad
building be included. A million Of men
out OF employ means lOss to the cou-
sumptive power OF the country OF ut least
| 81 100000 per day, or crippllng OF the
trade II the country Of over $500 OIO 900
per year. The earnings OF the people in-
yolyed in the classes named above would
not bs lar from 5000 each per aunnpi
representing total earnings OF SIWO, no.
COO The wage.earnipg oi the million
that should be employed are crippled TO
the extent Of over $3OO,0OO,0O0 per an
mum, u sum sufficient to cause u reaction
in business and q general Curtallment OF
expenses from which result apprehension
aud timidity among all classes, tits curl
GUS to observe, however, that while the
severity Of the depression causes Grip
ping TO the extent OF several hundred
millions Of dollars per year OF the con-
suming power Of the people, the volume
Of business transacted is not crippled com'
paratiyely to any such extent"
1t il shown that just previous to the
financial paniCs Of 1857, 1873 aud 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 deprOlsions
through the cippling OF Consumptive
powers
Tho Commissioner pAVg.
"Tables are given Indicating two things,
viz That while, IS shown, the extent OF
the existing industrial depression involves
Gripping Of the wage.receivera OF the
country, aud u consequent Gripping OF the
consuming power OF the people, the vol.
ume of buanegs has been fairly well pre-.
served, al least not crippled to any such
extent as indicated by the crippling OF the
consuming power-Gnd that prices have
constantly fallen. Along with these two
features there hiss been constant
1 diminishing OF profits until many indus
tiles have been conducted with little or
u no margin to those engaged, and II great
lowering Of wages in general.
"The mechanical industries OF the
United States are carried on by steam and
water.powpr, representing in round mum.
beIs 8 100000, horsepower, each horse.
power tqnallhg the muscular labor Of Blk
men that ia to say, II men were employ.
ed to furnish the power to carry on the
industries Of the country, It would require
q 600 .O0O men, aud 2l,00O.OOO represent n
popnAuon according to tho census OF 1850
Of 1905 100000. The indus ries arc now
carried on by 100000 persons in round
Numbers, representing u population oil
20 00O, 600 only
"rhe employment Of contract labor OF
foreign Importation, and rapid immigra'
ton generally, are features which have a
positive influence in Cfippling consuming
power. BY the census Of 1850 the whole
number Of people engaged in agriculture
IN the United States WAS 7,S70,403 luto
this number there had been absorbed Sl2,.
$40 foreign born. The total number em-
uiOyed in manufactures, mechanical and
mining industries was $685., IL, OF whom
22j GS7 were OF foreign birth. II will be
seen Ut once that the tendency Of immi.
giants Is to aBsimilate with our meChaU-
iCal industries. This increases the supply
OF labor in comparison to the dem nd. II
lowers wages, 1t contributes to whatever
oVer-produCLiOn exists aud clipples the
consuming power Of the whole.
ut iB undeniably true that in past years
immigration has been Of inestimabe value
as an element in American industrial pro-
grpEs, but 1t cannot be said now, and
probably not to any great extent in the
future, that America Is the home Of the
oppressed Of all nations. This advertise.
lnent will undoubtedly be withdrawn, as
we'll Us the other that there Is loom
enough in the United States for all.
"MAny instances might be given to
illustrate the il.pheCt Of the inopportuue
importation OF foreign labor-the employ.
ment Of HuDgarians In mining districts
the pldrOne system in some localities,
and Other features, not only Of foreign con.
tract labor, but Of the employment VI
foreign labor which comes freely on
certain kind Of solicitation. So far as the
investigation in hand Indicates, tho EN-.
plOyment OF foreign labor under contract
TO take the places Of dissatisfied home
laborers has been miserable failure for
all parties concerned except, perhaps, the
parties imported.
ut has been clearly shown that the de.
pressions Of the past in the manufacturing
nations Of the world have been nearly or
quite Contemporaueous in their occurrence.
AZ to tho severity OF the present industrial
depression and It's duration, 1t can safely
be asserted that the depression com.
nUnCed early in 1882 and was continued
until tho present time. From thetimethe
agents OF the Bureau entered the field In
prosecuting their investigations to the
lime they left 1t, a period Of five or six
months, there had been marked change
in the condition Of business. At the pres.
ent time March, 1856 the effects Of the
depression are wearing away, and all the
indications are that prosperity Is slowly
and gradually, but safely returning"