Royal Meeker
Encyclopedia
Royal Meeker was an American
economist, born at Quaker Lake, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
. He graduated from Iowa State College in 1898, then studied with E.R.A. Seligman at Columbia
(Ph.D., 1906) and for a year at the University of Leipzig
(1903-04). His dissertation was entitled History of Shipping Subsidies (1905).
From 1906 to 1913, Meeker was a professor of history, economics, and political science at Ursinus College
, Collegeville, Pennsylvania
and a preceptor and professor of economics at Princeton
. He knew Woodrow Wilson
, then the president of Princeton, and they served together on New Jersey political boards. Both were associated with the Progressive
movement for an active role for government.
President Wilson
appointed Meeker Commissioner of Labor Statistics in 1913. As the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics
, Meeker managed special economic studies during World War I and began its regular publication, the Monthly Labor Review
, in 1915. Meeker resigned from the administration in June 1920 to take up the opportunity to help organize the new International Labor Organization, where he was the Chief of the Scientific Division from 1920 to 1923.
Meeker served as Pennsylvania Secretary of Labor and Industry from 1923-24, and later joined the faculty of Carleton College
(1926-27) and Yale University
(1930-36, perhaps longer). He was Director of Research of the Connecticut Department of Labor (1941-46). He died in New Haven, Connecticut
in 1953.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
economist, born at Quaker Lake, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He graduated from Iowa State College in 1898, then studied with E.R.A. Seligman at Columbia
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
(Ph.D., 1906) and for a year at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
(1903-04). His dissertation was entitled History of Shipping Subsidies (1905).
From 1906 to 1913, Meeker was a professor of history, economics, and political science at Ursinus College
Ursinus College
Ursinus College is a liberal arts college in Collegeville, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.-History:1867Members of the German Reformed Church begin plans to establish a college where "young men could be liberally educated under the benign influence of Christianity." These founders were hoping to...
, Collegeville, Pennsylvania
Collegeville, Pennsylvania
Collegeville is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 30 miles northwest of Philadelphia on the Perkiomen Creek. Collegeville was incorporated in 1896. It is the seat of Ursinus College, opened in 1869...
and a preceptor and professor of economics at Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. He knew Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, then the president of Princeton, and they served together on New Jersey political boards. Both were associated with the Progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
movement for an active role for government.
President Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
appointed Meeker Commissioner of Labor Statistics in 1913. As the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and...
, Meeker managed special economic studies during World War I and began its regular publication, the Monthly Labor Review
Monthly Labor Review
The Monthly Labor Review is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Issues often focus on a particular topic. Researchers outside of the BLS are welcome to submit articles.- History :...
, in 1915. Meeker resigned from the administration in June 1920 to take up the opportunity to help organize the new International Labor Organization, where he was the Chief of the Scientific Division from 1920 to 1923.
Meeker served as Pennsylvania Secretary of Labor and Industry from 1923-24, and later joined the faculty of Carleton College
Carleton College
Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. In 2012 U.S...
(1926-27) and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
(1930-36, perhaps longer). He was Director of Research of the Connecticut Department of Labor (1941-46). He died in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
in 1953.