The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-21
JOBS ARE BOUGHT
THAT'S WHAT STATE LABOR COM.
MISSIONER BIRD Says.
He First Says That Morrill, Won't be Nomi-
the Blow of . Missouri Paper-He Then
Pays Respects to the Employment
Agencies and Tells NOW Some of Them
are Operated to Send Women to Ruin
and Idle Men to Despair-His Coming
Annual Report.

State Labor Commissioner W. G..
Bird was in the city yesterday, having
come down to personally thank the
council for having passed his employ
ment agency ordinance.
Mr. Bird is one of the strongest anti
though ne was appointed by him.
But Them said Mr.. Bird to report
er for the Eagle, don't want to talk
politics. Joe Brisbow and Frank Mont
gomery are doing all the talking now
and are nominating Mr.. Morrill, by fig
ures in Kansas City, Missouri paper
for which Montgomery is correspond
ent. The people of Kansas are not
taking their public opinion relative TO
Kansas matters from Missouri papers
this year. Kansas papers are adequate
iy able to take care of that. But while
Brisrow and Montgomery are nominal
ing Morrill, by reclamation now the
people will have something to say about
nominating him next month. / will
venture the prediction that Morrill, will
be way behind in the race.
but as / said before, am not here
to talk politics." the labor commission
er continued. 81 am here to talk with
the council about that ordinance.
''The people down here, including the
councilmen, don't understand that or
dinance. They don't know what evil IL
seeks to remedy.
The proposition is plain. It brings
employment agencies under the control
Of the city and makes them responsible
to their patrons by giving a bond. You
have no idea how vicious certain en-
pioyment agencies are. They rob the
laboring men and in several instances
in this state they have succeeded to the
infamous profession of the procuress.
l have in my possession now letters
from young women that would melt a
heart of stone. 1t was this class OF
complaints that prompted me 10 work
up ordinances in the cities controlling
the business
How will the ordinance protect
them?"
The ordinance provides that before
a person can get a license to operate an
employment agency his application
must be signed by at least ten business
men OF good standing in his neighbor-
hood and unlike other licenses the Ii
cense must be granted directly by the
iioyoi d1iu COClCu III regular session.
1t may be revoked at any time and the
agent driven out of business. In the or
dinance are safeguards to protect the
people and for any violation of these
he may be arrested and fined. Then. by
the agent giving bond, damages can be
collected from him.
You have no idea of the extent to
which fraud is carried on I'm an fHigi-
mate employment agency. The agent,
Tor instance, will exact two dollars
from every person for whom he gets a
Job. The agent in a great many cases
stands in with bosses For instance.
ne stands in with section boss. When
man comes there looking for a fob he
exact5 81 and sends him to the section
boss. The section boss employs him
and In two or three hours tells him that
he Is no good for that work and can't
keep him. The agent got him the lob
as agreed and hence gives no money
back. 1t happens that the agent In one
day may send three or four men TO
take that same job and DIVES up with
the section boss. The ordinance which
is now in effect In several cities will
stop this
Speaking about hts annual report Mr..
Bird said that he would have some sur
prises for the public about the growth
of the milling and salt industries of
Kansas, especially the milling indus
try.