New-York tribune., 1905-04-17

eTly to Teinspect where violations OF the laws
have been found. and in other ways seriously
handicaps the work of the department. The
following table shows the work of the depart
ment in inspecting. compared TO that done in
1900:
1:D:ce5s q as:9Ess ':a.: qqa5Ts 6 D.e. $3.50
Places listed and found closed 570S 1452s
Tnysstisasion Of Of eSmpsni aoss Loss
Investig'n Of compliance with notifications SS'0
In regard to the work Of children the report
says:
In view of the fact that the amended law
carried provision to restrict the hours Of labor
Of children under sixteen. and that majority
Of the factories were operating under ten
hour day schedule, our inspectors found IT neceS-
sary almost invariably to issue order TO re-
duce the working orders of children to nine
day. During the year 1856 such orders were
issued and compliance established or secured IN
The effect of the amendments Of 1908 can be
more fully appreciated when We consider the
reported 1S 100 children between fourteen and
sixteen years OF age at work out Of a total OF
S12,625 persOnS-a ratio Of twenty-One children
TO each one thousand employees. During the year
1904 out of a total of S74. .467 persons employed,
the inspectors reported finding 1850 children
between fourteen and sixteen years of age at
work. or a ratio of fifteen per thousand Our
records show d slight increase in the total num-
ber Of persons found at work in the factories
a
Der of children employed A falling on or 4tS4
from the figures OF child labor for the preceding
year-a reduction Of more than One-fourth IN
one year-certatnly demonstrates the Value OF
our present laws. The wisdom of their enact
ment is undeniably settled While our statistics
show a great reduction in the total number OF
children found employed. we regret TO say that,
relatively speaking violations Of the law regu-
latng this class of labor did not decrease We
are compelled to report practically as many vio-
lations this year as we did in 1903. or 2571 in
1904, as against 2,S52 in 1906.
The report regarding the amount and price Of
labor performed. the strength Of unions and the
frequency of labor disputes is as follows:
The period of increasing Industrial activity
came to an end about the middle Of 1903 The
stTingency in the money market began at that
time to make itself felt in certain lines Of in
dustry through the contraction OF loans to capl-
talistS. There was soon much idleness among
the employees of the great shops Of New-YOrk's
Industrial centres This condition prevailed dur
ing the earlier months of 1904 so that the rec
ord of employment in the twelve months ended
September 80 last was much less favorable than
the record of 1902 and 1903. Whereas the pro-
portion of working time lost in 1902 was 49,
per cent and in 1903 IA per cent, in 1904 it was
20 10 per cent. This diminuttOn OF employment
was manifested both in increased number OF
idle Workmen and in reduced working time for
those who had some employment. The latter
averaged only 269 days OF work in 1SO4, as COM
pared with 27S days In 1903 the full number OF
working days per annum being reckoned at 3OS.
A monthly record OF unemployed reveals unfa-
19Gs S5sOis conditions N i'''' as '0''p''su WIN
Since September the state Of employment has
improved greatly. and the last three months OF
1904 compare favOTaby not only with 1908, but
even with the record year. 1902.
Rates Of wages were generally maintained in
1905 ct the high level they had reached in 1903
The number of advances in rates, however, has
decreased since 1902. and In 1904 there
few reductions reported. Earnings were smaller
than they have been in the last three or four
years account of the increased irregulaTity
Of employment. In sympathy with the lessened
demand for labor in 1904 immigration receded
from the record figures of the previous year.
Until 1904 there had been for at least dec
ace steady growth or WorkingInen's trade
organizations in this State, the number Of which
in September 1908. was 25SS. The largest
aggregate membership recorded was only 26S
short of 100000 in the early months Of 1904. At
the end Of September however. there were only
1905 unions in the State and their total mem
bership had declined to 391 .676. The principal
losses were in the metal. building. clothing and
woodworking trades.
Labor disputes are also to be considered one
of the causes of the unfavOrabe industrial sit
uation in 1904. as they brought about a greater
loss OF employment than I'm any other recent
year with the exception Of 1908, when the build
ing industry of New-Hork County was tied up
for several weeks. There was marked Interrupt
tion Of work in the glove industry Hthograph-
ing, lake transportation, ship building, garment
making, building and other industries. An in
creasnS proportion of the disputes turned on
uniontsm or the general methods of bargaining
rather than on wages or the terms Of employ
ment. The growing disposition OF employers to
Unite in opposing what they regard as the ag-
Der Of the larger Industrial controversies Of the
year.
The tendency OF some of the associations to
make an issue against the union shop has
caused apprehension; but those who realize the
power of public opinion a regulating force On
industrial relations do not fear the outcome SC
rapid has been the education of the general pub
lie In the merits of the principle of trade union
ism since the coal strike of 1902 that the at
tempt TO discred0 that principle under the
GUise of establishing an open shop has signa!Iy
failed. The public has seen that a union shop
may be a truly open shop. long the union
itself is open To all competent wOrkuen: where
as the nOn-uniOn shop IN which every work
man Is compelled to drive a bargain single
handed with the employer becomes more often
than not a sweat shop. With the uniOn's power
broken, the Just and humane employer is power
less to keep wages and hours up to the former
union standard in the face of the competition OF
wage cutting rivals. During or previous to the
year 1908 the ninc hour day had been estab-
lished In many machine shops i'm this and Othe"
States through the organizations OF the work
men. But in 1904 apathy toward the union
movement evidenced by the decline in member
ship OF the siXty-fOuF machiniSts' unions in
New-York from 5000 to 5000 was quickly fol-