Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-29
LABOR INVESTIGATIONS.
What is Proposed to be Done by the
Bureau of Labor in Gathering InfOr.
nation.

The great interest that is felt throughout the
country in all questions connected with the
labor problem Is manifest to some degree by
the large increase in the correspondence of the
bureau of labor. The bureau has been in exist
ence now about year and has made its first
annual report, but during that year the labor
interests have forced themselves to the front
and upon the attention of the people, and in
consequence the industrial situation has be-
come one OF the subjects of great current inter-
est. AS one OF the results large plumbers of
people want information. They write to know
In what states the cOnvictS are hired out for
labor, and in what states this system does not
exist. They want information in regard to the
the results, generally speaking, have proved of
advantage to the workinsmen. Such Inquiries,
with the numerous variations that will readily
suggest themselves, come from members of
Congress we'll private citizens, and 1t is
the endeavOr Of the bureau to give all the
information possible. Chief Clerk Weaver who
was talking to a STAR reporter in the absence
from the city of Commissioner Wright, said that
it was not possible to furnish all the tnforma-
generally embraced subjects which had not yet
been Investigated. sour first Investigation
Which was carried car on last year he said was
trial depression. We, however. started late In
the year and we hope now, with a liberal apprO-
priation from Congress, to have q permanent
force of special agents and TO carry on our in
vestigations OF subjects which people desire to
have information upon. Our estimates tor next
year provide for eighteen special agents, and
while the amount has been cut down in the
House, yet it is probable that the amount finally
bureau to do great deal of work. As you no
doubt have seen from the commissioners letter
to Secretary Lamar, our proposed investigation
covers the following subtects:'
An Investigation into the number, causes, du-
ration and results and other features of all
strikes occurring in the United States since and
including the year 1881.
An Investigation into the hours of labor.
wages paid. method Of payment, lines Of duty,
railroad systems in the United States.
An investigation as to the kind and amount
Of work performed in the penal institutions of
States and the District Of Columbia, the methods
under which convicts are or may be employed
tanning to convict labor and its infiuence mon
the industries of the country.
An investigation into the distribution of pro-
Of the products as far as the leading articles
OF consumption are concerned, tracing each
article from its production to its consumption.
and gathering all the facts as to cost and
method of distribution.
An investigation into the employment wages
conditions, &C., OF the women workers OF great
"Of course" continued Mr.. Weaver. "the
investigation OF strikes will supplement the
1880. and it will embrace the period nom that
time up to the present. The data thus Obtained
w og ha same I ay he sa ana for Sompar
tistics Of this Kind are rare In this country and
THE GRANT AND LEE PORTRAITS I'm MEXICO.
me
goIlado, who win be remembered in this CITY as
Miss Otelia Jordan before her marriage With
| the secretary OF the Mexican legation, has pre-
sented TO the same institution portrait OF Gen
hss y sss own uI hsnd. The
auspices the hospital II opened, has accepted