The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1899-07-07
STOP CHILD LABOR.
Over 500 Under Legal Age Or.
dered to Their Homes.
AN EFFECTIVE COMMISSIONER.

Beer Only Part of MiIwaukee's Great
ness.
Madison, July 4.-The head of the Ia
Dor and statistical bureau is Halford
Erickson, of West Superior, born in
Sweden. He is man Of about 50 and
one of the most impressive men one
meets about the capital. His accent is
marked he is quiet; he is determined;
he does things, as shown by the ad-
Vanced Legislation secured last winter
He has astrOng, f1ne-lined face. Not only
is he a success in his department, bat he
is effective in practical politics. He is
believed to have a future. 1t will be we'll
for the state if he does Some tWoy years
ago when an effort was being made to
have Governor Upham appoint Profess
sor Scott Of the university to take
charge of the statistics of the state the
professor said, "NO, Erickson is a sue
cess. Keep him" The latter was then
studying economics under Scott-in his
leisure hours. I would not imply that
the office ranks with Massachusetts.
Politics decide the appointments in the
Wisconsin department. But Commits
siOner Erickson is an unusual man.
The office staff includes Charles Lewis
ton of Hudson as deputy, and two clerks
and stenographer. Travelling about
the state are the six inspectors.
Frank Flower the First official.
Frank A. Flower was with this posi-
ton when it was born. He rocked its
cradle six years. He now holds Wash
ingtOn appointment. Then H. M. Stark
served two years. He is now with the
Northern Pacific up West Superior way.
Jerry DObbs, who held down the post
for four Democratic years and finally
went out after a funny row with
Governor Upham, was from Ripon; but
Mr.. Erickson is also from West Superior.
The post seems to be that city'S inalien-
able right. 1t carries a $4,000 salary.
Mr.. Erickson may attend the nation
al convention of statisticians at Au-
gusta, Me-, July Is. Thirty-four states
now have a statistical department. The
southern states are slow in establishing
it. Georgia has just authorized it, and
North Carolina has one; but not South
Carolina, nor Louisiana. Massachusetts
leads in statistic statecraft, as it does
in all else. 1t was so with it's railroad
commission. Charles Francis Adams
headed it, Out of that grew the inter-
state commerce commission. Carroll D.
Wright began as Massachusetts labor
commissioner. Horace Wooten has held
the position many years. That state
spends 100000 a year for statistical
work. 1t has forty-nine factory inspec-
tors. They cost $4,000 more. In Wis
consin we spend less than $4,000 all told.
Hitherto factory inspection has not
amounted to much in Wisconsin. What
could two inspectors do in $500 factO
ries? To inspect five buildings day is
considered good work. But Commission
er Erickson secured from the last legis-
lature authority to appoint four more.
These six men give their whole time to
it, They receive $1,000 a year and their
expenses. They inspect all public build
ings of more than two stories-even
churches and school houses. Fire es
capes come within their purvieW. Then,
too, doors should swing out not in.
Capitol Doors Swing Illegally.
And, by the way, it has always been
an amusing violation of law near home
that the great doors Of the capitol build
ing swing the wrong Way-they swing
in. The idea of the law is that in case
of panic a crush may be avoided Fear
full loss of life has occurred in school
houses and theatres through inability
10 get exit doors open.
superintendent of public property
have for many years been promising to
correct the matter in the capitol, but
they never get to it. Practically it is
not an evil. Every one could jump out
of a window except big Judge Price, and
he is too jolly to burn anyway.
The department has authority to or
der such changes as it wishes within
11x-
brings the owner of a defective building
to time. The bureau busies itself with
three activities One is the investiga-
ton of the cost of growing corn and
grain generally in Wisconsin and the
relation of this cost to the prices of the
products.
Part two relates to factory inspection
Until the recent increase of number of
inspectors child labor seemed to become
very common. The law forbids those
under IA to work. A census was taken
of all children 16 years of age and I'M
der who Tere employed at factory work.
In the case of children who appear
younger than the age given, or too weak
for their duties, the investigation was
carried to their homes and to the
schools. This examination continued
up to April of this year.
Over5, 500 children were examined and
about $50 of these dismissed from work,
mostly because of being under the legal
age. The conditions thus revealed were
laid before the legisla ture last winter,
and more than anything else caused the
enactment of laws increasing the num-
Der of inspectors and providing for
greater restrictions in the employment
of children and in the operation of fac
tories generally.
Of the $500 factories in the state this
research touched 215 establishments,
classified into twenty-five industries
and employing in all 35,S05 workers. Of
the persons thus employed $3.50, or prac-
tically 10 per cent, were under 16 years
Of age, and of these as per cent. were
under IA years. Of those under 16 years,
81 per cent. were male and % per cent.
female The average weekly wages
varied from S1.96 to $3.50, with an aver
age for all of $3.50 per week. Thirty