third of the time.

In the manufacturing of agricultural implements, a protected industry
that, being carried on in factories, needs not stop for weather, 69.1
per cent of all persons employed are idle 4.12 months per year; whereas,
of farm laborers, whose occupation is unprotected, and whose employment
is wholly at the mercy of seasons, only 30.19 are idle during any part
of the year, while 69.81 per cent find steady employment the year
around.

Carpenters, also, whose labor is unprotected and dependent largely upon
season, report 52.82 per cent steadily employed, with 47.18 per cent
idle three months in the year.

Compositors and printers number 4541 in the State, only 450, or 9.91 per
cent, of whom are idle during any part of the year, while 90.09 per cent
find steady work. On the other hand, 51.31 per cent of the stove-makers
are idle 4.09 months per year, and 66.4 per cent of rolling-mill
employes are idle 4.04 months. Stone-workers and brick-masons fare
better, though unprotected, since but 46 per cent of these are idle
during any part of the year; while the tack-makers, taking both sexes,
have 70 per cent of idleness for one-third of the time, only 30 per cent
finding steady work. The silk industry employs 1975 persons--556 males
and 1419 females; of these, 979, or 49.5 per cent, are idle nearly four
months each year.

The woollen industries of Massachusetts employ 22,726 operatives of both
sexes. Of these, 9463, or 42 per cent, are idle four months in the year.

Perhaps the infinite beauty of protection is best illustrated by a
comparison of the work secured by blacksmiths with that of rolling-mill
employes. Of blacksmiths, 82.25 per cent had steady work for the entire
year, while only 17.75 per cent were idle 4.41 months. Of rolling-mill
employes, as stated above, 66.40 per cent were idle 4.04 months, and of
nail-makers 73.49 per cent were idle 3.86 months.

The manufacturing industries of Massachusetts furnish 69.14 per cent of
the idleness of the State; i.e., of the 241,589 unemployed, 167,041
depend upon the manufacturers for work and sustenance. On the other
hand, agriculture furnishes but 6.28 per cent, transportation 2.91 per
cent, personal service but 1.72 per cent, and the day laborers but 8.43
per cent.

Fall River, with a total laboring population of 26,220, found steady
employment for but 11,437, or 43.62 per cent, while 14,783, or 56.38 per
cent of her population, were seeking work 3.49 mon