The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-10
10 MAKE WAGES GOOD
Trade Unions and Protective
Tariff Recommended
BY Mr.. JAMES CAMPBELL
Who Also RoaStS SWeatShopS
and Company Stores.
BY Mr.. JAMES CAMPBELL

Washington. March 9-Mr. James Camp
bell, factory inspector OF Pennsylvania,
was before the industrial commission to-
day. Mr.. CampbelFs testimony dealt with
organized labor generally, and especially
in the glass industry. He spoke eulogisti-
cally of the labor organization of the state
saying that before organization was made
practicable. he had never known an in
stance Of manufacturers attempting to re-
duce wages which had not been success
full. Since organization had beeen effected
no reduction had been made without the
assent Of the workers. He declared that
there was now mutual confidence between
employer and operative. Mr.. Campbell
was strong advocate of protective tar
III, saying that it was generally under
stood by the workmen that a change in
the tariff means change in the scale of
wages. He said that wages Of glass work.
ers had never beeen better in the history
Of the country than at present, taking into
consideration the purchasing power of
money. This improved condition he
thought was due to the rotective tariff
and to the organization Of labor. There
had never been period of greater de-
preston, he added, than during the oper-
alton of the Wilson bill.
Mr.. Campbell spoke Of the miners as a
class o fmen who were generally imposed
upon, and he found especial fault with the
store system, which he said was generally
in vogue about the mines. Under this sys-
tenn the mine owners generally owned the
stores, and the operatives dealing with
them were required to pay from 25 to 20
per cent profit. He did not believe the
evil could be reached by legislation, but
thought it could be met by organized la
Dor.
Speaking Of scweatshops, Mr.. Campbell
said there were about 20 900 persons engag-
ed in them in Pennsylvania, mostly in
Philadelphia. He thought the low prices
were due to sharp competition between
sub-contractors. He spoke of the filth
about the sweatshops and said he had him
self seen clothing made in them infested
with vermin and very dirty. He made es-
pecial mention of the investigation into the
manufacture of soldiers clothing, where
this condition was found to prevail. Mr.
Campbell declared that generally the
sweatshop people could not be believed I'M
der oath and he saw no means of regulat-
ing the business short Of cnfscation and
destruction where the conditions were
found to be contrary to law Mr.. Camp
bell stated that most of the retail stores
handled the sweatshop products. AS
rule the manufacturers complied cheerfully
with the laws and only four or five prose-
cutions ever had been undertaken.
Mr.. CompbeH spoke in general in COM
mandatory terms of the labor laws Of
Pennsylvania, saying that he had not ad-
vised any change except in the laws ap-
plying to sweatshops. There has been eff
forts 10 introduce politics into the labor
regulations, but these efforts had not been
successful. The present Pennsylvania law
prohibits the employment Of children be-
low the age of IS, and the witness ex-
pressed the opinion that the limit was not
TOO low. It was true he said, that the
employment Of children had had tend
ency to supplant adult labor, but It was
also true that there were many trades
which could be properly mastered only by
beginning a an early age.
Mr. Campbell expressed the opinion that
the immigration laws should be more re-
strictive than at present. He was espe-
cially opposed to allowing foreigners TO
come IN in droves, as ha said they do.
He thought many people were thus
matter of convict labor he thought pris-
oners should he kept on hard work and
not given machines.