Rock Island Argus., 1903-01-07
ILLINOIS soLoNs MEET.
Continued From First Page.

DE the state board OF health TO per
form its various duties in an effective
manner. and that such legislation will
be enacted as will promote the general
obpects for which this board was ere
ated. and for which it has been main
tanned
l. State Board of Pharmacy.
The work of the state board of phar.
macy has been of most commend
able character. There is now Il better
observance of the pharmacy law
throughout the state than ever before.
1.-THE governor recommends that the
board be supported by state apprOpri-
ation.j
The Pure Food Commission.
Since the lives and health of the
people are dependent primarily. on a
pure and wholesome food supply, the
food interest is necessarily of high
importance The last two years have
witnessed great progress in the cause
of pure food.
The state food department was Gre
Rted for the purpose of insuring a
pure and wholesome food product The
records of the department show that
in the past two years two thousand
this number nearly forty per cent have
been found TO be impure. More than
three hundred suits have been insti-
tuted and convictions obtained. Man
ufacturers and dealers are now very
generally familiar with the law.
1.-THE governor recommends that pro-
vision be made for four additional in
Spectors.l
The Live Stock Commission.
Without attempting to exhibit in de-
tail the work of the state board of
live stock commissioners. for which
you are referred to the reports of this
board, deem it proper to state that
there has been a large increase in the
work of the board. In my opinion some
increase in the appropriation for the
expenses of the commissioners will be
necessary in order to enable them prop
erfy to perform their duties. This
board performs most useful service,
saving many hundreds of thousands
of dollars to the live stock interests,
and at the same time furnishing the
public an invaluable protection in the
matter of meat supply. During the
past two years the work of the board
has been hampered somewhat by an
inadequate working force and a short
age of funds available for expenses
This board is doing a great work
During the past year 15,1S7 animals
were inspected and tagged as dis
eaSed: 1851 were slaughtered, and
S13 were condemned and tanked. A
comparison with the records of previ-
Gus years shows an increase in the
number of animals inspected over the
average durlug the previous four years
OF about 100 Fer cent, and an increase
over the average of the previous eight
years of about 200 per cent. The
number of cases of gIanders inspect
ed and destroyed shows an increase of
about 100 per cent. owing largely to
the importation of western range
horses.
Tin speaking of the fish commission
the governor recommends that the pres
ent warden system be abolished and a
few competent men intrusted with the
work on a salary.l
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The work of the bureau of labor sta
tistics has materially increased during
the last decade. Under the law this
bureau is required to collect data for
the publication of three separate and
distinct reports, towit: The annual re-
port of the coal industry of the state; |
weekly and annual reports of the free |
employment offices, and a biennial re |
port dealing with general industrial |
questions. The report of the coal in |
dustry for the past year shows a to- |
tai product of 100000 tons. This is |
an increase OF 3,50O,OOO tons over the |
product of the previous year, and ap |
proximately 100000 tons in excess
Of the output for 1900. In the 915 |
mines of the state, 10000 men were
employed, an increase of 1000 over the
number employed in 1900. The mining
industry is among the most important
in the state-Illinois now ranking sec
ond among the states of the union In
the matter of coal production-and 1t
is important that any legislation en-
acted on the subject of mining be
carefully considered. I am advised
that experience has developed some
slight defects and omission in the min
ing law as revised by the Forty-first
general assembly, and 1 respectfully
recommend that these be corrected.
Since the establishment of the free
offices-three in Chicago
in August, 1899, and one in Peoria in
July, 19O1-107, 900 men and women
in our state have secured employment
through these agencies. This is graf
flying record and proves the wisdom
of the general assembly In establishing
these agencies. Some difficulty has
been experienced in the enforcement
of that provision of the law requiring
private employment agents to file bond
and take out a license. Two cases in
volving this question have been con-
sidered by the supreme court. 1 am ad-
vised by the bureau of labor that the
fee of 5000 per annum required from
private employment agencies is ex-
cessive and works a hardship on
many persons legitimately engaged in
that line of business. 1 recommend