Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-02-20
Report Of the Bureau of Indus
trial and Labor Statistics.
Valuable Information Concerning No
men Wage Farmers Of the State.
Eapisysseat Asescies--siIt isesssyy --tssaa.
ne Troubles, Amons sabieeis Treated.

tec,s. xhieh are treated in very interest
ing and instructive manner. one special
feature Of the report relates to the women
wsgr earners Of the State. This IL sub
ject taken up by the State commissioners OF
labor statistics a, the request Of the somsns
labor committee Of the worlds congress
auxiliary and Mr., Matthers has treated /.
in very thorough manner judging from
the amount and apparently complete sta
tIs,ics compiled in this volume In speak
ing Of it Mr. Matthews ssys
The work Of this bureau on the lines
here indicated, during ;hs past year. has
been as full and eompietr az the means al
Io~ed i emil permit. Two special agents
devoted large part OF the time during
which they we're employed, in canva-sing
the various feids OF fen1sl. labor In many
towns and CITIES. quite thorough work baY-
ing been done in the cities OF Portland. Bid
deford saeo, lewiston. Auburn. Gardner,
Bath. Belfast ami Bangor. Investigations
were made TO limitei extent, in many
other places. The results of these investi-
CATION. are given in this report In con-
nectlon with this special inquiry. many lines
Of Industry have been Investigated, and
many Interesting and Valuable facts OBJ
tanned
During the past year, the granite indus
try has been SERIOUSLY affected by profract-
ed strikes IN! iookOuts. 4 history of
these labor troubles is given in this report
but. as AZ the time when the Investigations
Of the bnreau were completed the general
results OF these strikes and iockont- conlI
80. Ia Il
tsnt part II tins investigation is nece, sa-
rily deferred 10 a later period Settle
ments OF these difficulties have recently
been arrived at. and it is 70 be hoped the
future relations Of employers and en-
ployes IN this branch Of industry, may be
mutually agreeable and satisfactory. No
serious troubles have occurred in other iu-
dustries in the State. Labor has generally
been employed on full time. and ut fair
wages.
The list of factories. mills and shops
for manufacturing purposes enlarged, com
pleted or in process of erection, during
the wear, with estimated cost OF the same
and number af additional hands employed
is ~ idenrc of II gratifying cJn iition Of pro-
gress and prosperity. The statistics gwen
were obtained from the assessors of nearly
every town, cty and plantation in the State
Three spetial agents, Mellcn PIummer,
George +. Hathaway and T. j Lyons, have
been employ ed during II portion Of the wear.
aud. to the-r gentlemen, as well as TO the
efficient clerk Major Charles j. House, the
commissioner desires to express his ae-
know ledge mcnls for diligent and capable
services r. n'lercti.'
The commissioner says the women them
selves are apparent, the most apathetic
regarding their industrial conditions. lie
says that the lack of organization among
the female wage-ea ners, the large number
of workers added 10 the general force AMI
the readiness OF women 20 accept almost
any Kind of work ~ wpgos offered without
question have a tendency to keep all wages
NJ q lower standard. The list of employ
rorls in which women are engaged are
H.,
In some lines where physical strength
is r rured, and. in others where xperi nee
amt kill are demanded, and in fuct that
men enter upon trade and employment as
lIe work, while women engage IN IL only
az a temporary means Of gaining a liyeli-
boot. nre natural causes for u difference of
work performed and Of wages earned which
can nryer be overcome. In many occups-
tons requiring mental and nervous acttyi ty
women are superior to men. The Just rule
of wages j.. that work should be paid for
not according 20 sex. but according
10 amount accomplished. \ man'se work
done by 4 WOMAN should receive a man :
pm Th-t 3'is rule does not always pre-
vail IL cri},tt from tie reports h, rcNlth
tabulate,i and from interviews with in Il
yiiual I, male workers, who, while earning
man wages. receive from third 70 y
hslf the paw IT very fsw instances were
women found in responsible positions who
are paid adequate wages. The highest
wages reported, twenty dollars per week.
were 10 woman 10 cpmman of an asiab-
iished trade whose customers would surely
come TO her in any dry goods establishment,
an the lowest, ninety cents To ~ % per
week, to an old woman at work As 4 rag
sorter.
.'From this report it will he seen that out
side of hotels. restaurants. hnuse workers
and mill speraivcs. the major portion of
our female working population are Maine
bred for three or more generations.
Homework is losing its grasp upon the
few distinctly Maine girls who still cling to
it. because at other occupations they can
earn as much or mere, have shorter hours
at work. ard less of the feeling and treat
ment of servant.
That feeling was net so prevalent n few
years since. but has grown TO be as strong
almost, as the southern pride which asks
' DO YOU think am a nigger TO wait OF
yout''
t"mmi-siener Matthews SPEAKS WIN
satisfaction "t the operation 81 the ten houi
lav. Employers shonti realize that inna
hours at severe tension are cause oil
irritation among their employees ana tneN
become ripe for almost any trouble am
fr'iles are often snihcient TO precipHat'
violent strikes The resi- cause OF many
of these strikes Is nserwprA. In our state
bRt few Instances OF mere than ten hours
work are found, except among women en-
rl0ycs of hotels, restaurants and At house
work. Many Of these women are, neces
sarily, emploveh seven dEts IN me week
AMI from twelve To fifteen hoafs daily. II
any proof of discomfort from long hourl
were needed, look 10 your house servants
Many of these are constantly ehsngins
from house TO hotel from hotel to res'aur
ant, aud hacS again, IN utter dfohitnl
and frequently ~ utter hatred OF the las
place of employ ment. which from reeen
contact, seems she very worst OF all.
The report includes tables made iron
data from the pay rolls of seven mills en-
piosing 1851 hands and correct statistics
wages of men women, boys and girls un
der IL years are derived and accurate com
one of the ma interesting features 0
the report is that Relating to the canning IN
dusiry, in which iioa men are en'psos co
2l6i women, G31 boys and i39 girls I'M
average wages If the men 81 90, OF woniei
o. i.