The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-02-27


Chairman Of tho Conn 5sion. and in par,
is as follows:
The Industrial Commission was ere
ated by an act of Congress APP roved June
Is. 1898. It's chief inspiration was the hope
OF finding fundamental economic grounds
upor which capital and labor can build to-
gether. side by side. In more restfui har-
IHony. That each is essential 10 the op-
erations OF the oih'r needs only 10 he said,
Capital would rust in the bark vaults il
the hand Of the worhlngmaD al not make
il productive Labor would waste It's en-
ergies in prOftless endeavor il capital did
not provide il with opportunities. And
yet inter-dependent as they are and re-
ciErocally vital. no arrangement Of in
dustrial conditions has been yet devised
so exactly adjusting one to the ether as
to make friction needless and impossible.
1T was primarily for the purpose Of de-
vising legislation. both National and State.
to hiring them into closer sympathy that
the Industrial Commission was called into
being To this broad function was added
another quite as broad and important II
was required to survey the world Of com
ing more equitably so far as legislation
can accomplish it, the complicated rela-
tons the producer the distributor. and the
consumer bear TO each other.
The First step Tnken.
The creation of the Industrial Com
mission is the first step over taken by the
Government to make an enquiry Of this
scope and character for the guidance of
Congress and legislatures in the enact
ment Of a constantly increasing body o;
Industrial laws. Something like IL had
been undertaken In England through the
agency Of royal Commission on LabouT
organized under a royal warrant given al
the Court OF ST. James. April p. 1891. but
as its title indicates. its function was only
with the labor problem.
LAS well as In the scope Of its enquiry
10 differed in that respect from tn Com
mission 10y which this report is submitted
TO Congress. This Commission work his
been for itself % outline without L., guIas
OF previous attempts. There a:e no prece-
dents On the proceedings OF earlier bJd4es
90 light 10 In the discharge or is fiuCtiO-s
and. unlike the royal commission. that
looked into conditions in an ancient d
loug-seiJej community homogeneous 70
a degree and geographically ci cumscriO-
ed. the Industrial Commission OF the L j.
ted states Is called TO a mueh broader
enquiry among cosmopolitan people II 9
comparatively new land, OF cent? entail di-
mansions and diversified intel es,s where
the eyer-chauging conditions Of growth
and development and progress untold with
a TapidiJy that makes the precedent OF
yesterday seem narrow aud provincial To-
day.
Its duties. By section .. OF the act ere
ating u, are described as the in. e5tiga io-
OF questions pertaining TO immigraJ o. &,
labor. TO agriculture. 10 manufactB ~
and &c business. and it is TO report to Con
gerss and TO suggest such legislation as &
may de, N best on these subje Is; to r
nish such information and suggest sucl
laws as may be made a basis sor uniforG
legislation by the various States OF To,
Union wiki view to harmOuizing con.
hicting interests and TO the equitable ad
justmeGt of differences between the labor,
ct and the employer the producer and tbs
consumer. lt is authorized 10 take testi,
mouy, II deemed necessary, and. II also
necessary. to appoint sUbcOmmissiCnS oil
ats own members TO make Investigations
in any part Of the United States.
The scope of the Act.
The committee on procedure in its ini-
tial report constituting the purpose and out
lining the scope OF the act writes
The purpose az this Commission is e
ascertain the nature Of the existing leEisla
ton OF the several States and Of the United
States bearing upon Industrial conditions.
the actual operation Of that legislation in
its relation TO the wOrkingman. TO the
manufacturer and business man. and to the
consumer; the character and effects Of sim
liar legislation in foreign countries. and
how far H. is applicable or desirable FOR
hsn inn 81.
with a view TO determining how far il is
possible to frame uniform Industrial laws
the adoption of which can be recommended
10 Congress and TO the Legislatures of the
several States. 4 similar statement will
apply TO the work OF the Commission $,
far as it relates 10 agriculture to mining
and 10 transportation
' 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. imperative. 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 OF causes of disCOn-
tent. inequality. and injustice as can be
reached aud regulated through legislation.
In order to secure satisfactory results.
II appears to your committee imperativeIy
necessary that the work shall be confined
strictly to the main purpose. viz. of ascer-
tanning the nature and effects OF existing
legislation. and the nature OF remedial leg
tsiatiOn which may be necessary or desira
BILE to equalize conditions in industry. and
to remove any just grounds Of complaint
On the part OF either labor or capital or OF
the people at large
Personnel of the Commission.
The act OF Congress directs that the
Industrial Commission be constituted of
five members of the Senate. to be appoint
ed by the Presiding officer thereof: OF 1--WE
members of the House of Representatives
TO be- appointed by the Speaker. and of nine
other persons. fairly representing the off
ierent industries aud employments. to be
appointed by the President. by and with
the advice and consent OF the Senate Vice
President Hobart on July s, 1898. appoint
ed. on behalf OF the Senate. Senators
James II. Kyle Of South Dakota. Boics
Penrose Of Pennsylvania. Lee Mantle of
Montana, stephen X. Mallory Of Florida
and John W. Daniel of Virginia Sneaker
Reed. on the same day on behalf of the
House OF Representatives, named Repre-
sentatiyeS John J. Gardner OF New Jersey
William LOrimer of Illinois l. + living
stOn OF Georgia. John G. Bell of Colorado
aud William c. Lowering of Massachusetts.
Mr. Lowering was unable to serve and the
speaker named Representative Theobold
often OF Wisconsin in his stead Between
september and October "a, 1898. the
UWrNIH VIUVT oman,