Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-16
ABOUT LABOR PROBLEMS
The Chiefs of Labor. Bureaus Meet il
Convention.
Carroll ID. Wright II Elected Presf.
dent and Makes AN Adaress-The
Delegates Present.

The tenth annual convention Of chiefs anc
commissioners of bureaus Of statistics o.
labor of the United States met at 10 O'Clock
this morning In the board room Of the inter
| state commerce commission. Thirty-tws
states having commissions or bureaus O,
labor were represented. 1t was q gathering
of solid, misunderstanding men. One OF the
| noticeable things about the convention wal
the directness with which the delegates
talked. Each understood his part, and
made such statement as was his duty to- In
a prompt and clear-cut way. The conven
ton was called to order by Vice President
Semuel w. Matthews of Augusta, Maine
The first business of public interest was the
election Of president and secretary treas
urer. The presidential honor fell to the 10,
of Carroll d. Wright, United States com
missioner Of labor and superintendent Of tht
eleventh census. The election OF Col
Wright was a foregone conclusion from the
outset, and, although there were severa
delegates who were ambitious for the posi-
ton, he was chosen by reclamation. l.. O.
Powers Of Minnesota was elected secretary
treasurer without opposition, and the cleo
ton of the first and second vice presidents
delegate to International institute and the
executive committee, was held up TIL the
morning session Of tomorrow, when this
business will have the right of way.
EEeoh0cht AooHCbos
President Wright thanked the convention
for the honor conferred and the confidence
reposed and proceeded with the address OF
welcome. He made some happy remarks
about the appearance Of the convention,
said that the settlement Of the labor prob
lem should be the chief concern Of patriotic
people, declared that Washington was the
most appropriate city in the land wherein
the convention could meet. and said many
things to make the visitors feel al home.
He told Of the work Of the bureau Of la
Dor; of the Information which IL had col
lected and would publish relative to the
housing Of labor in this and other countries
OF the report which would probably be made
to Congress at this session on the slums of
Philadelphia, New York. Baltimore and Chi
cago, and Of the results OF q chemical
analysis Of the atmosphere breathed in the
crowded quarters Of Philadelphia and New
York In midsummer and midwinter. The
bureau had been authorised by Congress to
investigate and report on slum life in all
American cities of 100000 population and
over, sixteen in all. but as the appropriation
for this work was but $4,000 this would
have been impossible. For this reason the
four cities indicated were chosen as the best
type OF towns for investigation.
AT the close of Col. Wrights remarks Mr..
Theodore Roosevelt Of the civil service COM
mission entered the room and was intro
duced by the president to the delegates Az
ter this the reports from the state repre-
sentattves were in order, and this business
consumed the greater part of the day. A
recess was taken at o'clock and the after
noon session convened at 2:30
Delegates Present.
The following named persons were pres
ent: Massachusetts,. Horace D. wadlin and
Chas. F. Pidgin; Pennsylvania, Albert s.
Bolles: Connecticut. Robert J. Vance and
George E. Bearn; Missouri H. Blackmore;
New Jersey, Chas. H. simmerman: Illinois,
George A. Schilling: New York, Thos ].
bowling; California, George w. Waits;
Michigan, Charles H. Morse; Rhode Island,
John II. Davis; North Carolina, A. X
Lacey; Maine, Samuel w. Matthews; Min
nesota, l.. q. Powers, West Virginia, ].
II. Jordan; New Hampshire, John w Bour-
let. and Maryland. A. B. Howard