Evening star., 1902-02-11
UPON FOUR SUBJECTS
THE INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION's
FINAL REPORT MADE PUBLIC.
Recommendations as to Legislation on
Labor, Immigration, Taxation
and Irrigation.

and Irrigation.
The third and last part Of the final report
Of the Industrial commission was made
public today. The report makes recon-
mendations to Congress for legislation on
the subject Of labor. immigration taxation
and irrigation. On the subject of labor the
report says:
congress having no power to regulate
directly upon the subject, 1t is recommended
that the several states establish uniform
hours of labor, and also specially regulate
the hours of employment Of persons be-
tween the ages of fourteen and twenty-one.
The working day of all public employment"
the report says, "should be eight hours, in
the hope that 1t would bring private en-
ployment to the same standard. The period
Of work in underground mines should be
eight hours a day. 1t is recommended that
Congress, under its power as to interstate
commerce. prevent any person under eigh-
teen years being employed as telegraph
operator on railroads; that all engineers
and switchmen should submit to an exami-
nation for color blindness; that 1t should
be miSdemeanOr for an engineer or switch
man to be Intoxicated while on duty. The
report says the states should adopt law
providing that labor should be paid In cash
or cash orders without discount and not in
should not be allowed Provisions should
be made for fair weighing at mines"
Regarding Injunctions.
Regarding injunctions the commission
says:
"The question OF the enforcement of the
labor contract by injunction or contempt in
equity process is a very difficult one, mainly
SO made by the abuses which have arisen
from injunctions carelessly issued by learn
ed judges or by the unlearned judges of in
ferior courts In states which confuse chan
Gerry, and common-law jurisdiction. The in
junction is a high prerogative writ. and
should be awarded only after the most
careful examination by a tribunal thor
oughly competent"
A statute to prevent intimidation at fed
eral elections Is recommended. Congress
should legislate to prevent the Importation
and sale Of convict made goods from one
state into another without the consent OF
the state into which the goods are imported,
or where they are Sold On the subject Of
railway labor, which, the report says, is
undoubtedly covered by the interstate pow
ers of Congress. the commission is Of
opinion that Congress should adopt a con-
sistent code Of law regulating all matters
concerning employment in that industry.
Commissioners Smyth and Harris do not
concur in the recommendations Of the ma
jority.
The recommendations Of the commission
on the subject of immigration are:
General revision and codification OF the
immigration laws, including such verbal
changes as are necessary to make the ex-
listing principles Of legislation effective. In
creasing the head tax from 81 to $3 Eff
fective inspection along the Canadian and
Mexican borders, to be secured through es-
tablishment of designated frontier posts Of
entry by the Secretary Of the Treasury.
Exclusion and deportation Of anarchists.
nf fhca
exclusion laws and the Introduction Of ad-
ministrative amendments in order to render
these laws less liable to evasion; but franz
ing restrictive legislation so as not to hinder
or seriously interfere with commerce with
China. The period Of deportation. it is
recommended, should be extended to five
years, the expenses during the first year
to be paid by the steamship company for
al! aliens unlawfully landed. A number of
recommendations relative to the deportation
and more careful inspection of immigrants
also are made. Penalties upon steamship
companies for bringing aliens affected with
loathsome or contagious diseases to Ameri-
can ports"
Commissioners Penrose. Bard, Gardner.
Bell. Often, Lorimer Farquhar. Kennedy
and Litchman dissent from the qualification
and deprecate legislation which would make
easier Chinese immigration under the guise
of encouraging commerce.
As to Taxation.
AS to taxation the commission recon-
mends:
THAT the states abandon the general
property tax and raise their revenues by
taxes upon corpora tions, inheritances and
Incomes, supplemented when necessary by
Indirect taxation. That corporations, pub
lie service and other. be taxed by state
boards, at rates fixed by legislation. upon
the value Of their franchises. assessed ac-
cording to the actual value OF their stocks
and bonded debts. less the value Of their
real estate as assessed locally, and that
the real estate owned by them be taxed
locally as other real estate is taxed. That
the system of levying graduated taxes upon
lnheritances be adopted by those states
which do not now employ it, and that it be
abandoned by the federal government
That taxes upon corporations. inheritances
etc. be supplemented by graduated tax
the state. That notes. mortgages and other
like property be taxed by the state at full
value, but at low fixed rates, through ap-
propriate listing and recording systems
Commissioners Harris, Tompkins and
Gardner dissent from some of the above
conclusions.
Regarding irrigation the commission rec
ommends that Congress enact laws:
To provide for national control of sources
of water supply upon which two or more
states may depend for irrigation To pro-
vide for further comprehensive surveys of
the arid lands Of the United States and for
an immediate estimate Of the water supply
available for reclamation thereof; for the
construction of storage reservoirs and irri-
cation works by which to utilize the water
supply of the arid regions to the greatest
possible extent; to reclaim said arid lands
of the United States. reserving control Of
the distribution If water for Irrigation to
the respective states and territories and
the holding of such lands for actual set
tiers under homestead entry. To provide