Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-01-05
Investigation Covers a Period Of Six
Years-LabOrers the Heavy Losers.
r. 2. Hammond, of California, APP
plies for the Land COmmissiOnership
THE LABOR AGITATIONS.

THE LABOR AGIIAIiDNS.
The Number of Strikes and LOckOutS During
the Past Six Years-1he Number of men In
Yolved and the Results.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31.-Commissioner
Wright has submitted to the secretary of
the interior, the third annual report of
the bureau of labor which relates entirely
to the strikes and lockouts fer a period
of six years ended December 81, 1886.
This report is regarded as of special i'm
portance as it is the result OF the first
general investigation ever made by any
nation Of facts concerning strikes and
lockouts for any extended period OF
time, or for any wide extent
of territory. The report covers about
seven hundred printed pages, ard gives
the details OF each strike and
lockout occurring in the United States
during the period named. It exhibits
the facts belonging to each industrial
trouble for each locality where trouble
was found without attempting to estab-
lish or decide upon the correction be-
tween them. A tabulated statement
shows the lumber of strikes occurring
during the last six year to have been 3,
903; the number of establishments in
vOlved 22,336, and the general average
number of establishments involved in
each strike, 81. In 1887 the report says,
there were, according to the best
information obtainable, 853 strikes,
the details of which are not available.
The building trades furnished 5000 OF
the total number of establishments en-
gagged in striking. The total number of
ar MI nv % nj Jar
of strikes for the entire period is shown
to have been 1,318,634. The number of
employees in all the establishments before
the strikes occurred was l,662,045, while
the whole number employed in
the establishments involved after
the strikes occurred was 1856, PAT,
103,038 new employees engaged after the
strikes, and 39,483 were brought from
other places than those in which the
strikes occurred. In 2,1S2 establish
ments lockouts were ordered during the
period named. In these there were 49,
9S5 employees before the lockouts occur
red and 169, 1876 after the lockout, while
the number actually locked out was 1885,
548. There were 1876 new employees
secured at the close of the lockouts, and
5,682 were brought from other places
than those in which the lockouts oc-
Cured. An examination of the tables
appended to the report shows that New
York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio
and Illinois represent 74.14 per cent. of
the whole number of establishments af-
fected by the strikes throughout the
country, and $3.50 per cent. of the
lockout. these five states it is stated
contain 40 per cent of all the manufac-
turing establishments and employ So per
cent. Of the capital involved in the mer-
camille industries of the United States.
By the lockouts 564 establishments-or
1856 per cent. of the whole succeeded in
gaining their points, 100 Or ST. per cent.
partly succeeded, and 1906, or $3.50 per
cent failed. AS to the causes or objects
of the strikes it is shown that an increase
of wages was the principal one, 1914 per
cent. of other leading causes are given as
follows: For reduction of hours; against
reduction of wages; for an increase of
wages and reduction OF hours; against
ar increase of hours. Total for the five
leading causes 1888 per cent. All other
causes 22.l7 per cent,
Disclaiming absolute accuracy, the re-
port gives the losses to EN- ployes and
employ srs resulting from strikes and
lockouts as follows: Losses to strikers
during the six years covered by the in
vestigation, $51, SIG, 165. Loss TO employ
ers through lockouts for the same period,
IS, 1917 or a total wage loss to en-
ployes of $50, 948,882. This loss occurred
for both strikes and lockouts in 1918 es-
Establishments, an average loss of So, 445 to
each establishment, Or of nearly $40 to
each striker involved. The assistance
given to the strikers during the same
PERIOD SO far as ascertained, amounts to
$3,325,057 and to those suffering from
the lockouts $1,I05, 538, or a total of
$4,430, 595. These amounts, however,
the commission says, are undoubtedly
too low. The employers losses through
the strikes FOR six years amountedsto
$50, ,653. Through the lockouts
So, 342, POI, or total loss to the establish
ments involved of $34,164,914.
Besides completing the field work for
this report, and the compilation of the
information, the bureau has carried on
almost to completion the investigation
begun last year concerning the moral,
physical and economic condition Of the
wOrAingmen of the great cities, and has
continued its investigation into the cost
of distribution of great staple products.
1t has also undertaken, according to con-
gressional instruction, the collection of
statistics of marriage and divorce in the
United States, a report of which may be
submitted before the close Of the present
session of congress.