The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-02-27
STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS.
DISCUSSED IN ANNUAL REPORT
 !, OF LABOR COMMISSIONER.

nused Wage Loss Last Year of sIo5,- 673 5D-1ntercsstug Facts and Fig 0ures in First Review by commis
 sioner scoviIie of Thss State.
 The nineteenth annual report of the
 Connecticut bureau of labor statistics
 just made public. It is the first to be ;sued by Commissioner Scoville. and ontains much valuable information
 pon variety of subjects. In his in- roduction Commissioner Scoville says ! respect to the science of political conomy, and it's relation to the labor roblem: Tn the early days conlbina- ions among artisans were not so neces- ary as they have since become. The ime has gone by when it is necessary 0 argue for the right to combine, or he usefulness of such combinations. he former is an admitted fact; the lat-s er is becoming so generally recognized hat presentation of its proof is not ne- essary here. It should be granted that he working classes have such a right;
 nd that such combinations are bene- 1t to the workingmen is now being ac- Snowledged by most writers on social lnd economic subjects
 Going further Commissioner sScoville Bays: A slight knowledge of political economy would teach the working peo- Dle that society is based on competition; hat the price of labor depended on the law of supply and demand" and that Ithe object of the science of political economy is to discover laws that govern the production and distribution of wealth." and, the report says, 'sThe truth of the doctrine of supply and de- hand has been established beyond all Possibility of successful contradiction. It cannot, however, be claimed for it that it's effects are altogether indepen- lent of human actions, but it is claimed Feor it that at any given time and place Ehe, price of any commodity is deter mined by the relation it's supply bears No the demand for it." Continuing, the report says, Political economy would leach the working people that the wages pf labor have generally been the bare means of subsistence, those which will enable laborer to live and have be- fng. What the standard N subsistence shali be is determined very largely by |the workingnen themselves. If they .arel indolent and ignorant, it will be low; if they are courageous, intelligent land industrious, it will be high, it de- bends largely upon their aspira tions." Numerous quotations from the writings lof political economists are to be found i in the report which will be of interest l to economist, workingnlan and e1n- |ployer.
 FACTORY CONSTRUCTION. The report contains statement con- corning new mill construction. The amount expended in the state in new buildings for manufacturing purposes during the year ended July 1, 1903, was $2367 ,21S.93, being 2.5 per cent. less than was expended for the same purpose in 1902; the amount was, however, 21.5 per cent more than was expended for the same purpose in 1900 and 11.6 per cent. more than in 1901. The report gives in detail the location of these new struc- lures and the increased floor space brought into use because of their erec- ton. It also gives in detail and in tab ulated form the dimensions, style of construction, number of stories, cost of each building, and the increase in num- Der of employees caused by such addi- tions.
 STATISTICS OF MANUFACTURES
 A most gratifying exhibit is here shown, for by the figures in the report the prosperity which has obtained i'll the state for several years past still con- tinues. It must be borne in mind, how ever, in making comparisons that the period covered by the report ended Mo- vember 30, 1903.
 Eight hundred and sixty establish ments are represented in this chapter of the report, and a brief comparative summary of the tables is given here. The average number of persons en- ployed in these establishments during