The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-10
Testlfies Before the Natl onaI Commission
at Was hington.
Points Out the Benefits of Pro-
tective Tariff to the LabOring
Glasses, Saying There Had Never
Been a Period of Greater De-
preston Than Under the Opera
ton of the Wilson Law.

WASHINGTON, March 9.-James
Campbell, Factory Inspector of Penn
sylvania, was before the Industrial
Commission to-day. He spoke eulo-
gistieally of the labor organizations of
the glass workers Of his State, saying
that before organization was made
practicable he had never known an in
stance of manufacturers attempting to
reduce wages which had not been sue
cessful. Since organization had been
effected no reduction had been made
without the assent of the workers. He
declared that there was now mutual
confidence between employees and OPP
eratives.
Mr.. Campbell was a strong advocate
of a protective tariff, saying that 1t
was generally understood by the work
men that change in the tariff means
change in the scale of wages. He
said that wages of glass-workers had
never been 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 protective tariff
and to the organization of labor. There
had rever been period of greater de-
preston, he added, than under the
operation of the Wilson law.
Mr. Campbell spoke of the miners as
class of men who We're generally i'm
posed upon, and he found especial fault
with the store system 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 - to
40 per cent. profit He did not believe
the evil could be reached by legislation,
but thought it could be met by organ
lied labor.
Speaking of sweatshops, Mr.. Campbell
said there were about twenty persons
engaged in them in Pennsylvania,
mostly in Philadelphia. He thought the
low prices were due to sharp compe-
titlon between sub-contractors. He
spoke. of the filth about the sweat
shops, and said he had himself seen
clothing in shops infested with vermin
and very dirty. He made especial men
s. lion of an investigation into the manu-
faeture of soldiers clothing where this
condition was found to prevail.
Mr. Campbell declared that generally
the sweat-shop people could not be be-
lieved under oath. and he saw no means
of re regulating the business short OF
conf3scation and destruction where the
conditions were found to be contrary to
law Mr. Campbell stated that most of
the retail stores handled the sweat-shop
products.
AS rule the manufacturers complied
cheerfully with the laws, and only four
or five prosecutions ever had been
taken.
Mr. Campbell spoke in general in
commendatory terms of the labor laws
of Pennsylvania. saying that he had
not advised any change except in the
laws applying to sweatshops. There
had been efforts to introduce politics
irto labor organizations but these eff
forts bad not been successful The pres
ent Pennsylvania law prohibits the en-
ployment of children below the age or
13 and the witness expressed the opln-
ion that the limit was not too low. 1t
was true, he said, that the employ
mont OF children had a tendency to sup
plant adult labor, but it was also true
that there We're many trades which
could be properly mastered only by pc
ginning at an early age.
Mr. Campbell expressed the opinion
that the immigration laws should be
more restrictive. He was especially OPP
posed to allowing foreigners to come in
droves, as he said. they do. He thought
many people We're thus brought in VINO
were not desirable. In the matter OF
convict labor he thought prisoners
should be kept on hand work, ana not
given machines.