The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-28

| lAc hoah hbAtt W Aut AAnhnAAAal NNAh
mission up to December 81 1899, is fully
described in a report which has been sub
mitted TO Congress by William E. Sackett
the Secretary Of the Commission. The re-
port. which is addressed to the Hon. James
II. Kyle. Chairman of the Commission,
gives in detail the history of that body
and the results of its investigations. be-
ginning with its creation by an act OF
Congress approved June IS, 1898. The first
part of the document is devoted to a re-
view of the purposes for which the Com
mission was created, its duties, the scope
Of the act by which 1t was authorized,
and its personnel. Reference is then made
to the scope, extent. and detail Of the in
vestigations that are being pursued, and
a synopsis of the plans of enquiry is given.
Plan of Enquiry.
In the plan Of enquiry designed to
elicit information as to the conditions Of
labor and capital employed in agriculture,
Part l relates to the labor employed. the
actual and comparative conditions Of farm
workers. the effects of improved machin-
cry, transient labor, the tendency of agri-
cultural labor to seek other employment
wages and methods of payment. store or
ders. payment in kind, tenant houses. crop
sharing, partnership, tenancy, liens on
growing and prospective crops, nationality
and character of foreign immigrants, per-
centage of illiteracy among them COM
pared with American agriculturists tend
ency 20 colombo the effect of immigration
upon agriculture. colored labor, the adap-
tion of the public school curriculum to the
needs of the agricultural classes. and tech
nical education. Part embraces an en-
quiry into the comparative earnings of cap
ttal invested in agriculture-the comparf-
son running both as to the earnings Of
forty years ago and today. and- as TO the
earnings of the farmer and men in other
lines of business-the decline in prices Of
agricultural products the value of lands
and productiyeness of the soil, the increase
of acreage. bonanza farming, agricult
ural associations, the annual production.
the cost of production and transportation,
combinations TO control prices. and grain
and cotton gambling And under Part
the regulation of agricultural monopolies,
the effect of Interstate commerce laws.
oleomargarine laws, operation of existing
pure-food laws. and of Federal and State
laws to prevent the spread OF diseases
among domestic animals and plants, etc,
aer indicated as points of enquiry.
Embraced in the plan Of enquiry pre-
pared by the shb-cOmmission on manufac-
lures and general business are sixty-nine
topics. treated under three general heads
first as to labor in the several indus
tries: second, as to capital in the several
industries; and third, as to Industrial and
remedial legislation. Under the first gem
eral division the topic of trades unions aud
other labor organizations; liberty of con-
tract; non union labor; contract labor;
- Irl.a
ment; employment including that OF WON
en- and Children and the work hours of the
different trades and industries; co-opera-
ton. premium payments. profit sharing,
etc immigration, and education are
among those set out. Under the second
general division information is invited as
to the earnings of capital invested in man
ufacturing. actual and comparative. the
taxation Of manufacturing and mercantile
establishments; determinations in freight
rates: causes. natural and artificial of the
migration OF industries; the concentration
and consolidation of industrial concerns.
with the effect on prices and profits, on
wages and employment on smaller enter
prises, on competition. and on productions
the regulation of trusts and the producing
capacity Of modern machinery. Sugges-
tons as to remedial legislation are sought
along the line of employers liability laws.
sanitary and personal---very. laws. factory
regulating the employment OF
women and children. arbitration, mechan-
les liens. etc.
Labor aud Capital.
In the plan OF enquiry into the condi- !
lions of labor and capital employed in the |
mining industry there are likewise three |
heads, and seventy-t two topics are treated |
under it, Part /, generally as 10 labor en- |
ployed as to trades unions. nom union la |
Dor, and unskilled labor. liberty OF con- |
tract; strikes and lOckouts; the importa- |
ton of new or foreign labor; arbitration; |
boycotting; the injunction in |
strikes; wages and methods Of payment, |
with incidental reference to the sliding |
wage scale, store orders. and mine tene-
ments: the influence of organized labor on
wages; the comparative number employed; |
labor OF children; non English-speaking
labor: the shorter work day; cooperation.
etc, and immigration; convict labor; edu-
,atiOnal facilities.
Under Part ,. treating as to capital
employed. there are comparative earnings
IF capital invested in mining, both as be
tween past and present and as between |
mining and other industrial enterprises,
taxation: freight determinations; closing
IF mines; trusts and their effects; and
hen for separate head. the producing ca
lacity of modern machinery. with its et-
ect on prices; on profits and labor: over
production and under consumption. Part ..
generally the topic relating to
Industrial and remedial legislation.
ouches upon employers liability laws;
nine inspection; check weighman laws;
avs regulating the employment of chill
iren; payments; penalties; screens; com
ANY stores; arbitration and convict labor.
THE plan OF the sub-cOmmission on
embraces seyenty-four tOpi-
al heads. Part I, upon transportation by
and in its relation to the labor employed
herein. touches upon the liability of the
ompanies for injury sustained: safety
ppiiances. organizations Of employees
trikes and bOycOttSi arbitration; railway
Methods in respect OF rates. new bond Is
ues. capital stock increases, and merger
( lines as affecting railway employment
nd wages In Part .. under the caption |
( Transportation by land in its relation
d the public the syllabus invites infOr-
nation as to passenger rates and the pass |
ystem; ticket brokerage: Determinations
nd preferences by railroads and the repa-
alton possible therefor; pooling; railway
as to the cost per mile amount
+ bonds. total of capital, gross earnings
ct earnings. dividends. etc. charters; |
lxation Of railroads; iniunctiOns which
uspend the operation of State or Federal |
Avs regulating railway charges: the pow
rs of the Interstate Commerce Commits
ion; Government ownership of land trans
ortation, and all the incidental informa-
ion concerning telegraph and telephone
mes as well Part relates 10 transporta-
on by water. lake, and river; navigation
iws; sailors boarding houses and for
,itures vessels engaged in foreign COM