St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-01
CHILD LABOR CRUSADE.
Inspector Mayo Reports on Condi-
tiOns in Minneapolis.

A comprehensive report submitted
yesterday to l.. G. Powers, commits
sioner of labor shows that fifty juve-
niles have been compelled to quit work
in the factories of Minneapolis, where
they were employed in violation of the
state laws. The report, which is made
by Assistant Inspector Mayo, covers,
as it states. only portion Of the manu-
featuring esta Adjustments, and does not
deal at all with the stores and other,
establishments where inquiry will be
continued as rapidly as possible. The
report is as follows:
l herewith present report OF the fnvesti-
cation, under the provisions OF artics1
Ill, Laws Of 1895, otherwise known as
the child labor law, as it applies to fifty -six
manufacturing establishments, situated in
Minneapolis.
1t should be stated before proceeding that J.
visited thirty-seven other factories where no
violations appeared, and that additional work
not here reported, covering thirty more fac
tories, is now we'll under way.
From the data here presented the following
facts are tabulated for reference:
Total number of factories, divided among
the several trades, as follows Saw mills, 8;
sash and door, 2; furniture, 8; general wood
workings, 8; wooden box; 3; coeperages, D;
paper box, 2; printers, 10; candy, 3; cigars,
2; knitting works, 2; boots and shoes, l; mis-
cellaneous 8.
apparently under 16 years of age found there
in is 345; males 264, and females 81.
OF this number 124 males claimed to be
over 16, 125 claimed to be between IA and 16
OF the 124 spoken of above, thirty-fiye were
proven by school records or otherwise to have
between IA and 16, thirteen are also found TO
have been in too great hurry to attain their
majority.
OF the eighty-one females, ffty-six claimed
to have been over 16, twenty-four to be be-
tween IA and 16, and one less than Il. Out Of
the fifty-six, sixteen were proven to have
been mistaken, IN that they stated their ages
as more than the records show ian unusual
performance for a woman; and of the twenty
four who were between IA and 16, four were
found to be less than Ia.
The net results of this investigation
Fifteen males and one female were ordered
discharged and that thirteen males and four
females who mistaken about their age
and who were actually under IA, mostly left
their employment before the second visit of
the inspection. This leaves 147 males to be
put in line with the law.
And to this end sixty-four have been pro-
vided with certificates, seventeen have had
! excuses issued to them forty have been dis
| voluntarily returned to school, and some ihir-
tyfve (more than the balance) have entered
the night schools. There are thirty-six fe-
males on this list to be accounted for; of these
ten have been dismissed or returned to
school, sixteen have certificates three have
excuses, and about seventeen (again more than
enough are supposed to be attending night
! schools.
So forty males and ten females have left en-
ployment in order to permit employers to
comply with the law. Their place is in
school, and of this number I am able to state
that fourteen have returned, and If there
are any who, through some fancied grievance
of their own, and whose parents aid and abet
that trouble to the extent that they do not
make hem attend school, that is plainly their
fault and no ones else 1 have positive
knowledge of at least four boys who have
been forced out of factory labor who spend
their time any where but in school. Some of
these who have agreed to attend night schools
/ not alt
the employer and parents suppose this to be
the case; l have sought to obtain compliance,
but unless these people do attend night school
as they said they would, and that promptly
after the holiday vacation, shall order their
discharge. In this work I have been under
great obligations to nearly every one en-
gagged in educational work in Minneapolis,
| Superintendent Jordan, Mr.. A. c. Sanders, ali
of the principals, all of the parish schools
and the hearty support Of very large ma
| jority of the employers.
''The Melancholy Days Have Come
|