The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-01-22
NEW PANACEA,
Federal Labor Commission
Backed to Give All the
World Chicken for
Dinner.
PHILLIPS COMMITTEE FAvORS 1T
Much Eloquence for the Farmer,
Too-Accomplishments of the
State Bureaux.
PHILLIPS COMMITTEE FAVORS 1T

House bill providing for the appoint
ment of a commission to consider and
recommend legislation on the labor ques-
ton. Thu bill which the report urges
Is a substitute for House bill 1855 which
It Slightly amends. The committee urges
numerous reasons for the passage of the
bill among which are Included the wide
spread dissatisfaction with laws gov
erning labor as shown by discomfort,
strikes and violence. with their atten-
dant evils; because of the growing dis
content among farmers as evidenced Dy
their various organizations. their pro-
tests against unequal burdens and tax
alton; discriminating charges in trans
~portation, and exorbitant charges by
middlemen in disposing of their commodi-
ties"
Because also the report declares,
ssthe business men need and business
interests require a just and more salts
factory settlement Of differences with
those with whom they DEAL" while 1t is
also stated as among the reasons urging
the bills adoption cit is expected this
commission will be composed of experts
the ablest and best of each class named,
bringing into conference representative
men of labor, agriculture and business
whose duties will be to recommend less
looking towards a more just distribution
of the burdens and benefits of our self
government" The report declares that
new conditions confront us on every hand
In the massing of labor and capital. The
modes of manufacturing, transportation,
travel and inter-communication have all
been revolutionized within a generation.
Ten thousand men are burning midnight
Dill %inventing labor saving machines and
devices of all kinds until we have chang
ed the whole order of industrial pur-
suits, but we have offered no m
for talent or energy in ameliorating the
altered conditions of labor, established
no commission to bring. up our laws to
stroying peace. property and life. The
PURSUIT gizea fa a tSa report is eioo9 Wfthoyyt eI the
farmer the world would be a wilder
ness" it declares, "and in our marvellous
have pot been als properly guarded" FIJI
claims of the laborer and the good of
@ goGiesy adv advoe aus Of their bill, Which is
additionally urged because we declared
equal rights and millions of our citi.
Eens are complaining that they nave NOT
NON-PARTISAN AND IMPARTIAL.
The commission proposed is to be nom
partisan, impartial and designed to meet
the wants of all the people, declares the
report, and is important because of It's
inquiry along the entire line OF the
rights of the people. National and State
legislative bodies, the report continues,
are not constituted as to be able to give
proper time to the examination of the
Industrial matters presented in this bill,
nor are they made up equally of repre-
sentative men such as is, proposed by
this commission, nor are they non-par-
tisan. The commission. it is declared,
could utilize much valuable statistical
Information gathered at great cost by
various agricultural and labor organiza-
tons, while 1.-THE facts so ably compiled
by the Hon. Carroll d. Wright, Com
missioner of Labor of the United States,
gether with the findings of similar COM
missions appointed by thirty-Iwo of our
different States. could be utilized. 1t
would also, have the benefit o. the COM
pleted work of the English Royal Com
mission of Labors and also the progress
ing work of the{ higher council of labor
established in France. and the higher
Not only would it have the benefit of
all such recently accumulated facts, but
it world ,besin a position to study the
best laws of civilization and the best
thoughts of the age, and thus be able
to more equitable laws than
now exist looking to the solution of the
most vital and pressing political and
STATE LABOR BUREAUx.
Labor statistical bureaux are of recent
ilSltl dflQ ( IS LII lltO
United States; the first one in Massachu-
sets in 1859. They have since been es-
tabiished in thirty.two of our States.
Hon. Carroll d. Wright, was appointed
under the general Government IN 1885.
The English Royal Labor Commission
April q, 1891, and is composed of 27 mem
bers. The fifth and final report of this
commission was made to both Houses OF
parliament in June. ISL The German
pointed IN 1891. and it consists Of four
teen members. one hundred and sixty
eight civil servants and eighty-four as
sistants. The Higher Council of Labor
was established in France in 1891. It
consists of fifty members, chosen from
among manufacturers. workingmen ara
persons well Informed upon economic
and social questions. The Belgians''
Higher Council of Labor was appointed
in 1892. 1t consists of As members, chosen
in equal numbers from w-orkingmen, enl-
ployers and specialists in economic
science.
examine into and legislation.
These foreign commissions are cited as
precedents, and to show that civilized
nations are progressing along the line
of our declared principles of equality,
which are recalled by this bill.
We do not consider the commission too
large to represent a continent such as
ours, with it's vast and varied industries.
The difference in climate. the difference
between plain and mountain, the diff
ference between north and south. east
and west, give rise'to great industries in
one section that are not well under
stood in another; all Of which should
have representative men serve on the
\ commission. Even the number provided
for will not represent all, but il is be-
+ Heved thai it will have reasonable knowl-
tedge of all the great pursuits ~of--our
country, and will be in fun sympathy
with all. so as to hear and recommend
for the greatest good of the greatest
number"
ENDORSEMENTS OF THE BILL.
Accomnanying the report are letters
from REPRESENTATIVE of the laboring and
farming interests of the country favor
ing the passage of the bill. These in
ciude q letter from Samuel Gompers, adj
dressed to the Hon. Lawrence e. Nc
Gam, chairman of the Committee on
Labor, expressive of pleasure. at the
prospects of a favorable eport to the
House of the Phillips bill before he
Labor Committee. which received the In
dorsement of the recent convention at
Denver, Col, of the American Federation
of Labor. Genera OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
John W. Hayes, also addressing Chair
man Mccain, offers his personal and
official endorsement of the provisions
contained in the Phillips bill. Such a
commission as proposed by the bill, !"
says Mr.. Hayes, would nave the com
bined advantage of being representative
of all classes, and securing information
hardly accessible. under other cond lions"
Mr.. H. c.. Demming, Secretary of the
Executive Committee Of the National
Farmers Alliance and Industrial Union,
writing to Mr.. McGann under date De-