Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-28
STATE LABOR BUREAUS
Their Representatives in SEES
sion in This City.
THE WORK OUTLINED
WELCOMING ADDRESS BY COM
MISSIONER MCFARLAND.
Director of the Census Discusses Co.
Operation and Unifcation in
Federal and State Work.

The nineteenth annual meeting of tho
commissioners of state labor bureaus was
convened this morning at 10 O'Clock In the
board room of the interstate commerce
commission. The meeting was opened by
Mr.. Carroll D. Wright, commissioner OF
labor who spoke briefly of the important
work to be done by the convention.
Mr. Wright said the work Of this conven-
ton was more far-reaching than any that
had preceded it. The statistical systems OF
the country needed improvement by a uni
form plan for doing such work. lie tnousht
this convention could do more to bring lnto
harmony the various state and natonti
statistical bureaus than any other means
that could be adopted
Address of Welcome.
Mr.. Wright then introduced Commissioner
Macfarland, who welcomed the delegates
on behalf of the District of Columbia.
1T is a special honor to welcome to the
capital of the United States the members
of this convention" said Mr.. Macfarland,
for YOU are the men. In the United States
and in Canada, who have probably zone
more than any other equal NUMBER OF men
toward right solution of what we call the
problem of labor and capital. Inc iates'
dered the noble work of your president
Carroll D. Wright, commissioner OF LABOR,
in connection with the settlement OF the
anthracite coal strike, Is still so fresh IN
the public mind that it is only necessary
to mention it in order to prove the value OF
your deeds. The men who first suggested
forty years ago, the establishment vi ~
reaus of labor statistics IN the oniteu
States and induced Massachusetts to lead
the way. in 1869, with the first bureau,
builded far better than they knew. What
ever their motives may have been, ana
whatever their hopes may have been, they
did not see the remarkable deVelopmeht u
their ideas. At first 1t seemed to many as
though these bureaus would be political ana
partisan and therefore incapable of render
ing a real service to the community. Fig
ures will not lie, but figures do l1e lney
lie most un.crupulously when they are fg-
uring for partisan purposes. There Is one
thing worse than having no statlStlcs, ana
that is to have partisan statistics. II the
officials of the bureaus of labor statlsucs
and especially the officials of the United
States bureau, had been generally partisan
in their work, the result would have been
worse than useless. They would never
have risen out of the status of mere stat
isticians of the lowest sort. But because
they generally did their work honestly, i'm
partially and with desire for truth, rather
than to prove any theory, they rose to the
plane of sociologists while helping to settle
in the most practical way economic ques-
lions of the greatest Importance.
II congratulate you on this splendid sue
cess, which Is of worldwide significance,
characteristic of the altruism of our time
and yielding to those who have given 1t
imperishable honors."
Response by Mr.. Wright.
Upon the conclusion of Mr.. Macfarlands
address Mr.. Wright paid him flattering
compliment, saying that no man had in his
newspaper work before he assumed the
duties of Commissioner so well utilized the
information contained In the labor reports
as he, as he had fully appreciated the sta
tistical work contained in those reports
Mr. Wright said he was especially pleased
to see that SO many of the delegates had
brought their deputies with them. The roll
Of delegates was then called, the complete
list being as follows:
L. Mackenzie King, Ottawa, Canada; F. "
Myers, San Francisco, Cal; Jas T. Smith,
Denver, Col: Harry e. Back, Hartford
Conn: J. A. Czizek, Boise City, Idaho; Da-
Indianapolis. Ind; E. D. Brigham, Des
Moines Iowa: w. L. A. Johnson, Topeka
Kan; Lucas Moore, Frankfort, KY; Thorn
as Harrison, New Orleans. La; Samuel w.
Boston, Mass; William Anderson, Jeffer-
son City. Mo-. Thos. A. Smith. Baltimore,
Md; Scott Griswold. Lansing. Mich; John
o'Donnell st. Paul MINI; ~ J. A: Ferguson na3n
-.
Neb.; Lysander H. Carroll, Concord, N. II. i;
William Stainsby. Trenton, N j.; John Nc
Mackin. Albany, N. Y: Henry B. Warner,
Raleigh, N. c.; H. Z. Thomas Bismarck.
N D.; NJ. D. Ratchford Columbus. Ohio;
Robert Glockling. Toronto. Can; James M.
Clark. Harrisburg, Pa: Henry E. Tiepke,
Providence. r. L.; r. A. Shifett, Nashville
Tenn; VIM. Blackman, Olympia, Wash
Doherty, Richmond, Va; I. V. Barton,
Wheeling, w. Va.
Received by Mr.. Cortelyou.
An arrangement had been made by which
the delegates would be presented to Secre-
tary Cortelyou, under whose department the
various statistical bureaus of the govern
ment will come. The delegates were es-
corted to the Builders Exchange, where
Mr.. Cortelyou received them In his tempo
rary office.
He made few remarks as follows:
1T is "a great pleasure to meet you. gen.
tlemen. You are engaged in class OF
work that appeals with peculiar force to
the new department. / shall say but a
word to you, and that is that in this work
you will have the hearty cooperation OF
the department Our statistical and scien-
tifc bureaus will in turn look to you for
cooperation in what we may attempt to
do. and l am very glad that at this time
we are so well represented in your coun-
ellis by your president, Commissioner
Wright Mr. North and by others connect
ed with the national government. l thank
you very much for coming here, and as
sure you again that it is a very great pleas
ure to meet you and to join with those
who welcome you to Washington"
Addressed by Director North.
Upon their return to the interstate com
merce commissions rooms paper wal
read by Mr. s. N. D. North, the newly ap
pointed director Of the census, on Coop
Grafton and Unification in Federal and Stat
Statistical Work.
Mr. North referred to the work OF thu
last Congress In establishing the perma
ment census bureau and the new Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor, which vii
embody among other bureaus OF the gov
eminent practically all those engaged II
statistical work
.sThere is no statistical bureau In the de
nartment or in the government which mus
not always depend for some portion OF III
results upon the contributions OF the cen
sus" said Mr.. North
Volume Of Statistical Work.
speaking of the statistical work OF the
government generally, Mr.. North said:
"But there is danger also of a tendency
| to increase unduly the volume OF govern
| mental statistical work. This volume Il
already appallingly large. No other nation
| annroac hes our own in the quantity ant
| variety of statistical data collected ant
nublished or in the detail with which the.