Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-07-15

featuring statistics. looking into the
municipal ownership of the gas and
electric light plants and also free EN-
ployment agencies.
Commissioner David Ross of Illinois
said that the 18th annual and 10th
biennial report of the bureau would be
devoted principally to the great mining
| industry of the State. They would al
so touch upon the strikes of the past
and municipal ownership of gas would
| have a place in the report. There has
| no trade been so improved in a state
| as mining has in his state. so he said
There are fewer hours of labor and
greater wages. He gave long account
of the mining industry and it's growth
and he reviewed the strikes in his state.
He condemned the owners of some of
the mines and said it was their foolish
ness that had caused much of the
trouble. Arbitration he thought had
brought about good results. He up
held the position taken by Governor
Tanner in the past strikes and said
that now law had been passed so that
he thought no repetition of some of the
events would take place.
Mr. Ross said that he had to an
nounce with pleasure the passage of
the law establishing free employment
bureaus. There are now three in Chi
cago and all other cities of large size
will have these agencies established at
the expense of the state.
In the way OF these free agencies
alone, Illinois contributed s27, 500
For Missouri, Commissioner Pixey
reported He said blanks had been
sent to the railroads and to the manu-
facturies for their returns and thus
far they are coming in well. this year.
He has four special agents in the field
at work on special articles. The wage
schedules of some of the leading indus
tries will be looked into. He will en-
deavor to learn how much a man can
earn in each of the industries and
what it costs each class of people to
live. He will try and show the folly
of the mems leaving the agriculture
pursuits for city life. He said he
should also comment upon the free en-
ployment law which they have secur-
| ed. The dangerous people" said
| Commissioner Pixey. "are the unem-
ployed and we must keep them at
work"
From the report of Commissioner
Conner of Indiana. it would seem that
the work of several departments IS de-
volved upon him. He has among other
things to compile in his Forthcoming
report what the insurance com
| missioner of Maine gives in the first
section of his report. Then another
law of Indiana makes it compulsory
for officers and other persons having
knowledge of crimes committed upon
property to report to the commits
sioner for his report. He is gathering
railroad statistics, and also looking in
to the municipal ownership of electrir
light and gas plants. The statistics
relating to churches will occupy an
other chapter. The expenditures and
the public improvements in the towns
| nil ok ha 10 n,
the strengthening of the laws relating
to his department which was done by
the last Legislature.
Mr.. McMackin of New York. said tht
quarterly reports from the labor organ
iZations of the membership and the
statistics regarding the work of the
members would be continued and
| would be put into the state report. af-
ter it had appeared in the bulletin
form. The report of employers would
also be continued He said he had sen!
blanks to $4,000 manufactures in the
state for returns.
An important feature will be the ia
bles of Industrial accidents. The mum
Der and the cause of accidents, witt
the results will be given.
He commented upon the good worl
brought about by Governor Roosevelt
in having the monthly bulletins pub
lished. He will also have something o,
free employment bureaus. the Buffalo
grain shovelers' strike and the agree
ments between employer and EN-
ployees.
Commissioner Cox of Michigan. sait
he did not issue monthly bulletins. bu
he used the newspapers which are re
markably good in this respect and ar
always ready to use any statistics tina
the department may afford. He toll
of the good appropriations that the
had been enabled to secure and of tn
increased advantages of the depart
ment He said that in the past 81
months the industries of Michiga
have increased by -. Where ther
was but one sugar beet factory. las
| !,