The Washington times., 1894-08-12
Their History as Tabulated BY the
Interior Department Labor Bureau.
Is PER CENT. SUCCESSFUL
The Report Has Nothing to Do with the Re-
Gently Appointed Commission, but Con-
tains Much Material for Refection-To Be
Issued When AL Reports Are In.
WRITTEN FOR THE TIMES. |

occurred in this country between January 1,
1887, and July /, 1894, is being made by the
labor bureau of the Department of the In
terror. and the report will be issued as soon
as the field force which has the matter in
charge can complete the work.
This is entirely independent of the investi-
cation which has been undertaken under the
direction of Congress, and. while not so com
prehensive es the latter. will be nevertheless
valuable and instructive paper. 1t will be
confined to reporting the most essential facts
in regard to the strikes of the past seven and
one-half years and will deal largely with the
great strike just ended. The points to be
covered in reference to the railway strike OF
the present year are, When it began and
ended; the number of persons involved; their
occupation; causes; losses of employers and
men, and much other valuable information.
The last report issued by the Labor Bureau
on the subject Of strikes carried the subject up
to December 81, 1886. and embraced the six
years previously. There were 22,304 estab-
iishments involved in strikes during that Pc
Rod, 1918 per cent. of which had strikes in
1881, a.A per cent. in 1882, 12.37 per cent. in
1883, 1901 per cent. in 1884, 1924 per cent. IN
1885, and A. .21 per cent. in 1886; while of the
~
per cent were in 1881, 1.90 per cent in 1882,
52s per cent. in 1888, SO per cent in 1884.
S26 per cent. in 1855, and 6S.16 per cent. in
1886 Both for strikes and lockouts the per-
centage is tho highest for the latter year.
New York had the largest number OF estab-
lishments affected, both for strikes and lock-
outs, there being for the former 9,247, and for
the latter 1,52s. The building trades furnished
COTS of the total number of establishments
involved in strikes.
NUMBER OF EMPLoYEs INVOLVED.
The total number Of employees involved in the
whole number of strikes for the period was
1925, ,2OS. The number of employees originat-
ing the strikes was 1,020, ,156. The number OF
employees In all the establishments before the
strikes occurred was J. 660 ,S35, while the num-
ber employed in the establishments involved
after the strikes occurred was ,6S5, ,047, q loss
of 25, 73S. There were 103, ,03S new employees
engaged after the strikes, and 37,4S3 were
brought from other places than those in which
the strikes occurred, showing the per cent. OF
new employees after the strike OF the total
number of employees before the strike to be
go. and of employees brought from other
places Of the number Of new employees after
the strike to be 36.3S.
In the 2,2l4 establishments in which lock-
outs were ordered during the period named
there were 175.270 employees before the lock-
outs occurred and 170.747 after the lockouts.
while the number actually locked out was
100 S23 There were 13, 916 new employees se-
cured at the close OF lock- kouts and 5,6S2 were
brought from other places than those in
which the lockouts occurred, showing the
Dor cent of new employees after lockout OF the
total number OF employees before lockout to
be 7.97, and of employees brought from other
places of the number Of new employees after
lockout to be 40. &c.
In examining the number of establishments
affected by strikes and lockouts it was found
that the number in the States of New York.
Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, and
Illinois constituted 74.S4 per cent. of all the
establishments in the countryso far as strikes
are concerned and S9.4S per cent. of all the
establishments affected in the country so far
as lockouts are considered.
The five States contain 40 per cent. Of all
the manufacturing establishments and en-
ploy 5S per cent of the capital invested in
mechanical industries of the United States.
OF the q, ,304 establishments in which strikes
occurred the strikes in S.342 or 1924 per
cent OF the whole were ordered by labor or
gaaizations, while Of the 2,214 establishments
in which lockouts occurred 1,753 or 1918 per
cent. were ordered by combinations of man
ayers.
The duration OF stoppage or the average
number of days closed for the strikes was %
days and for lockouts 2S.4 days. In regard
TO the duration of strikes as reported, it
vidual workmen began to return to work be-
fore the strike had actually collapsed or been
declared off.
SUCCESSFUL AND UNSUCCESSFUL STRIKES.
So far us gaining the objects for which the
strikes or lockouts were instituted were con-
cerned, out of the whole number of establish
ments affected, viz: % ,SO4, success followed
in 10, ,375 establishments, or 46. 80 per cent. of
hn -h.Nln r+an nj aaI stN
5000 or 13.47 per cent. of the whole, and fail
ure followed in 8 $40 establishments or 49, 95
per cent. OF the whole number.
For lockouts 564 establishments, or 25.47
per cent. OF the whole. succeeded in gaining
their point, 100, or S.5S per cent, partially
succeeded, and ,339, or AS per cent Of the
whole, failed.
the number of persons striking and in
volved in the successful strikes was 51S,5S3.
In 3,004 establishments the strikes were par
TALLY successful, and in these establishments
there were 1886 persons involved, while
the whole number OF persons involved in the
S,910 establishments where the strikes were
failures was $50, 1886. While the strikes that
succeeded related to 46. So per cent. Of the es-
Establishments in which strikes occurred tine
number Of strikers involved In the successful
strikes was only IS. 10 per cent. of the whole
number OF persons striking and involved,
while the partially successful strikes affected
13.47 per cent. of the whole number of estab-
lishments in which strikes occurred. The
number of persons involved in the partially
successful strikes was only 1888 per cent of
the whole number. The failures occurred in
80. 95 per cent. in the whole. number of estab-
ments and affected 1891 per cent of the
whole number Of persons involved.
AS TO STRIKES FOR WAGE INCREASE.
Strikes for an increase Of wages occurred
In 9,439 establishments; of these the strikes in
6,229 or $3.50 per cent, were successful, while
in 7e6. or s.43 per cent, the strikers were
partly successful, and in ., ,414 establishments,
or 25 5s per cent, the strikes for this cause
failed.
In 4.3A establishments strikes were re-
sorted to to secure a reduction of the hours
of labor in 1,055, or 24.29 per cent, success
was the result; in 966, or 1924 per cent, the
strikes were partly successful, and in 1928,
or 53. AZ per cent. the strikers were defeated.
The losses of the employees and of the en-
ployers afford material for much reflection.
These losses were to a certain extent at least
only temporary, for in businesses in which
the average working time is only 200 or $50
days year, a season Of general or only par
tial idleness, as for instance by reason of q |
strike. maybe, and usually is, followed by a
season of unusual activity, and by working
800 or 80 days the following year both en-
ployer and employed may recover the losses |
sustained by a strike OF six or seven weeks |
duration; and 1t should be remembered that |
in nearly all cases in which strike lasts more |