Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-07-15

any clty or town OF the state form a
labor society they, have the privilege
of sending delegate to the State So
ciety of Labor and Industry who shall
elect annually secretary to be the
commissioner of labor statistics. Mr.
the doings of the last Legislature mas
much as with a governor advising the
adjustment of the department, the ap-
preparation was increased and the
board divorced from politics. The re-
ports We're heretofore limited and now
there is a provision for 10000, II the
commissioner deems advisable
He said that as one branch of his
work he is trying to show up the tax
question as continuation OF some
former attempts. Just now compari-
son between the real value and the as
sessed value is being shown by the aid
of the probated estates. He said of
estates valued at 81 700. 900 the assessed
value is $Sj. 900 only. Each county, he
said. differs from another In its method
and amount Of taxes. AS a rule about
one-thrd of the real value is assessed
upon. while the different counties vary
from 20 per cent. to 200 percent. of the
real values. The manufacturers pay
taxes on but II per cent. of their value.
Il shall hammer away until some of
these iniqutes are shown up" said
the commissioner.
He is collecting data on the home
owners and on the rent payers profit
from their labor, He finds that the
home owners save p per cent. on an
average of their income. while the rent
payers save but II per cent. The laws
more rigidly enforced. He said that
thus far the police power vested in him
has not conflicted with his duties as a
statistician. His remarks Of the work
in that state So different from other
states, We're of intense interest.
Deputy Commissioner w. f.. Fiason
Of North Carolina. said he had been
out Of office for two years and had
just again entered and could not say
in North Carolina will hereafter be
elected upon the state ticket The cot
ton and tobacco Industries will be
among the features of the next report.
Commissioner Matthews was given
an ovation when he arose to respond
for Maine. He said his modesty would
not allow him to say much if this con-
| tinued He explained that in Maine
the appropriation is somewhat limited,
but that he has two agents in the field
at work on special articles. The work.
this year. is along the line of cotton.
steel industries. The pulp and paper
trade will be eXhaustively reviewed
and commented upon by authorities.
The lumber business will have chap
| ter devoted to it.
Commissioner Wright as a sort of a
side line asked if the canteen industry
| had been developed. he like all other
men from other states liking to dig at
the Maine prohibitory laws. The
Maine commissioner said if the devel-
opment had been carried on it was GER
tainly through the influence of the
United States government and not the
local.
Minnesota is being attended to in the
way of factory inspection, SO Commits
sioner McHale informed the conven.
ton. The amount of wages paid eacl
class of people and in each industry
He will endeavor to learn Of the tech
nical educations possessed by the peo
pie in that state who work at eacl
trade. The number of employees own
ing homes and the Sunday labor viii
be discussed. OF $50 industries tina
have reported to him, 95 do a part o
their work on Sunday. Mines ant
mining. granite and the lumber bust
ness will each form a section in hi
report of investigations. He will en-
deavor to make a compilation of farm
statistics which it is claimed by tn
farmers are badly neglected.
Letters from the West Virginia boar
and the New Jersey board showed tha
the former will devote space to hour
of labor, wages and the social and edu
cational side of the laborers' life wit
. the manufacturing statistics. The la'
|. ter state will have something OF rail
\ roads, the living expenses of the work
ing people and the usual other stats
:. ties. -t
( Hon. A. p. Montague of Virgini'
/ said he Is working under difficulties