The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-21

! iilbIdllon bnOulu De ueult Win as any
/ other question-in a common sense, busi-
ness-llke way. IL there are too many
men here, others should not come until
J our own find employment; and, right here,
| you WIN pardon me IL l repeat what /
| wrote In 1887 as a remedy, or rather as one
of many remedies for relieving the con-
| gested labor market.
| There are in most of the states labor
| bureaus, established for the purpose of
| collecting information and statistics on
| the labor question and to base recommen-
| dations for relieving the strain, where 1t
! exists, on their findings. These bureaus
| should be established in every state of
! the union, their powers should be en-
| larged and each one should be placed IN
! direct communication with the national
! bureau, now department, of labor at
| Washington. 1t should be a part of the
| duty of each bureau to collect statistics
| on idleness among workmen, the number
| of idle men In each town, city or village,
could be given to the state labor bureau,
| statements as to the number of men re-
| quired in any particular place could be
| sent in to the state bureau, and In time
| the system would be perfected so as to
make 1t possible to ascertain where work.
| men were wanted and where there were
| Idle men.
STATE STATISTICS.
| Zach state bureau should be in
! possession of facts and statistics concern
| ing the number of acres of available, area
| BILE lands, the prices of the same and in
| formation a to what particular uses these
| lands could be put to. Then, by proper
| ly arranged method, all facts gathered by
| the state bureau could be transmitted to
| the national bureau and the stream of
! healthy immigration could be directed to
where employment could be obtained,
whether as agriculturists or day laborers.
our consulates abroad, or some other
agencies, could investigate the characters
and regulations of all who intended COM
| ing to this country and if criminals or
those likely TO become public charges
applied for permission to come to the Unit
ed States, they could be required to stay
at home. The occupation, or avocaton, of
each immigrant sailing for these shores
would be known to the agent abroad and
1t should he part of his duty to send
with the officers of the vessel carrying
the immigrants, a schedule of all who
We're investigated by him, no vessel to
admit to passage any one who did not car
ry the certificate OF our agent abroad.
This schedule, on the landing of the ves-
sci in an American port, to be turned over
to the national industrial bureau hereto
fore mentioned, and instead of the poor
unfortunate being made the prey of de-
signing men of their own race, who now
sell them as slaves as soon as they land,
they could be directed to where they
would be likely to find employment. by
this means the poor fellow just landing
could husband his slender fund instead
OF squandering it, as he now does, when
he starts off from New York haphazard
in search of bread-winning occupation.
Take one illustration which came under
my observation a short time ago. At the
station in this city saw a man and wife
with three children. They had landed the
day before in New York. and on reaching
this city the capital of the five did not ex-
coed six dollars. They had no friends, no
acquaintances here and no promise or
prospect of employment. The conditions
racing that poor family were terrible to
contemplate, and there is no denying the
fact that the advent of that man to the
Scranton labor market added one more
to the list of the unemployed and helpless.
WOULD BE AN ECONOMY.
Had such an institution as have briefly
alluded to been in operation, the means
OF that family would not have been vast
ed in coming to this city; they could have
been directed elsewhere to a place where
he would find employment. If he worked on
farm in the Old country he could be di-
rected to where lands are to be had. The
possibilities of such an institution, or
chain Of institutions, are numberless, and
while it would require time patience and
means to establish the system, it is prac-
ticable and could be made one of the most
beneficial institutions of the nation. Such
an institution as L have in mind could in
time be so perfected that it would be pos
sible to ascertain, on application at the
bureau Just how many idle men were in
the state and nation, or how many work
men and women were required in the
cities and towns of the state, or in the
various states of the nation.
AS an immediate remedy for the depres-
sion we suffer from, congress should en-
act protective tariff law which would
protect every article which we can manu-
facture in this country. The advocate
of free trade is generally the one who
does not compete with the foreign made
article or workman. Every dollar sent
abroad to pay for an article which he have
the men and material to manufacture in
this nation is dollar taken from Amerl-
can industry; it pays no workman in
America, and it goes to a foreign work.
man and foreign manufacturer; it is n
dollar lost to this country, dollar which.
II paid to an American workman, would
stimulate trade a dollars worth here for
the American workman would spend il in
the United States, and the foreign work.
man will not. A good high tariff, quickly
passed so as to prevent the daily impor-
tation of foreign made articles would
and then we could turn our attention to
these other things.
The committee paid the closest atten-
tion to MI. Powderly's reading and
frequently one or the other of them
nodded. as If asserting to sentiments
and opinions expressed.
ABOUT RESTRICTION.
Mr.. Powderly in answer to Senator
Meredith's question said he believed
in the restriction immigration. In
just what manner lie was not prepared
to say. 1t would be a hardship to pre-
vent any healthy, able-bodied men
to come here to better himself. Still,
he said, the most robust of men can
inJure himself by overeating, though
he eat even the healthiest of foods.
Dyspepsia is sure to result. That is
the case with this country. 1t has dys-
pepsia.
There are no particular classes that
should be ostracised, he said. He
knew, however, that poor houses, asy-
lnms and jails in Europe were emptied
frequently and their offal dumped on
our shores. His brother had seen con-
Victs led direct from jail to a ship
and sent on here to America.
AS TO destitution and want in this
region, Mr.. Powderly said he knew of
families whose heads were able bodied.
Wiling, Industrious men, which had to
rely upon the charity of the neighbors
for sustenance during the past winter.
Mr.. POWderlV also recor,r,ando1 - ~