Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-08-31
Nav York Evenins Pos. Special

New York Evening Post Spee'AL
Boston, Mass, Aug, % The Massa-
cbusetts Bureau of Statistics OF Labor
will issue on Wednesday the result OF
its investigation of Sunday labor IN
this State, under Legislative authority
given last year. The extent OF Sunday
labor Is not easy to ascertain. IL seems
from this Investigation that about 10
per cent Of the workers in the State are
Obliged to work more or less on sun
day, but the number who are forced to
work on Sunday the samo as on other
days is but small proportion OF those
who work some on Sunday, while there
| is extra pay for extra work on SUNDAY
to considerable extent. Blythe census
of 1895, 1,O75, 600 parsons in the State
we're engaged in gainful occupations.
The report says that at least lis, 600
of these will be found in household
domestic service. in agriculture, or IN
the fisheries. There are found to DO
| II, 994 engaged in transportation, and
the remaining $4,000 are distributed
through hotel and restaurant service,
and other employmcnts partaking OF n
personal nature, with service in public
institutions, and with the ministerial
| and medical professions.
"The general attitude OF the work
| ingman,u says the report, $50 far as it
has found expression, is adverse to the
extension of Sunday labor. His effort
is constantly toward more leisure rather
than less. While it is recognized that
certain work must be done on Sunday,
and that under modern conceptions Of
life other work is justified by custom,
which in effect has the force of neces
sity, it is believed that at least one
days rest in every seven, if not upon
Sunday then upon some other day.
belongs to the working man, and the
industries and enjoyment should bt
organized upon this basis. This con
tention is indirectly admitted, since il
many cases Sunday labor, il required
is paid for at higher rates, or. in tiXinf
the weeks pay, the fact that Sunda.
labor may be required is taken int
account"
As to the employers view this il
said: Very few, if any, employers ar
to be found in Massachusetts who tax,
an opposite view theoretically, what
ever their practice may be under the in
tiuence of custom; and it has been foun,
as general fact, in the course oil thi!
investigation, that 80 far as possible
is the intention of employers to con
fine their operations to the week days
, Whenever, from the nature OF the bust
, | ness or otherwise, Sunday labor canno
be entirely avoided, it is intended t
, restrict it within the narrowest limits
But these limits are IN many case
! fixed by the necessity, real or supposed
, of conforming to the public demand.
! employments which include the large
4 part OF the persons employed on Sur
day, the demand of the public fo
+ certain services is the moving spring {
4 the Sunday employment and not til
/ personal desire of the employer to il
o crease his profits. This applies to q
: employers who exercise public or quasi
Il public functions, such as in transport
tion service generally, telegraph an
telephone service, municipal service
j. and, to lesser degree, to the di!
3 tribution of milk and bakery products.
q In another place the report says: 81
j, is clearly apparent that a large part
q the Sunday labor now performed
IF Massachusetts is due to social customs
i. and not to absolute necessity Th,
Sunday riding on steam and street ca
!, is custom, rather than a necessit,
q Food supplies are delivered on Sunda,
n because the community is accustome
v to such delivery. lit is, of course,
10 says tho report mot absolutely nece
]. sary that either of these things
10 done. Indeed, there are highly oivilize
"a communities where neither Of them
ar done. * Customs that are fixs
and which pervade the communi
!. change slowly, and are with Difficult
/: overcome by law. The law is mo
d apt to he modified to suit the custor
" or, if not modified, permitted to becon
j, imperative. That has been the cour
}; Of Sunday legislation in Massachusetts
Certain things formerly prohibited a
a now allowed, and other things st
IN prohibited are permitted, if confin,
ID within more or less definite bounds,
& The scope of the investigation
shown by tho following table shown
the classes Of Sunday service, with Ii
relative numbers of persons employ
H. on Sundays aud week days:
ne Cab and herdic companies..... $50