The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-09-16
BUREAU LABOR STATISTICS,
Raleigh, n. c., Aug. p, 80.

BUREAU LABOR STATISTICS,
Raleigh, n c., Aug. p, 80.
GENTLEMEN:-The statute under
which this Bureau was established,
Chapter ll3, Laws of 1887, makes it
the duty of the Commissioner of
Labor Statistics "to collect iuforma-
ton upon the subject of labor, cts re-
latjOn to capital, the hours of labor, the
earnings of laboring men and women,
their educational, moral and financial
condition, and the best means of pro
noting their material, social and moral
prosperity" | have endeavored, in
this circular letter to the proprietors
and managers Of cotton factories, to
ask such questions as will bring out
facts tor information, such as the Ian
gUage of the statute contemplates. |
address these questions to you, recog
nizing the mutual interest of capital
and labor, and the necessity of hearing
both sides in order to get at the facts
and true status of. the relations between
capital and labor. My mission, is
peace, with no desire or purpose to set
the two by the ears, but with the
earnest desire to promote peace, har,
mony and good will between employers
and employees. These are the true
basis of real and lasting prosperity to
both. | come with this desire, and
trust you will meet me in the same
spirit, |, therefore, request you to
send me, at as early a day as possible,
this sheet in the enclosed prepaid en-
velope, with the questions answered
as carefully and correctly as possible.
By 50 doing you will do me a personal
and Official favor and confer a benefit
upon the State, whose servant | am.
Were the mean at my command
sufficient, l would gladly call in person
and solicit your replies, form your
personal acquaintance, and give any
verbal explanations needed. But this
not being the case, | am left to this IS
the only method of communication
with you. Your names and firms
shall not be used without your consent,
as | seek not to expose individual
business, but to tabulate facts without
reference to individuals or firms.
| enclose a slip of names of some of
your employees from whom l may
seek information under the statue
quoted. Will you do me the favor
to give ne the names and p~ostofice
ad dress of several of your most intelli.
gent, unprejudiced and and reliable
employees, men and women? Idesi @
to present facts aud not the statements
Of narrow prejudice. You will find a
small prepaid envelope for the purpose.
Assuring you of my earnest desire to
serve the bes. interest of all and to
promote harmony and good will be
tween employers and employees, | am,
Very truly yours,
JOHN @. SCARBOROUGH.
Commissioner of-Labor Statistics.
A blank, containing thirty three
questions, accom- any the above polite
letter. We will not give all of the
questions. A few will show the OBJ
ject. Briefly they are: Glass of goods
manufactured, number of spindles,
power used, amount of capital,
pounds Of cotton, wool or tobacco con.
sumed during heyear, average wages
paid skilled men, average paid skilled
women, average wages paid children,
number of children under twelve
years of age, number of hours consti
tuting a days work, etc. Then comes
several questions regarding the size
n condition of tenant houses, whether
or not the labOrers have good educa.
tional and religious facilities, what
per cent. can read and write, what
per cent. of employees save a part Of
their earnings, etc, etc.
Now it is plain that the object of
this is nos to expose the business
secrets Of individuals, but to gather
facts which will be of interest to the
public generally. The reports of all
classes OF manufacturers will be com
piled and the name of no capitalist
will appear in the report.
The mill owners who refuse to an.
swer the questions do business in and
under the laws of our State. 1t is
their duty, as loyal citizens, to ans wer.
these questions. If the employees of
these mills should strike and become
a frantic mob, the mill owners would
hasten to call for the protection of our
State government. Then they should
comply with the requirements of u
State laws. There is nothing com
pulsory about it, but it is their duty
to give these facts. We want to see
no friction between labor and capital.
We wish to see every manufacturing
concern in the State prosper. The
only real and lasting prosperity is in