The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Commons, John Rogers

COMMONS, John Rogers, American economist: b. Hollandsburg, Ohio, 13 Oct. 1862. He was graduated at Oberlin College with the degree of A.B. in 1888, and received the degree of LL.D. from the same institution in 1915. He studied at Johns Hopkins University 1888-90 and became professor of economics and sociology at Oberlin College 1891, at Indiana University 1892-95, Syracuse University 1895-99, and at the University of Wisconsin since 1904. He was director of the Bureau of Economic Research 1899-1901, and is director of the American Bureau of Industrial Research since 1904. He was investigator for the United States Industrial Commission 1901-02. In 1911 he was appointed a member of the Wisconsin Industrial Commission; and in 1913 he published a report of the work of the Milwaukee Bureau of Economy and Efficiency. He is the author of articles on wealth, labor, representation, etc., in scientific and other journals, and of &lsquo;The Distribution of Wealth&rsquo; (1893); &lsquo;Social Reform and the Church' (1894); &rsquo;Proportional Representation&lsquo; (1895, rev. 1907); &rsquo;Trade Unionism and Labor Problems&lsquo; (1905); &rsquo;Races and Immigrants in America&lsquo; (1907); &rsquo;Labor and Administration&lsquo; (1913); &rsquo;Labor Legislation&lsquo; (with John B. Andrews, 1916). He edited &rsquo;Restriction of Output by Employers and Employees (the 7th special report of the United States Commissioner of Labor, 1904). He was also one of the editors of &lsquo;A Documentary History of American Industrial Society&rsquo; (1910); &lsquo;History of Labor in the United States&rsquo; (1917); and wrote &lsquo;Principles of Labor Legislation&rsquo; (with John Andrews, 1917).