Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-03-08
II u NJ BU G @ LOG Y.
GARBLED FIGURES, PECkSNlF-
FlAN LOGIC AND RELIGIOUS
CANT.


chusetts, breaches n SermOn-H His
Method of Telling Half the Truth
more Deceptive thaa Square
Lie.
Hard pressed on all sides by the pro-
gress of economic knowledge and the
consequent growth OF Socialist senti-
ment, Capitalism has inaugurated a new
style of warfare. Its paid agents in the
.'intelectual and moral fields have
been instructed to take in hand the
cause of the working people, to love
them dearly, to educate" them, and
otherwise bamboozle and befool them.
Some are found among the "most earn
est" advocates of shorter workday-
witness "Prof." Gunton. Others, such
as Joe Cook and Minot j. Savage, thun-
der in the chuch against the selfishness
of capitalists while dilatng on the bene-
ficence of Capitalism itself. Others
still, like Technologist Walker and Co
Iumba Smith, lower their high chairs
to the level of the great unwashed.
Last, but not least, come the Chiefs of
our most widely known Labor Bureaus.
whose figures are to be SO used by
themselves as to prove--in vulgar par
lance--that "the moon is made of green
cheese. In all cases the plan is the
same and quite simple it is to so mix
the true and the false that both may be
swallowed together.
In accord with this mastery policy
the Boston Congregational ministers
devoted whole morning last week to
an address from Mr.. Horace G. Wadlin,
chief of the Massachusetts, bureau of
sta. a.iatiCs Of labor, on i" Some Phases OF
of the Labor Problem" He began with
a reference to the changes of the last
quarter of a century-the development
of the factory system, the tendency Of
population from the country to the
cities, and the great immigration of
persons who must be brought into rela-
tions with our civilization, as problems
which have demanded and still demand
attention. The distinguishing purpose
of this age is to seek out divine truth
and apply it in life. Men are coming
to see that Christianity is not mere
theological belief, but also has relations
to the social code. The great questions
for solution are society, the family, in.
Temperance and labor, and to these the
church must give its thought. The labor
question is most important, for 1t in.
cludes all the others, and touches all
conditions of men. In 1866 the amount
of capital invested IN manufacturing in
Massachusetts was $93 000, 900; to-day it
is $407, 100000 The number of employees
was then 236, 900; now 1t Is 372 600. The
annual product was then $212, 200 900;
now it is $675 000 900. The population
was then 1900, 900; now it is more than
1000, 900, or PAL to the square mile-more
dense than any other state, and only eX-
ceeded by that of five European states
Germany. Belgium, the Netherlands,
Great Britain and Ireland, and British
India. In 1865 there were 20 foreign
born persons in Massachusetts to every
100 of the populations; now there are u
to the hundred. But only Al in 100 of
the population of Massachusetts are OF
American parentage, many OF the manu-
featuring cities having far more born OF
foreign parents than of American
parents.
But have pauperism and crime and
illteracy increased in proportion tC
population? The statistics show that
pauperism has not increased, even if the
population of city, town and state in
stitutions are considered. Nor has crime
increased, If sentences for drunkenness
be excluded, and only offences uni
versally reckoned as crimes be consider
ed, crime has decreased in proportion t(
the population. Drunkenness is neces
sariiv excluded, because the laws relat
ing have been SO changed as to make
.com .1son impossible. The prison pop
ulat N in 1860 was one to 367; now 1t Ii
one to 40l, including all classes O
offenders. AS to illiteracy, though there
are more than 900 llliterates in thu
state, they are almost exclusively adul
foreign born persons. The number o
native born illlterates, regardless o
( parentage, is only SIX tenths of one pc
cent. of the population 10 years of ag'
and over. The state has succeeded IL
compelling the children of all classes t.
avail themselves of the facilities it offer
for education.
As to the distribution of the produc
of industry, Mr.. Wadlin said that il
1860, 41 per cent. went to labor in tn
form of wages and SO per cent. was re
tanned by capital for the payment o
expenses other than wages and fo
profits. The manufacturer now re
ceives, for profits and expenses, but
per cent, while 81 per cent. goes t