Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-10-27
GREAT IMPROVEMENT.
INDUSTRIAL CONDITION OF THE
STATE is EXCELLENT.
report or the Labor Commissioner Shows
Careful Investigation In All Portions
OF state and Reveals a Very Encour-
aging Condition of Affairs.

ihe chployeS or the Labor Commits
sloher once have, in the performance
OF their duties around the State. taken
pains 10 look into industrial conditions
~ lhe present conditions may Indicate
my una very encouraging reports
Ioni every section of the Common
wealth. There is growing improve
ment in the condition OF orr wooa
workers, average wages. per cent en-
ployed- Increased membership. etc
very marked in nearly every section
or the State. There are now no com
plants OF willing help UNEMPLOYED
Whlle IN many quarters the supply of
help desired is very insufficient for the
demand. As a natural result. wages
are increasing all the time. In fact.
The Labor Canvass
shows decided Improvement I'm every
FEATURE OF the statistics gathered. in
cluulnS number employed, wages.
MONIES ana social conditions. This can
Vass Is about two-thirds completed
Mortgages and Interest
Inc special canvass of the eighty
counties in the State is about COM
pleted. The tabulations of this work
SHOWS that the number Of mortgages
ana the total amount of mortgages up
on farm property has been reduced
thousands in number and millions in
dollars as compared with 1896. while
.ne rate OF interest in great major
lty or cases has been materially re-
duced
state Factories Increasing
Reports Of the State factorv insnec- !
tors show large increase in amounts |
invested I'm manufacturing and in ev- |
cry way represent n most flatterinp
condtlOn OF affairs in our factories |
canvass or wages shows Il very note
worthy Improvement in wages and
various conditions Of employment. and
mat the child labor problem is being
rapidly solved in this State. MANY
new manufacturing enterprises are
placed upon our State list for the FIRST
time this year, while but very few
have suspended operations. Some bove
closed through consultations. but not
so many as In former years.
City ana Village improvements.
Inc blanks from incorporated cities
and villages tell us that millions have
peen invested in new and permanent
improvements of every character
nuch having been spent in sewerage
ana paving. From these official
sources we have received no complaint
or unemployed, which is indeed differ
eht trom the facts of one and two
years ago. d,
Money Easter .
Money has been very easy i'm all
quarters as compared with recent :
tunes, and small dealers and speculo-
tors nave been able TO operate and Sc 1
cure layors that dared not think of \
asking Tor loan two years ago. u
The Farmers Interest. =
Inc crops OF Michigan for 1898 were !
excellent In many counties and above :
the average in a majority Prices have
peeh talr FOR all products of the farm
garden and orchard. and there has =
peen "a great activity in all kinds of :.
stock, poultry and dairy raising. The =
crops were all harvested early and n =,
very large acreage of winter grain has ~
Deen soWn, according to reports from .,
the agricultural department. -,
One or the most noteworthy in -,
fre;ises has been in the 1ocks Of sheep T.,
ina pounds OF wool, which have mar p,
ieted good prices. =; =,
Natural Products. ~
Ahere has been n great increase in =,
ne production Of coal in Michigan
,Ver former years, and II IL claimed
hat the best wages paid TO miners in *,
" united States are paid to our own On
dal miners. "a "a
n very favorable report has inst ~.
een received from the upper PENN nm
ula mining country, giving account of H.,
eW discoveries of iron and copper and no
IlSht promises for the coming season. IA
IA closlng 1t says that they are ex- W,
erlencing great difficulty ia securing tb,
nc needed help lin several commune
es, and that the numbering interests ,
)mpiain that the" cannot find men IA 20,
into the woods at from SD to S35 ino
Pr month and board 90
Good ana Dad Elects of war. Gre
Whlle the war scare in March and all,
prll brought matters to a Temporary Ia,
Tor few days i'm many quar- no,
rs, the declaration OF war and the ac- cor
'lties that soon followed, with the bill
irried movement Of troops. started
erything at lively pace and greatly r
approved many lines of trade. The cot
uueh shlltlng OF men, both of trades Roc
IA professions had a most desirable fou
ect upon the labor market. and wv
We 1t an unexpected impetus that ind
'rked out to the best interests of all ~ ,
lge workers IL
- 4,'-s army STATISTICS, we den
tlced that one particular feature of
hlchigan volunteer regiments WINS 7.
AZ tney were made up of both rich n,,h
q poor. The professional man Of can
49,, ,,iN.ts anu soou practice, the trict
pert mechanic Of splendid wages. one
trades union man, the farmer and noii,
day laborer all stood, marched and rose
lght, suffered, died and bled to- Inv !
her, FOR the cause OF humanity and loo,
honor OF the nation. 1t is a fact
{ we can all feel proud OF. and or
'uld never be forgotten. ovor
Ia. 1
onod Zen .,,an , ue'als VIII be de- day
,higan. VI c 7O,,,
- oc'c,,rraS !. a'' Dimcuities diflic
Lhe minor strikes and disputes that has,s
e taken place have resulted IN
py mutual settlements between Nh
- u ennpio9e. count
rom H. $3.50. employment. claim
tbot bnndrpgas department we Spar
rises have been undertaken since h,a =.
last report which We sbou en-. -" 7"