Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1892-09-01
TARIFF AND WAGES.
LABOR COMMISSIONER PECK ON
THEIR RELATIONS.

He Says the Mckinley Bill Has Increased
Workmen's Wages and Enlarged Pro-
duction in the Wholesale Business of
New York--His Report Made Public.
ALBANY, Aug. 29.-Charles F. Peck, COM
missioner Of labor for New York state, has
issued his annual report. A large part is
devoted to figures of interest in relation to
the tariff. In order to prove whether ''pro-
tection," as advocated by one political party,
or tariff for revenue only" would prove of
advantage statistics have been gathered to
show in every industry in the state the in
crease or decrease of production and COM
parative increase or decrease in wages.
Mr.. Peck says:
The period covered by investigation in
cludes the year Immediately prior to the
enactment of what is termed the Mckinley
bill and the year Immediately followingits
becoming law. That is the data upon
which the report has been made'was for the
year commencing Sept. l, 1889, up to and
including Aug. 81, 1890, and the year COM
mencing Sept l, 1890, up to and including
Aug. 81, 1891.
1.-The methods employed to secure the
necessary data were almost entirely those
OF the blank system. 1t was not the orig
inal purpose nor is it now pretended that
the data and statistics presented present
any but purely wholesale manufacturing
establishments. To have undertaken to
cover the retail and custom manufacturing
establishments of the state would have
been physical and financial impossibility.
Some 5000 blanks were addressed and
mailed to as many separate establishments
throughout the state, and of this number
5000, or 75 per cent, were returned-fully
and correctly answered.
The Increase in Wages.
"From the tables it appears that there
was net increase in wages of S6,377, ,925. %
in the year 1891, as compared with the
amount paid in $780, and net increase of
production of s31 ,3l5, 130. 6S in the year 1891
over that of 1890
"a simple analysis of this table further
demonstrates the interesting fact that of
the sixty-seven industries covered n per
cent. of them show an increase either of the
wages or product, or both, and that there
were no less than SO, III instances of indi-
vidual increases of wages during the same
year.
"While the industries' are but sixty
seven in number the total trades repre-
sented amount to 1,12l, and give employ
ment to 2S5,0O0 workingmen and women
OF the sixty-seven industries rs per cent of
them show an increased average yearly
earning in the year 1901, while the total
average increase of yearly earnings of the
2s5, 900 employees was S23. IL. The average
increase of yearly earnings of the employees
in the fifty-one trades showing an increase
was S4S 96 in 1891 as compared with 1890.
I'm addition to the investigation of this
special subject the bureau has continued its
annual investigation of all labor disturb
ances occurring in the state during the past
year. The total number of strikes reported
for the year 1891 was 4,519 as against 6,25s
occurring in the year 1890, decrease of
l,I39. or the total number 4,5l9, 2,3T5 or
58 per cent OF them, were in the building
trades, fact that seems to follow in nat
ural sequence the results obtained in the
special investigation of the effect of the
tariff on labor and wages.'n
A Statistician's Ambition.
The report closed as follows: at has
been my experience, as / doubt not it has
been that Of every statistician more or less,
that one often finds himself tempted, un.
consciously perhaps, to pursue an investi-
cation with view to establish precon-
ceived theory.
How often failure and positive discom-
future follow can safely leave to those who
have engaged in the fascinating study of
statistics.
ITO the true statistician, however, unin-
fuenced by social or political considera-
tions, the profession is an enviable one, and
carries with it duties and responsibilities of
the highest order. To him theories are as
nothing; without facts to support them
they become misleading and therefore
worthless. Facts and truth are what he
seeks, and having possessed himself of them
he places them, hard and cold as they often
times are, before the public satisfied that
he has done but his duty, and thereby at
tanned his highest ambition