Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-11-24
LOCAL IAgELLIGgaCg.
LABOR STATISTICS.
Labor Commissioner Tobin's Exhaustive
biennial Report

Labor Commissioner Tobin's Exhaustive
Biennial Report.
Labor Commissioner Tobin has just presented
his biennial report. 1t is an exhaustive produc-
ton, making a volume of nearly 400 pages. He
begins the report by complaining of the diff
eulty of collecting the industrial statistics by
mail. Only small proportion of the blanks
sent by him to employers and officials in the
dfty-two counties of the State were filed out
and returned to him according to his request
He therefore recommends the passage of law
compelling the proprietors of mercantile or
manufacturing establishments to furnish Stats
teal reports Of their business and employees at
stated intervals.
Mr. Tobin also complains of the lack of a
postage and expressage fund for the Labor
Bureau, which he says cripples its utility. The
Commissioner recommends that reports should
be published annually instead of biennially,
so that the statistics may be fresh, full and cor
rect.
The second part of the book is devoted to
workingwomen. In obtaining statistics in re-
gard 70 these the Commissioner was again handi-
capped by the unwillingness of the girls TO fill
out the blanks presented to them. He, how
ever, obtained sufficient material to render it
easy 10 get the average wages paid.
IN shoe factories the girls make from 81 to SO
a week. Girl apprentices, after working two
months fornothing, get 81 so per week. In candy
factories the wages of girls are from 81 to Sc a
week. In the California Cotton Mills the aver
age pay of a woman is 81 50 a week, though
among dozen girls under fifteen years old the
pay is from so cents to 70 cents day.
In nearly every industry men are paid two to
three times as much as girls.
he Commissioner rather archly reports that
the tendency of the California boys TO fiirt with
the girls in canneries is a great objection TO
their employment.
At the commissioners suggestion a lady inter.
eSted in the work of the bureau applied for work
10 a firm that advertised for hands The firm
would not agree to give set wages, but promised
10 pay well. The agreement was to work one
week as an apprentice. After seven and half
days, working from A. NJ. to P " the lady
received 50 cents for the labor done. Her en-
ployer then offered her s. a week. with the
promise of a raise to 81 90 week in case she
COL tlnued TO improve. The hrSt week there
were twelve girls working. one of whom got
s. 50 week, another 3 50 and the third
nothing.
Commissioner Tobin denounces the sweat
ers,' who compel girls to work Tor 50 week,
when they should make at least 81 a day The
decoy advertisements-"Wa Wanted Girls 10 learn
q trade; pay while learning '-and others OF
similar nature are exposed in the report
The examination of sewing girls last February
is republished. The testimony showed the sys-
TEN that the sweaters practice OF getting
their work done for nothing by taking new ap-
prentices, not paid, and discharging those who
had learned the trade and were able to draw d
salary.
for positions on the lines of BOGUS telegraph
company schools, such as the Globe Business
College, are shown up.
As there are only 100 women employed by the
Western Union in California, the falsity of the
alluring advertisements is evident.
Much space is devoted to the question of do
mestics, and why girls prefer TO be ill-paid
clerks, rather than well-pai6, wellfed, we'll
housed servant girls.
Commissioner Tobin finds the answer in the
fact that while a saleslady" IS received in all
ordinary society. the servant girl is vigorously
barred out. Another objection to serving in the
kitchen is that the servant has no time to her
self After the clerk work is over she is free TO
go where she pleases while her better paid sis
Ter is al the beck and call of every member of a
, household at all times. She cannot go out with
out getting permission nor can she receive COM
pany without permission. This, he says, is IN
doubleday the cause of the scarcity of good do
mestics.
The establishment of a working womans pro-
tective union is strongly recommended
The factories under the sidewalk and near
the fish markets among the Chinese are heartily
condemned, and the necessity of n workshop
and factory inspector is dwelt upon.
The third division of the report deals with
trades unions and other labor organizations
Nearly every union in California, not excepting
the Chinese organization, is described, and all
of the strikes are reviewed.
Commissioner TObin comments on the failure
TO strictly enforce the law against allowing
messenger boys to enter disreputable places.
The report dwells rather regretfully on the
decay of the apprentice system Boys now are
10 longer taught thoroughly. Many get wages
ron the start, ana acquire proficiency ii just
one branch OF a business. As they understand
this branch and 90 Lot understand the others,
J. ui course pays the employer better to keep
tn-ul in the same place This results in a great
crop of iDc0mpe euJ wo- knien 7 are not
taught their trade, but are allowed 10 pick up
knowledge SIS lest they can. To the lack of
thor uehiess IN prepalin4 wOrkmen the Com
missioner lays a good d-at OF the prevalence of