Annual Report

ment of the position of their members, and the greatest good of society as a whole."

That ideal may never be realized. But most of us would be satisfied with a social improvement far short of it. A half loaf is always better than no bread at all; and whatever may be the future of cooperative production, it is certain that distributive co-operation, which, unlike it, has advanced beyond the experimental stage, would greatly reduce the outlay of consumers, and thus indirectly increase the wageearner's income. The data, given in our article on "The Cost of Living," shows that many now but just make both ends meet, while a few run considerably behind. These statistics, tabulated in Chapter I. of Part 2, as well as the comments of the workingmen gathered in Chapter III., are worthy of the careful study of those taking an interest in the great labor question, which is the question of the day. A sketch of its historical development in New Jersey is attempted in Chapter II. of Part 3, while, in the Appendix, will be found a compilation of labor legislation, directly and indirectly affecting the workingmen of this State.

A review of our "Iron Industry," including the latest statistics, is given in Part 4, and followed by a report on our "Sugar Industry.” The collated statistics from employes, giving information concerning their individual condition, are tabulated in Part 1. A summary of these is here appended. The apparent discrepancy between some of these average incomes and those noted on page 147 is explained by the fact that the latter are selected ones, as many of the budgets, especially those of the more poorly paid workers, were incomplete and not used.

The State census of 1885 was more complete than those of previous years, and allows some interesting comparisons with the figures given in the latest United States population returns. In 1880, the whole State, which comprises 7,455 square miles, averaged 151.73 persons to the square mile; in 1885, we have 171.43. There also has been more crowding into houses; that is, while the population has advanced twelve per cent., the number of dwellings has increased but ten per cent. In 1880, there were 5.94, and in 1885, 6.07 individuals. to each house, although the number of persons to the family had actually declined from 4.87 to 4.77. These figures are only an average for the State as a whole, and will not hold good in many of the localities, as will be seen from the following tables, showing the—