Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-01-09

place in 1900. Concerning mining leg
islation, Gov. Atkinson recommends
action on these subjects:
/. Abolition Of company stores.
z. Weighing and measuring coal.
8. Protection OF mines against aban-
doned oil and gas wells.
4. Mine surveyors should make af-
! fdavits to correctness of maps.
5. Prevention of use of black strap
and other impure and noxious oils for
Illuminating purposes in mines.
6. Compelling railroads to make car
| distribution upon basis Of the output
of the mines.
Z. Reduction of assessment valua-
ton on coal property which has been
mined out.
He suggests an advance in the pay OF
mine inspectors, recommending $500
and expenses for the chief, and 81 POO
and expenses for the district inspectors.
Three pages of the Governors mes
sage is devoted to kind phrases con-
corning the farmer and the purity Of
his pastoral life, under the head OF
Board of Agriculture" He recon-
mends more stringent laws to prevent
importation of diseased animals, and
the spread of contagious disease. en-
couragement for institutes, the teach
ing of elementary agriculture in the
public schools and greater resIricticn5
tending toward purifying Of food pro-
ducts.
A more careful and effective system
of supervision of State banks is urged,
the present law being deemed made
quate.
! The Governor says: From the re-
port of the Department of Labor | find
the conditions under which labor is
employed have not materially improved
in the past two years. Labor should
have some consideration from your
honorable body at this time, and |
trust such laws as are necessary to pro-
tect them and their interests will be
enacted, and measures made for their
enforcement"
He suggests more stringent factory
regulations, safety appliances and
hygenic surroundings; seats for fe-
male employees when not actually en-
gagged, toilet rooms and screened
sCalrways wherever women are en-
I plOyC u u IiOIC SIilISCnJ Clllu tdDOI
law to prOvide that no child under
fourteen Ibe engaged in any mercan-
tile, mining OF manufacturing insti-
tuition, is urged. V~estibuied cars for
the protection of motormen ana a
board of Cancellation and arbitration
are suggested. He recommends a
bCard of examiners to license sta
tionary engineers, and a special in
spector for factories.
Under the head Importation Of
Labor" Governor Atkinson says:
importation of labor in times of ia
dustrial disturbances has proven to be
a menace to the public welfare, and has
resulted seriously in other states; and
would under similar circumstances,
precipltate strife in West Virginia.
Within the past year an instance Of
this occurred within our State as de-
tailed in Part " Of the Report of the
commissioner of Labor.
The imported men are usually of the
lowest grade Intellectually and NOR
ally. The evil which grows out of
such importations under the aggravat-
ing conditions which a strike oft times
produces may we'll claim the atten-
ton of our law makers. Importations
of this character are not justified I'M
der any ordinary circumstances; and
the evil results which grow out of
| such an act largely overbalances any
good which could be realized. Prohi-
bitive legislation seems imperative.
Therefore, l recommend legislation
prohibiting the importation Of work
ing men IRON other States to take
mems places in times OF labor dis
tuloances within this STATE, provided
the same can be done without in
fringement upon the Constitution as
to interstate commerce regulations.
OF the eight-hour law, Ae says:
The action or .Me last Legislature
in making eight hours a legal days
work on all public works of the State,
has resulted most successfully. This
was a start in the right direction. |
am now clearly of opinion that an
other step should be taken by declar-
ing eight hours a standard days
work within the State. While II will
not be possible to enforce a law OF
this character upon the individual
employers Of labor, yet they would
| generally adopt it. especially if it pro-
vides that if it is desirable on the
part of the employers to have their
men work a greater numcer OF hours
and they consent so to do, and are
paid for the overtime. no III could
or would object to the enactment of
such a law. | call your attention to
this matter, with the earnest hope that
such a law may De speedily enacted.
Eight hours are long enough for any
person to toll at manual labor, and as
ten hours are now generally required
as a days work. if it were reduced to
eight, one-ffth more employees could
secure positions"
Considerable space is devoted to the
ational Guard, being mostly an argu-
ment in favor of an adequate citizen
soldiery, and liberal appropriations
therefor.
On the subject of good roads the
Governor declares the present system
of spreading the money collected for
road building over all the roads in the
different counties is a waste that brings
no good returns. He recommends a
law compelling the finishing of indi-
vidual roads; the perfecting of roads
by sections, and a general re-arrange-
ment Of present plans.
The resurrection of the State Geo
logical survey is recommended with an
annual appropriation of SAC. 600. A lib