The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1900-01-19
528 ORDERS MADE.
Labor Bureaus Insists on Better
Protected Ma chinery.
FIRE ESCAPES, SWINGING DOORS.

The Agricultural CoIlcge-A Statesman
Keeps His Courage UP with Poetry
Officers of the Drummers' Religious As
eociation-Other Topics of Interest.
Madison, Jan 16.-Mr. HalfOrd
Erickson, the labor commissioner,
whose efficiency is a subject of re-
mark, has issued synopsis Of
the reports of the bureau Of labor
of the state, which is excellent read
ing. The bureau was founded during
Rusk's term, in 1888. Subsequent
amendments improved the scope OF
the office-so much, in fact, that the
work of inspection could not be
thoroughly done.
The manufacturing industries alone
occupy from 10000 to $4,000 build
ings. The other buildings num-
Der nearly that many. These
buildings are scattered over an area
400 miles 10 length and more than Of
half this in width. In many of these
buildings there are also SO many things
to look after as to occupy whole day
of the inspector at each visit.
The great step forward was in 1899,
when the number of inspectors was in
creased from two to seven and a num-
Der of important new laws to protect
labor were passed. The orders issued
by the department indicate the scope
of the duties of the office and the in
spectOrS. In the years 1898 52S
orders were issued requiring guards or
protection around dangerous machin-
cry, the erection of twenty-six frees
capes was ordered, the repair of sew
enty-six unsafe elevators, the guarding
or repair of thirty-two defective or
dangerous stairways or other open
ingS, the changing of sixteen doors SO
as to swing outward, the dismissal of
$50 children Illegally employed. For
the same two years the number of eS-
Establishments inspected was 2,463; with
119,O26 male employees, and HILL fe-
male employees trifie over II per
cent. being females. Some of the re-
turns under the especial investigation"
into child labor are significant 215 es-
Establishments were visited, employing
SO, 1905 workers, Of whom practically
y
age and Of these 4.6 per cent. under IA
years. The average weekly wages
were $3.50 per week. The inquiry
further showed that 81 per cent had
attended public schools. and SO per
cent. parOchial schools, exclusively,
and nearly II per cent. had attended
both of these classes Of schools. Also
that 80 per cent. were born in the
mil
foreign countries. That ~ per cent re-
ported the occupation of the father as
that Of common laborer, and IS per
cent. that of one or the other of the
skilled trades; that in 60 per cent. Of
the cases of the 1,216 children who ap-
peared young or weak and whose
homes were visited, the parents owned
their home and some other property
besides; that Of 46 per cent. the father
had regular employment; that Of p
per cent. the father was dead, and that
of 81 per cent. the father was either
sick or out of employment.
Poking Fun at Farm Students.
The agricultural students are now
an active element in Madison life. They
are all here for hard work and make
no trouble for anybody. A recent COM
municatiOn in the university daily
called attention to gentle form of
hazing to which these earnest strang-
ers are subjected:
1T is not conducive to the happiness
and cOntentment of a student to be
greeted by a noise in imitation of the
bleating Of a calf when he meets q
group Of fellow students on the street.
To the serious minded student
this condition of affairs, this display of
fellow feeling is not what it should be
i'll university which receives a large
part Of it's financial backing from the
agricultural classes. Instead of ridicule
and sneerS we should give the short
course students every possible encour-
agement to come here and receive the
advantages offered by one of the best.
it not the best, short course in Amer
lea"
1t the academies averaged up in the
world of affairs any better than these
farm-students the former might be
Justified in reflection on their fellows.
But at fOrty-siX county and district
fairs held in this state last fall, the
judges of live stock exhibits were
chosen from students in the university
college of agriculture Students in the
short course are looked upon as capa-
bic judges of farm products and live
stock throughout the state.
Verses to Brace the Heart.
A friend-and a man of high station
in public affairs-thinks so much of
the following verses that he carries
them in his pOcketbook constantly. In
the course of the year his copy gets so
no 10 +
and lets his friends read it-that he
usually asks some newspaper friend to
throw the precious good cheer into type
for him that he may have a fresh copy.
These are the lines:
KEEP A-GOlN!
II you strike Il thorn or rose,
Keep a-goin'!
If if halls or if it SHOWS,