Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-18
THE MEASURE CREATING THE NEW
DEPARTMENT..
MN. MONTAGUE SOON TO ENTER OFFICE
He Is Preparing Himself for the
Duties Of q Position Which Nobody
In virginia Has Ever Held BE-
fore-Interest IN the RII.

49, @E-" $500
II has been almost impossible to secure a
copy Of the measure.
Below is published the text of the bill
as 1t passed the two houses, with the
amendments added at the suggestion OF
the Governor, which are enclosed In
parentheses. The bill passed the House
by a vote of G5 to 5, and in the Senate It
received no opposition.
When 1t went 10 the Governor, however.
1t was strongly opposed, a delegation OF
Lynchburg businessmen appearing before
the Executive and urging him to refuse
his signature. The Governor approved the
bin. however, but upon assurances that IT
would be amended so as to meet certain
sections, which was done by unanimous
consent.
THE TEXT OF THE BILL.
The following is the bill in full, the SEN
fences given in parentheses being the
amendments suggested by the Governor,
which were embodied I'm an amendatory
act passed the last day Of the session.
/. BE it enacted by the General Assem-
bly, OF Virginia, That a bureau Of labor
and industrial statistics Of the State Of
Virginia is hereby established.
2. 1t shall be the duty OF said bureau
to collect, assert, systematic, and pre-
sent i'm annual reports TO the Governor.
to be by him biennially transmitted to
the Legislature. statistical details re-
lating 10 all departments Of labor, penal
institutions, and industrial pursuits i'm
the State, especially in gheir relation TO
the commercial industrial CGgfg1 gIl-
catiOnal. n sanitary condition of the
labOring classes, and to the permanent
prosperity OF the productive Industries Of
the State.
8. The Governor shall appoint, by and
with the consent Of the Senate. some
suitable person. who is identified with
the labor interests OF the State, who
shall be designated Commissioned of
Labor Statistics, and who shall. upon
the request of the Governor, furnish such
information as he may require. CThe
term Of office Of said Commissioner shall
be two years from the date of his APP
pointment, with power Of removal for
Cause.)
4. The Commissioner shall have power
TO take and preserve testimony, examine
witnesses under oath, and administer the
same; n in the discharge Of his duties
may. under proper restrictions. enter ANY
public institution of the state, and ~
factory. workshop, or mine. The Commis-
siOner may also furnish and deliver a
written or printed list Of interrOgations
TO any person, company, or the proper
officer OF any corporation, and require
full and complete answers TO be made
thereto and returned under oath within
thirty days Of receipt Of said list OF
questions; and If any person who may
be sworn to give testimony shall will
fully fail or refuse to answer any 0egal
or proper question propOunded to him
concerning the subject Of such eXamina-
ton, as Indicated in the second section
of this act, or If any person 10 whom
a written or printed list Of i"nterrogatiOns
has been furnished by said Commissioner
shall neglect or refuse TO fully answer
and return the same under oath. such
person shall be deemed guilty Of a mis-
demeanOr, and upon conviction thereof
before "a court of competent jurisdiction.
shall be fined i'm a sum not exceeding SlO0
nor less than $25, or by Imprisonment in
the county jail not exceeding ninety days.
or by both fine and imprisonment. pro
vided, however, that nothing in this act
shall be construed as permitting the
Commissioner or any employee of this
bureau 10 make use Of any information.
or statistics gathered from any person,
company, or corporation. for any other
than those Of this actD
3. All State. county. township, and city
officers are hereby directed TO furnish
said Commissioner. upon his request, all
statistical information I'm reference to
labor which shall be in their possession
as such officers.
6. The sum of 5000 per annum IS here.
by appropriated out Of any funds I'm the
State Treasury, not otherwise apprOpri-
ated, $500 of which is 60 be used as sal
airy of the said Commissioner and the
balance to be used to meet contingent
expenses, &c.
7. This act shall be in force from its
passage.
THE NEW COMMISSIONER.
Mr.. Montague, the new Commissioner,
will enter upon his duties in a few days.
He says he has never before held "a
public office, and is not very familiar with
the duties of the position TO which ne
has been appointed, but there is a mass
of literature on the subject in the office
Of the Governor, which will be turned
over to him and will be very useful. He
will at once correspond with the labor
commissioners of other States and obtain
from them details of the work done, and
methods Of doing it.
Il believe the Office can be made highly
useful to ~workingmen and employers.
he said, 'and / am going TO do my best
to accomplish this object"
No Decision Yet.
he-Commonwealt Law
less and Mr.. j. W. Richardson, Register
of the Land Office, each saw Attorney
GENERA AlOllldBut NtSNtlhdg N1dlhlu5
the method Of procedure he will recon-
mend whereby the question as to who is
may be settled. Mr.. Montague
has not yet reached a decision, but will
do so as soon as possible.
The expense of keeping up the Capitoi
Square will have to be paid by the Secre-
tary of the Commonwealth, according TO
the construction which Mr.. Richardson
places upon the appropriation bill. Mr..
richardson also thinks the bill, If 1t shall
be decided that his office is not abolished,
will give him an additional clerk at q
salary of SLIGO per annum. This will be
another point for judicial decision.
Colonel Bigger at work Again.
Colonel John Bell Bigger was in his
Office at the Capitol yesterday, having
nearly recovered from his recent illness.
Bigger's friends say he is looking
better than at the adjournment OF the
Legislature.
The work of printing the Acts of AS
sembly will probably be completed the
latter part of next month.
Colonel Bigger's correspondence Is so
heavy that he cannot prosecute the work
of indexing the Acts as rapidly as he
would wish.
Captain Hudson Martin, the veteran as
sistant clerk of the Senate, has returned
from his home i'm Nelson county, and
is engaged i'm indeXing the Senate Journal.
The work will occupy some weeks.