Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-27

and mercantile establishments; the
third to prevent the employment OF any
person under fourteen years of age In
any manufacturing establishment or
workshop; and the fourth to provide
more efficiently for the ventilation and
drainage of mines, and for the safety
and health of persons laboring in them.
Some of these bills included provisions
I contained in others, and one or two OF
them were pushed simultaneously in
the two houses. but they~ail failed To
reach the Governor for approval except
the first, which is now a law. The
House bill with reference to the venfila-
ton, ETC., of mines was understood To
be prepared by the State mine inspector
and to have the endorsement OF those
who are classed anon the liberal mine
operators. Ii passed the House, but
was unable to run the gauntlet OF the
Senate. where ii was defeated on the
last day of the session by a vote OF
thirteen to ten, the chief reason OF this
defeat being. ii was understood, the
heavy expense to which it was alleged
1t would subject the operators In GER
tain sections of the State at the OUT
set.
The principles of the bills to prevent
the employment of persons under four
teen years of age In a certain class Of
workshops. and TO prevent accidents
better preserve the life and health 0f
employees in a certain class Of estab-
llshments, do not appear to have en-
countered any serious opposition. They
passed the House. and seem to have
failed in the Senate because the session
ended before they had matured for final
action, while a Senate bill of the same
general tenor seems to have been hung
up in the House because there was al
ready before it a bill of its own on the
same subject. IL is probable that bills
on this line will encounter no serious
difficulty in their passage at the next
session.
The only objection to the eight hour
law was a fear that 1t might be consldj
cred a discrimination in favor Of kabor1[
ers employed in a certain class of world
and render disconnected those engaged
in less desirable lines of labor. This
objection seems. however. to have
| yielded on reflection to the now we'll
recognized fact that the immense adj
ditions to labor saving appliances OF
different kinds in recent years render
it easy to meet all demands on the la
Dor world without working for the long
daily period formerly necessary. and
10 The gradually spreading belief that
as a general proposition o~ne-third OF
the entire day is as much as ought to
be devoted to constant manual toll.
The time thus secured. it may be reag-
onably hoped, viii lead to such better
individual health. increased domestic
comfort and greater mental and social
improvement as are sure 10 produce IN
the long run a higher average type OF
man and a much better citizen. II may
be that the introduction OF this prin-
ciple into all classes Of work would at
first conduee to dissipation and thrift
l~essness in many instances from tho
unaccustomed leisure it would tempor-
arily enforce. but that II woud nitfw
mately be of incalculable benefit iii
~elevating and refining the great aver
age of the race can hardly be doubted
by anyone who sincerely believes hi
the steady upward progress OF tho
world.
This single piece OF ~distinctively Ia
Dor legislation secured at the session
Of 1899 Is clearly a step in the right
direction, and Indicates a progress ia
public opinion that it's a matter az
congratulation not only to the class Of
laborers particularly affected, but TO
all those who believe that the future
betterment OF the race largely depends
upon the elevation and ennoblemere
of manual labor as a vocation, and
that the great mission OF Democracy
Is TO extend to every individual every
possible opportunity to make the most
out of what he has received at the
hands of nature.
Another measure, of a humanitarian
nature, that will be OF great benefit to
railroad men and miners was the bill
for the establishment and maintenance
Of three hospitals for the treatment OF
persons injured In certain hazardous
e~mployments. One OF these hospitals
is to be located In the Flat Top region
another in the New River, Kanawha
river section, and the tard IN the VI
entity OF the Fairmont coal fields. Eff
teen thousand dollars is provided for
the construction OF each building, two
thousand for furnishing It and ten
thousand for its annual maintenance.
Each Is to be conducted according to
such regulations as may be adopted by
It's board OF managers consisting Of
four members to be appointed the Gov
/ GTiOEs LNB kDiIE Jul DittiAfthtlts
Probably IL would nave been better
to enlarge the scope OF these Inatitu-
tons by admitting free OF cost any VIC
tim Of a severe accident without REFER
ence To how or where ii occurred. but
as now constituted they will. II run
on broad and liberal principles. servo
very materially to alleviate the hard
lot OF those who meet with sudden in-
juries and are without the means 81
procuring the advantages that result
from expert physicians. trained nurses
and the best sanitary surroundings.
Il cannot be said that political lines
were drawn in voting upon this meas-
uTe, since Il received more RepublIs
can thar Democratic votes IN tie
House. while the Ave votes recorded
against It's passage in the Senate werd
all cast by leading Republicans. Ita
enactment, however. was almost entire~
" due to the adroit management and
untiring efforts Of Senator Beavers. taa
Democratic Senator from the McDow.
ell district
The existing Hoard of Commissions
ers could have materially tesHened
the burden upon the property oytn-