The Indianapolis journal., 1899-01-30

can the 'Store-order system which robs
the ili-paid mine hands, for instance, at
the other end of the line, be modified, If
rot wiped out? Should the injunction be
eliminated as an interference in the settle
ment of labor differences? What has ma
chinery done for the industrial classes! Has
il heiDsd them more by bringing new com
1orts within their reach than 1t mas hur-
them by closing old fields of activity TO
them? Or is the trend the other way?
And then, beyond, are the subjects OF
women's prevalence in the industrial 1elds
and the employment of children TO cheaper
wages, and that all-absOrbing topic OF con-
vict labor If the prisoner must not be con-
demned to maddening idleness in his cell,
how can he be employed to minimize the
harm of his competition with the free labor?
what; too, OF the overshadowing trusts
OF business. and is the loss compensated tor
in the reduction of the prices of the staples
they provide? These queStiAiS-eVen that
concerning trusts-go largely into the eco
nomics of farm production, as well as into
that of manufacturing. There are corners in
wheat as there are in sugar, and bonanza
farming in the West, that is to the agricul-
tGral what the department store is TO the
mercantile community.
When one comes to look over the trans
portation service, what an enormous variety
of other topics is discoverable there for in
VeStigatiOn. That one of the discrimination
of freight rates that goes into the economics
of all productive energy is alone sufficient
to engage the closest attention of the keen
Even the great big railroads sometimes
get down to the littleness of stamping on
the smaller producers whom they cannot
always manage. They deny them the facil-
tiles of transportation-always under some
Coverable preteXt, of course, as that they
haven't the cars or the servants to meet the
contumacious shippers demands The pur
pose of it is, of course, TO handicap the
farmer, say, in getting his produce to mar
their larger determinations, it is notorious
in business circles that New York is already
losing its commercial supremacy to Balti-
more and Charleston.
All these topics are in the three syllabi
which the industrial commission is now
spreading through the land-the syllabus on
Agriculture, on manufactures and on trans
portation. These references do not begin to
| recount all the topics that are to engage the
commission. They are merely Illustrative of
the general character and scope of its work.
II is impossible in the scope of an aver
age newspaper article to reflect the micro
scopic scrutiny to which the commission is
to subject every phase of industrial life, en-
ergy and movement They are just enough
to show what broad fields the commission is
working in. and how surely every economic
interest everywhere is destined in the end
to be interested in its labors.
PERSONNEL OF THE COMMISSION.
President Mckinley, Vice President Ho-
bart and Speaker Reed. who have in their
turns helped to constitute the commission
have been careful, because of the delicacy
and Importance of it's mission, to select men
expert in their various lines, and recognized
for their general capacity. In choosing the
sion the Vice President took three mem
bers of the Senate committee on education
and labor, whose opportunities for the study
of the topics to be considered by the COM
mission have because of their past official
relations to them, been the very best in the
| land. Speaker Reed appointees are equally
well chosen.
or the nine men appointed by the Presi-
dent is former Representative John NJ Far
quhar, of New York. who has spent so
much time in the study of labor and other
public questions. both in the editorial chair
ami in Congress, that he seems to have all
needful information in the topics of inquiry
suggested in the syllab at his fingers end
Mr.. Eugene d. Conger, of Michigan is the
publisher of a daily newspaper, and like
to which he is called. OF course. the Pres
ident could not overlook former Representa-
tive Thomas w Phillips of Pennsylvania
who Is everywhere talked of as the father
OF the bill creating the commission. in max
ing his selection, and Mr. Philipss ac-
quaintance with the general field of inquiry
shows the choice to have been an unusually
wise one. MIR. M. D. Ratchford, of Indiana,
has risen from the mines to a commanding
position in the mining and labor orgAniza-
tions of the country, and is looked upon by
MS fellow- commissioners as the expert of
the commission In the treatment of that
topic. Mr.. John L. Kennedy, the last of
the appointments made by the President
alter Frank Sargent had declined to serve,
mas for years been connected with the Ty-
geographical Union, and through his labor
association is unusually we'll qualified to
deal with the work of the commission from
the labor standpoint He has the advantage
besides Of the general information on pub
lie questions which years of devotion to
newspaper work bring to every bright
Journalist.
From this review it can easily be seen
that the industrial commission has a great
public duty to do, and is well equipped to
do it.