The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-13
Interesting Report on the Work and
Wages of Men, Women and Chill
dren of the United States.
POSTOFFICE BILL PASSED
AFTER A SPIRITED DISCUSSION BY
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE.
Over so5,OOO,OOO Appropriated for the
Postal Service-Brief business
Session of the Senate.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-The President
to-day renominated Carroll u. Wright TO
be commissioner of labor. Mr.. Wright has
held the Office several terms and his nomi-
nation is a reappointment. The nominal
ton was promptly confirmed by the Senate
this afternoon
Commissioner Wright's eleventh annual
report just transmitted to Congress, re-
lates entirely TO the work and wages OF
men, women and children 1t shows that
the proportion of women to the whole
working class is increasing. while that OF
children is decreasing. The report was
prepared in pursuance Of joint resolution
of Congress requesting an investigation
relative to the employment of men, women
and children. This report is confined strict
ly to a comparison of the extent OF employ
ment and wages in 1875, or present
period" with the conditions which per-
tanned some year 0ermed former period')
antedating the present period by at least
ten years. The definite purposes of the in
vestigation were TO determine what ex-
tent if any. women were super5eding men,
to show the conjugal condition of the
women who were employed, TO compare the
relative efficiency of men and women, and
finally TO show the relative rates of wages
received by each sex in each industry.
1t was quite unnecessary TO cover the
whole country-that is. to collect informa-
ton from all industrial establishments.
The attempt therefore was not made
The agents of the department, however,
secured information from 1867 establish
ments of various kinds, located in thirty
different States and employing 14S.367 per-
sons. a number large enough to insure that
the data collected were thoroughly repre-
sentative. The complete data sought for,
however. was obtained from only S31 es-
adjustments These 81 establishments en-
ployed $3.50 persons in the former and
los. 64S i'm the present period OF this num-
ter, in the first period, 26,is9 were males of
eighteen years of age or over, as against
AZ. 1S5 I'm the second. and 4.115 males under
eighteen years OF age, as against a,o4O In
the second. In the first period q 163 were
females eighteen. years of age or over and
6,743 females under eighteen years of age,
as against 1872 and l2,751, respectively, in
the present period. From these figures it
Is seen that male employees eighteen years
of age or over increased in the present
period over the former period 63.1 per cent,
while female employees of the same age and
period increased 66.3 per cent. Male en-
ployes under eighteen years of age in
creased 500 per cent, while female en-
plcyes under eighteen years of age in
creased S9.1 per cent.
AS collateral information, an interesting
showing is made of the figures of the past
three censuses concerning the employment
ten years of age and over employed in all
occupations in the United States rose in its
relation To- the whole number employed
from 146s Per cent in 1870 to 17.22 per cent.
In 1880, while males decreased in proportion
from So.S2 per cent. in 1870 TO S2.7S per cent.
In 1890.
The report throws considerable additional
light on tie much discussed question as to
married women in industrial pursuits. For
1887 women, 70,921, or SS7 per cent, were
single; o.No, or so per cent, married; 2,011.
or 20 per cent. divorced, and 24i or three
fenthS OF i per cent, unknown. The last
census figures on this point are also ana
lyzed. OF the 3.914.51 females ten years
of age or over engaged i'm gainful pursuits
in the United States in 1880 69Ss per cent
were single or their conjugal condition un-
known. 1916 per cent. were married, Is. 10
Per cent. were widowed and 30 per cent.
A comparison of the census figures with
nose resulting from the investigation of
CERTAIN limitations, as the former relate to
all females productivity employed while
the latter relate chiefly to Manufacture
ing establishments where women are en-
ployed 10 a large extent. In 43o of the es-
tIaonshmentS canyassed, the agents secured
data as 10 the relative efficiency of women
and children and of men working at the
same occupations. OF 7S2 instances in
occupation and perform their duty with the
same degree of efficiency. men receive
greater Fay In so. or l61 per cent. of the
instances, and women receive greater pay
In 12S. or 16.5 per cent, while in fifty-eight
instances. or IA per cent they receive
the same pay for the same work. The men
receive SOL per cent. greater pay than the
women In $40 instances in which they are
given greater pay while the women receive
but lO-3 per cent. greater pay in the 129
instances In which they are paid higher
wages.
Out of the DDS instances in which men and
children (persons under eighteen years of
age) work at the same occupation. with a
like degree of efficiency, receive
greater pay In 1S2. or 1913 per cent of the
Instances. and children receive greater paw
In twenty-four. or 10.5 per cent. while in
twenty-five instances. or 81 per cent, they
performed with the same degree of eff
fciency. The men receive 57.7 per cent
greater pay than the children in the Isl
instances In which they are paid more.
while the children receive but sc per cent
greater pay in the twenty-four instances
In which they are paid higher wages
The main reason given for the employ
ment of women and girls is usually that
they are better adapted for the work at
are that they are more reliable more easily
controlled. cheaper. more temperate more
easily procurable, heater. more rapid more
industrious. less liable to strike, learn more
rapidly. etc On the other hand the rea-
sons for their opinion, given by those who
did not believe that there was any tendency
for the employment of women TO increase
In their industries. were that very often
women who are better adapted and cheaper
are unreliable; that their physical strength
is inadequate for heavy work; that ma
chinery Is gradually displacing them etc
,, Otne CT tables give the date when women
and the occupations at which they We're
employed; the hours OF labor worked i'm
establishments reporting; n list of occIpa-
tons followed by women and girls as dis
covered by the investigation and the wages
In detail OF men, women and children in all
estanhsnments comprehended in the inves-
tigation.
The commissioner takes occasion to call
attention TO the varied work now performed