The times., 1897-09-27
Takes Direct Issue With the
Commissioner of Labor.
Do THE POOR GROW POORER /?
The Reverend Gentleman Declares
They Da, notwithstanding the
Statistics Furnished by the COM
missioner His Reasons Clearly
Defined for This Position.

recently 70 a rlaga zine by Carroll D.
Wright in which article the Commissioner
or Labor contra yerJs the assertion com
monty heard and generally believed that
while the rich are growing richer the
poor are growing poorer.
Dr. x ent said: 1t seeks To Shoy that
while the poor are not getting their fair
share of the increasing wealth of the
country, they are, after all, getting more
than formerly, and with a fair prospect
Of increasing their percentage Of gain
as they grow in mental and moral power"
DR.. Kent proceeded TO consider the evi-
dence presented by Commissioner Wright
In support Of his contention. He said. 1t
may be thlt we have magnified the evils
Of tie present and minimized those OF the
past, ana so it may do us good to look
for a little while from the standpoint OF
one whose business is 10 study such qGes-
tiGnS IN the lIght of all the facts Thai
the general census of the Government and
the sptc cial machinery OF the Bureau of
Labor have ella hled hIm to gather"
Or. Kent quoted Commissioned Wright as
saying that the industrial situation has
more tr do with social conditions than
any other factor, and agreed with Tim.
DR.. Kcat maintained that whether the
poor are growing poorer or not there is
no sGaGow Of Goubt about the serious in
equity, the radical injustice Of the pres
ent distribution II wealth. and it was
this. hc said, which lies at the real root
of the popular feeling
DR.. Kent said Il have confidence enough
in human nature to believe that II poor
a
would reCoguize tie fact and it wouldn't
disturb them il o,lcls earned more. It IS
the feeling that they do not get all they
earn; that they are regularly and
legally robbed of a large part OF their earn
ingsl AID that it is this part or their earn
ings anJustly and wrongfuily taken that
goes Go make the vast accumula tions 0f
the rich and creates such serious disparity
of conditions between rich and POOR.
1t Is tllis feeling, | say, that breeds
resentment and Keeps alive the social un-
rest We ali observe. Even If we grant Mr.
Wright al that he claims in this matter,
we woula MT concede that the demand of
the masses for a Just distribution Of the
common product is in any degree weak
ened- The ground OF feeling against the
enormously rich is not that they ara grow
ing rich while others are gro wing poorer
but Chat they are growing rich unmstly;
growing ricil by gains that are dishonest.
growing rich by gettings that are other
people S earnings And SO far as this feel
ing is grounded in fact, il must continue
TO Increase l.: power until it cumpsls the
establishment Of ethical relations
Commissioner Wright holds that the
average annual earnings Of each emlloye
enga geG iii manufacturing and mechanical
pursuits were S2+7 in 1880, and SIS III
1890. Bat there is one point V hich he
failed 20 cover, and that is proof of
decrease in the number Of the unemployed.
l have sought in vain for accurate statistics
upon this subject. 1 have not found any on
which tie Bureau Of Labor has put its
stamp.
''Perhaps i is impossible to obtain such
statistics, but 1 think they might he had
with as near an approach to accuracy as
many Others which the Bureau of Labor
has seen fit To gather. The failure to
present these has il my mind worked "a
little injury to the standing Of the bureau
in the Thought Of working men.
1T looks to me 4 IL it were a subject
which the bureau feared to face-a matter
it best should remain unreveaIed If il
could be shown that the number Of ;he un.
employed il decTea sing, then the facts
respecting increase "f wages and increase
OF earnings would be conclusive evidence
of improved Industrial conditions But we
Know that the Increase IN wages has not
taken place through a scarcity Of men.
We know that it is not due to any spirit of
humanity on the part OF the average en-
ployer.
Wages have been forced up through the
power Of labor organizations, and through
the policy which they have pursued in
limiting the numberof apprentices an d keep
ing down the number of skilled men in their
several crafts. When the Homestead strike
occurred there were thousands of men. ac-
cording 10 the testimony OF Carnegie, ready
Ia 90 to work if the State would give them
protection.
80 in the recent strike of the coal
miners, there was no fear on the part of
operators that they would not be able to
get other men. Their only fear was that
the strikers would not allow other men
to work. There are no doubt thousands of
men who have learned TO prefer fdleness,
and who do not want TO work, but there
are enough men eager and willing 10 work
even at present wages to man every mine,
furnace, shop and factory in the land, and
still leave a surplus. All that Mr. Wright
says about increase of wages in the ranks
OF organized labor may be true, and still
there may be larger number of men and
women dependent upon the charity OF others
than in the earlier years of our history.
-EvTr fal
ideal. There is immense room for i'm
provement. If VIC have the gains al
legged, 50 much the better. 1t will be
all The easier to make others.
Commissioner Wright assures u.s." con
tinucd nr. Kent, THAT while In 1850
there were in the almshouses of the land
PHI paupers for every 600 600 inha bl-
tants, there were in 1890 only I,I66 to
each 1000 600. This statement is re-
marl-able when Ia ken in connection with
the rapid growth of crime. Perhaps this
offers the explanation.
In eight years, beginning with 1886,
the number Of murders and homicides in
creased from ,449 to 7.T47. If the
decrease of pauperism is to he taken as
an indication Of improved industrial con
ditions. what are We to infer from this
tremendous increase in the number Of
Criminals of the most dangerous sort? The
greatest percentage Of Increase was among
native born whites.
1T appears that statistics OF pauperism
In this country apply only TO inmates of
allnshouses. The many who are supported
by or who support themselves by begging
are not counted. Statistics show 73,O45
in alnsbOuSes in 1890 Wa Enou, that