The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-05-20
THE LABOR BUREAU.

CarTOll u, wright, commissioner OF
the bureau of labor, has sent out advance
sheets of the first annual report of the
bureau. The Bureau of Labor was estab-
fishes by act of Congress, approved June
81, 1884. and provided for the appoint
ment of commissioner of labor by the
President, and chief clerk to be seec
ted by the secretary of the interior, and
such employees as might be necessary to
conduct the work of the bureau. Nc
officers were appointed, however unit
January, 1885. The organic law of the
bureau provides that the commissioner OF
labor "shall collect information upon the
subject of labor, its relation to capital,
the hours of labor, and the earnings OF
laboring men and women, and the means
of promoting their material, social, intel
lectual, and moral prosperity"
and he shall annually make report in
writing to the secretary of the interior OF
the information collected and collated by
him, and containing such recommends
tons as he may deem calculated to pro,
mote the efficiency of the bureau" The
report, therefore, is largely statistical,
and theoetical discussion has been
avoided as much AS possible.
Fifteen states in the Union have bur
eaus with similar duties to those assigned
to this Office The state bureaus have
been established as follows, and in the
following order: Massachusetts bureau
of Statistics of Labor, 1869; Pennsylvania
Bureau Of Industrial Statistics, 1872
Connecticut Bureau of Labor Statistics
1873 discontinued 1875, re-establisheC
1855, Ohio Bureau of Labor Statistics
1877; New Jersey Bureau of Statistics OF
Labor and Industries 1878; Missouri
Bureau OF Labor Statistics and Inspec-
ton. 1879; Illinois Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics, 1870; Indiana Bureau of statistic.
and geology, 1879; New York Bureau o.
Labor statistics. 1888; California Bureau
of Labor statistics, 1888; Michigan Blu
reau OF Labor and Industrial statistics
1888; Wisconsin Bureau of Labor Stats
tiss, 1883; Iowa Bureau of Labor stats
tics, 1884; Maryland Bureau of Labor
statistics, 1885. These bureaus are 10,
Gated at the capitals of the states named
and their publications are becomin!
widely known for the valuable contribu.
tions which they make to economic sci
ence and literature. They are bureau:
distinctly American in their character
although some of the European govern
ments are now contemplating the estab
lishment OF kindred offices.
Commissioner Wright says that the
law establishing this bureau, as quoted
calls for such recommendations as may
be deemed calculated to promote the eff
ficicncy of the office The comprehen
siveness of the law precludes any recon
mendation as to the range of work which
may be undertaken, and he would recon
mend that the bureau be given authority
to publish specific reports, independently
of its annual reports. whenever, in the
judgment of the secretary of the int rior
such special reports might be of value tt
the public-as, for instance. it might BE-
wise to investigate promptly some grea
industrial movement to make repor
thereon-but such report. delayed unit
the publication of the annual report o.
the information collected by the commits
sioner, would lose its value. 1t shoule
follow the collection of the special facts
and at once, in order to possess publ,
value The suggestion of the commits.
siOner is good one, and should bt
adopted forthwith. The labor bureau ID
destined to be one of the most importan
branches Of the executive department
and every precaution should be taken t
make it efficient.