The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-12
THAT is LABOR,s GRIEVANCE
AGAINST MIR. POWERS AND HIS
BUREAU,
ACCORDING TO- ". W. ERWIN,
WHO SAID 1T HAD TAKEN $4,000
TOO MUCH MONEY AL
READY.
HAMMOND IS EXAMINED FIRST.
Assistant Commissioners Is Question
ed at Great Length as TO the
Office R0utiae.

While the prosecution, so to speak,
in the investigation into the public
acts of Labor Commissioner l.. Il.
Powers did not get any farther last
night than the most general charges,
they made up for it, perhaps, in the
Observation-Disclosures with which they
made known, through w. w. Erwin,
their intention of going into every de-
tail of his administration.
Sixty thousand dollars" said Mr..
Erwin, has been spent there and all
there is to show for it is three or four
paltry volumes that private parties
could get up for $4,000 to $4,000"
Mr.. Powers was accompanied by
Robert G.. Evans, the MINNEAPOLIS at
tcrney. -Four members of the commit
tee were present. Senators Dunn, Lar
son. Peterson and Ringdal.
Walter G.. Hammond, the assistant
labor commissioner for four years, was
the first witness.
What are your duties which re-
quire the great practical knowledge to
which Nj. Powers refers in his report?"
asked Mr.. Erwin.
4 don't understand the reference to
practical knowledge. [ do not remem-
ber."
What do you do?"
Il assist Mr.. Powers in the general
work Of the office, receive and file re-
ports, complaints andein general look
after the general detail Of the office"
Did o PASS a civil service exam
in~ation?"
mo, sir"
tnA xrC1, n-o-a, o ILL., a.
the work CT the deputies?'
only assisting Mr.. Powers"
D 0 supervise their work."
In a measure, yes"
Mr.. Hammond explained the modus
cperandi Of collecting the reports Of
accidents, mortgage statistics, etc.
"What did the department do in the
line of statistical work during the year
1883 and 1892"
1t developed that this would lake an
hour or more TO dig upton the records.
Mr.. Evans suggested that Mr.. Erwin
visit the Office and examine the records
at leisure.
Mr.. Erwin then explained that ne
wanted to show by the employees Of the
department and It's records that it had
expended $685. 600 and had nothing to
shoW fer it bat three CT foul paltry
volumes which, ne believed. could be
gathered for $4,000 to $4,000. It was
decided to have. all the records gone
over by Mr.. Hammond and the cues
ton with others answered later.
"Eave all the results of the bureaus
Investigation been published?"
N sir, there are still the taxation
and probate records, the -four statis-
ties
Does o the law require a biennial
report Of all your wcrk?"
cit does"
When did the four statistics inquiry
begin?"
I'm 1898"
why were these not reported to
the legislature?"
'The estimate of the mill owners
were correct"
How did Mr.. Powers ascertain
this?'
Il Go not know"
How many men were employed in
this inquiry?"
Paul and Casserly. They worked on
1T o a year in connection with
their work Of factory inspection"
Mr.. Erwin elected the information
that the tax, probate and -four statis-
tics were all in the office uncompiled.
AS to the factory inspection, Mr..
Hammond testified that in two cases
the bureau had to resort to the courts
to compel factory owners to guard
their machinery. The 500 road had
been brought up for resisting the anti
ironclad law.
The discussion then drifted to the
operation OF factory inspection, in
which he witness and MI. Erwin
played to cross purposes until finally
Chairman Dunn managed to make
them clear to each other. Mr.. Ham
mond will again be placed on the stand,
when the figures and papers wanted
will be presented.
The committee, after some discus
sion as to whether or not the attor-
neys could agree upon a statement
Of facts, then adjourned until Tues
day evening.