Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-10

wv loF We kept Dack enough from the
oilhd boys to finance the WaterVilie
horse trot
| ," much OF this bill as relates to the
"'''l"s of the inspector. being added to
those of the labor commissioner. is not
favored by the State Fed. ration. unless
az III" same time some Provisions are
mad, for mere. sing the efficiency of tn.
bureau: because if il b.. consider,d wise
U leave undonc anything which the bu-
rcan has been i'll I'll" habit of doing. or
II I'll" bureau can really do more than it
has done. We prefer that 1t should be done.
along til. lines marked out by the stat.
'ltc.
1t is both the hope and purpose that
under some administration. some time
and in some way. whether under one Of
fee or Two. thu. actual work of the bu-
| r"tu shall be 4 fullflment of the hopes of
its ionndcrs
On the crest of Il wave OF organization.
at the VERY height of the career of the
knights of Labor these Offices were es-
tablishcd and laws enacted which were
intended the inspector should enforce.
Later, | think about Is years ago. 7
was employed through what little of State
organization We thon had. to urge upon
the attention of the Legislature the needs
o! the bureau.
That you may understand how solicit
Gus our people have been for the ,fIicicn-
cy of the bureau. YOUR must know that il
was 1T our own expense and as the re-
sui Of nur own efforts that the ;lppro-
prH'tinn WAS then raised from 5000 to
N'"' III" oftic" of deputy commissioner
abolished and the Office of inspector ere
atrd
Ihat was an effort or our part to make
the bureau What its founder intended it
should be. If the commissioner should
Shi'l"r such statistics aS the founders of
inc bureau expected would be gathered
II II" should delve into the class of labor
conditions which the old knights of La
Dor hoped would be brought to light in
tiat case tie commissioner could hav"
II" surplus of either time. thought or
money to spare to the duties of inspector
Having said so much about the policy
which til" State Federation feels ought to
chartctcrizc the work of these. two Of
tIccs. ii is only proper that We come out
int" the open and describe in dciinit..
toms ana in concrete form Just What W..
Wv "'''i' ''ihi NbiHl PROVIDED We
could have our way
w" have an idea that the interests, of
the state would be well srr\ ed by gath
'rin@ the facts on which legislators can
form conclusions as to what class Of
workers most need Legislative protection.
and also what form such protection
should take
We also believe that it is often posi-
III" to gather statistics FOR other pur-
poses besides foI tn" guidance of lc.islat-
orS. because many reforms have been
wrought and many evils cradicatcd sim
ply by tn" facts being brought to light
and being talked about
For instance. there is a problem To-
be solved as to the effect Of child Ia
Dor and the low standard of living
anon" cotton mill operatives i'm the
south. on the cotton industries of this
State.
Tn time will come when this uIcs-
ton can no longer be even deferred.
c\aded. or ignored. Either the children
Will he taken out of the Southern mills
or they will he put back into the North
crn mills. The time is fast approaching
when the State of Maine must meet
this question fairly and S1uarely, and
cope with it, Such work would seem
To he clearly within the scope and
province Of tho bureau.
We believe the facts are only wait
ing to be gathered. mere statement OF
which would reveal that some further
legislation is needed to prOvid oppOrtu-
mites for acquiring at least the ru1-
ments of Knowledge by the 20. 900 chill
drrn reported AS within the school age.
hut not within the schools. and that so
far as they are physically able every
child shall be compelled to accept them.
While problems of such FAR reach
in: consequence to the moral. intellect
linI ANA material welfare Of the work
crS, are pressing for solution seems
the wrong time to disorS.tnizc the labor
bureau.