308 LAND AND LABOR. 



ing "those only who really want employment." " On 

 this basis there would be 460,000 unemployed able 

 bodied men and women in the United States, ordi- 

 narily having work and now out of employment." 



No doubt the very thing was intended that has re- 

 sulted from these statements a general belief that 

 the numbers reported in the special report of June, 

 1878, and the November Investigation, truly repre- 

 sented the idleness in that State and the Nation at 

 those two periods. It has been so received and re- 

 published throughout our country. 



But there are two unknown quantities in these 

 statements ; that of June, 1878, is represented in the 

 qualification of " those only who really want employ- 

 ment." The report gives us no idea of the number 

 of skilled and unskilled workmen, then out of work, 

 who did not " really want employment ; " nor of the 

 inquisition nor inquisitors who ascertained this vital 

 fact. The qualification of November, 1878, is in the 

 words, " ordinarily having work." Here, also, we are 

 left in the dark, not knowing what is meant by " or- 

 dinarily having work," nor the manner, time, nor per- 

 sons, in which, when, or by whom this fact was as- 

 certained. Is it possible that these two unknown 

 quantities were designedly left as points upon which 

 to quibble and pettifog, and render these reports of 

 no possible value ? Can it be that the persons who 

 get but a week, or a month, or six months of work in 

 a year, are to be considered as " employed ? " 



The vital conclusions arrived at are, that 460,000 

 men and women now represent the amount of un- 

 employed skilled and unskilled labor in the United 



