The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-19
LABOR INVESTIGATION
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION ORGANIZES
AND ADJOURNs TILL NOV. 10.
Necessity for Better Education of
Farquhar-ScOpe of Inquiry.

WASHINGTON Oct. 1S--The government
industrial commission held two sessions at
the Capitol to-day and decided to adjourn
over until Nov. Is, when active work will
begin. The commission organized by the
election of Senator Kyle as chairman, ex-
Representative Phillips, of Pennsylvania, as
first vice chairman, and Representative
Gardner, chairman of the House committee
on labor, as second vice chairman. There
was a strong fight made on the secretary
ship, and an election to that office was de-
ferred until November. This action fol-
lowed the report of the committee on
permanent organization recommending that
the secretary should be a frst-class
statistician of pronounced ability and
thoroughly acquainted with labor issues. 1t
was decided to establish headquarters at
the Bliss building in this city, facing the
Capitol. The commission will have five
rooms there at its disposal.
Most of the early session to-day, which
lasted until well after oclock was devoted
to speeches of members of the commission
as to what should be the scope of the in
designations MIR. Ratchford, of Indiana,
representing the miners organization, said
that the chief trouble of the miners is the
lack of education, a problem which should
have the serious consideration of the COM
mission. Much of the labor troubles, par
tlcularly OF the miners, was due to ignor-
ance OF the American language and insti-
tutlons on the part OF a large percentage
of the workmen.
Mr. Farquhar of Buffalo, who is identified
with the Typographical Union, also empha-
sized the necessity for greater education
among laboring interests. The high class
ical classes he attributed 10 better educa-
tional facilities, and he said its members
had less trouble and friction than almost
any other organization.
In general way the speeches pointed out
that the chief aim of the investigation is
to discover the reasons for the conflict be-
tween labor and capital and make recon-
mendations for remedies; that the country
Will look for important results and the
bringing about Of great good to the masses
1t was agreed that Chairman Kyle at the
afternoon session should appoint a COM
mittee of seven on procedure, which be-
fore the next meeting will make compre-
hensive recommendations, mapping out the
lines of the investigation, determining it's
limits, carefully examining the state laws
on the five main subjects to be considered
namely, immigration, labor, manufacture,
agriculture and business and the reports
and workings of similar commissions
abroad.
At the afternoon session the committee
on procedure, which will map out the work
of the commission, was created, as fOllows:
Representative Gardner, of New Jersey.
chairman: Representative It. w. Phil
lips, of Pennsylvania, vice chairman; Sena-
tor Penrose of Pennsylvania; S. d. N.
North, of Massachusetts,; ex-Representative
J. M. Farquhar, of New York; A Smythe,
of South Carolina, and A. l.. Harris, of
Ohio. Messrs. Conger, of Michigan, G. j..
Harris, of North Carolina, and Ratchford,
of Indiana were named as a business COM
mittee to attend to all disbursements and
business transactions. The commission adj
journed late in the day until Nov. 10. when
it will hold daily sessions in this city. The
committee on procedure will hold sessions
meantime to frame its report. All the men,
bers of the commission attended to-day ex-
cept Senators Mantle and Penrose and Rep
resentatives Lorimer and Bell.