ths in the year. The
result of it all is that one third of the persons engaged in
remunerative employment in Massachusetts were unemployed for more than
one third of the time.

It is significant that 129,272, or 53.51 per cent, of the total number
of unemployed were found in twenty-three cities of the State, while 325
towns furnished 46.49 per cent.

It is often claimed that labor disturbances, strikes, and lock-outs are
responsible for most of the idleness in manufacturing industries. The
report under review goes into this question, and as a result ascertains
that in the manufacturing industries "an average suspension of one-fifth
of a month (0.20) was caused by repairs, improvements, etc. An average
suspension of one-fiftieth of a month (0.02) was caused by strikes and
lock-outs," while the balance was due to "slack trade." Just how much of
the loss of time was due to combinations and trusts "restricting
production, so as to control prices," does not appear; but when it is
shown that in an average idleness of 4.11 months per year, strikes are
responsible for but an average of one fiftieth of one month, or but
little over one-half day, it is time for "statesmen" to abandon their
stock argument of "strikes and strikers," and look about for some of the
real causes of present conditions.

It is possible to only partially supplement this investigation in
Massachusetts by similar investigations in other States.

In 1886 the Illinois Bureau of Labor Statistics, in an investigation of
trade and labor organizations, covered the question of the number of
weeks' work secured during the year. The following analysis of that
report refers only to the membership of labor organizations in the State
which reported upon that question, or 85,392 workingmen. For these the
average was 37.1 weeks work and 14.9 weeks idleness during the year.
Only one-fifth found steady work for the year; about one-third could get
work but one-half the time; while, to quote from the report, "the
industrial people, as a class, secure work for only 71.7 per cent of
full time, and spend 28.3 per cent of their time in idleness, for want
of work to do." (Illinois Report for 1886, page 319.) The coal-miners of
the State secure work for but 23 weeks in the year. The occupations
securing the greatest percentage of employment are those most removed
from the protecting influences of that Congressional bill of fare called
tariff. Thus the barbers, horseshoers, pri