Evening star., 1899-04-11
Work the Industrial Commission is
Now Doing.
GENERAL PLAN OF THEIR INQUIRY
Character of the Men Whose Tes-
timonyis BENG Secured.
TO RECOMMEND LEGISLATION

has been actively at work for over six
mcnths, or over quarter of the term of
two years for which it was created. Dur
ing this time tie commission outlined the
details of the plan upon which it will make
its investigation of the Industrial problems
of the United States and has made very
considerable progress in the collection OF
data as the basis for it's recommendations
to Congress and to the several state iegis-
latures in favor of legislation it may con-
clude is desirable to promote the interests
of labor. Many distinguished writer's ON
social and economic questions and leaders of
organized labor in this country nave been
before the commission to give their testi-
mony, and before the work has been COM
pleted it is believed the commission will
have in its possession the most comprehen-
sive statements concerning labor in all its
branches that have ever been compiled IN
the United States
The industrial commission is the result OF
persistent agitation which mas eXtended
over Il period of many years. When lhe
Homestead riots alarmed the country, ana
during other periods when life and prop
erty have been threatened in connection
with strikes involving thousands OF men,
the problem of adjusting the relations be-
tween capital and labor was being thought
over with unusual seriousness. The INDUS
trial commission is one of the results OF
llFOSe tlUneS IOSt WIZ SdSh
in favor of such commission believed that
it would call out the best thought OF the
country on the industrial question, create
a feeling among working people every
where that the government was using IT'S
best efforts for their advancement. and re-
suit in doing much good in alieviating the
condition of labor. The commission has so
far progressed as to have secured praise
for it's work from a number OF labor Or
ganizations, and its members believe that
time passes the movement will become
more and more popular throughout the
country.
RecOmme ending Legislation.
The commission has many knotty prob
lens before it, which not only involve its
contemplated recommendations of legsla-
ton, but also the means that can be taken
for securing the enactment of desirable
laws. Congress can do comparatively little
in legislating for the benefit of labor. A
great deal will be left for the states to do
in advancing the cause OF labor within their
respective borders, If the recommended
tons Of the commission commend them
selves to labor leaders generally, it is be-
l;eVed there will be united effort on the
part of organized labor. to secure their en-
aotment into law by bringing it's in
f1uence to bear upon Congress and state
legislatures.
sion provided that it should be composed of
five members of the Senate and five mem
bers of the House of Representatives, to be
appointed by the presiding officers of those
bodies. This resulted in the selection of
Senators James H Kyle, Boies Penrose,
Lee Mantle, Stephen r. Mallory and John
W. Daniel, and Representatives John j.
Gardner of New jersey VIM Lorimer of
Illinois, l.. r. Livingston of Georgia, John
c. Bell of Colorado and Theobold Often of
Wisconsin. Nine other persons were to be
appointed members OF the commission by
the President and under that authority
the following selected. Andrew l..
Harris Of Ohio, S. N. Dexter North of Mas
sachusetts, Ellison A. Smyth of South Car
DINA, Representative John M. Farquhar
of New York, Eugene D. Conger of Michi-
gan, ex-Representative Thomas W. Phil
lips of Pennsylvania, Charles j. Harris of
North Carolina, NJ. D. Ratchford of Indiana
and John l.. Kennedy of the District of Co
lumbia.
Scope of the Work.
The scope of the work of the commission
is outlined in the law creating it. as fol-
lows:
Section 2. That 1t shall be the duty of
this commission to inv estigate questions
pertaining to immigration, to labor, to asri-
culture, to manufacturing and to business,
and to report to Congress and to suggest
such legislation as it may deem best upon
these subjects
Section g. That it shall furnish such in
formation and suggest such laws as may
be made a basis for uniform legislation by
the various states of the Union, in order
to harmoniZe conflicting interests and to be
equitable to the laborer, the employer, the
producer and the consumer.
Section T. That the commission shall
give reasonable time for hearings, if deem
ed necessary, and if necessary it may ap-
point a subcommission or subcOmmissons
of its own members to make investigation
in any part of the United States, and it
Shall be allowed actual necessary expenses
for the same 1t shall have the authority
to send for persons and papers and to adj
minister oaths and afirmations.
The commission proceeded to organize by
electing Senator Kyle chairman. ex-Repre-
sentative Phillips first vice chairman and
Representative Gardner second vice chair
man, with VIM E. Sackett Of New York
secretary, and P. II. Donnelly chief clerk
building, near the Capitol, where it's daily
sessions are held.
Plan of Inquiry.
The plan of the investigation to be carried
on was arranged under four heads, as fol-
lows: Agriculture, manufacturing and gen
eral business mining and transportation.
The purpose of this investigation, as in
terpreted by the commission, "is to ascer-
tain the nature of the existing legislation
of the several states and of the United
States gearing upon Industrial conditions
the actual operation of that legislation in
it's relation to the workngman, to the
manufacturer and -usiness man. and to the
lar legislation In foreign countries and
how far it is applicable or desirable in the
United States, and what legislation, if any,
along new lines, is practicable or desirable
for the Improvement of industrial condi-
tiOns with a view to determining how far
it is possible to frame uniform Industrial
laws, the adoption of which can be RECON-
mended to Congress and to the legislatures
Of the several states.
"a similar statement will apply to the
work of the commissioner far as it relates
To ncrrio lf1yrG mi and
tation.
1.-The main work OF the commission may.
therefore, be said to be to study and COM
pare existing laws bearing upon Industrial
conditions, here and elsewhere, to ascertain
by competent testimony wherein they are
deficient, defective. inoperative or oppres-
sive, and to recommend such remedial stat
utes as will tend not only to make the con-
ditions of industry more uniform as be-
tween the several states. but to remove
such existing sources or causes of discon-
tent, inequality and injustice as can be
reached and regulated through legislation
With the object of5carrying out this pur-
pose the commission adopted topical plan
of inquiry for each of the four heads under
which it had arranged its work Each of