Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-04-15
Report OF State Labor Com
missioner on the Subject
May Be Disappointing
MANY DIFFICULTIES IN WAY
Employers and Children Employed
Often Make Evasive or False Re-
ports-Women's Clubs to Take Up
the ouestion-Decoration Of the
Capitol.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, April 15.---The report of
the state labor commissioner which
will be issued next fall some time Will
be a disappointment to the friends OF
the child labor movement because 1t
will show a seeming decrease in the
number of children of tender age em-
ployed in the factories of the state.
The labor commissioner makes re-
port every two years according to
statutory requirement. When the last
report was made there had been q
great deal of agitation over the child
labor question and the factory peo-
pie were not especially watchful.
When the commissioner asked for IN
formation he always got 1t and when
he inquired the age of a child from
the child or its parents he was rightly
told. Since then, however, there has
been so much agitation over the ques-
ton that accurate facts and statistics
are difficult to secure. When an In
ouiry is made of boy to ascertain
his age he is invariably over four
teen according to his say so and the
parents will make the same response.
There is no method of getting their
sworn statement There is a belief
current with the officers of the state
federation Of labor based on some In
formation that there has been IN fact
very great i1-srease in the number
Of children employed in the factories
of the state.
~The State Federation of Women's
Clubs is making preparations to push
| The matter of g child labor Dill at
/ the next session of the legislature.
| Mrs. Thomas f. Cook of this city was
| at the labor commissioners office yes
| terday to secure statistics that would
assist her in preparing a paper on
| the matter. The women propose to
Law the matter before the biennial
meeting in Waterloo and later to carry
| the matter before the legislature. At
| the last session they We're successful
in getting the bill past the senate but
failed in the house.
Professor Charles A. Cumming OF
the capitol commission is of the opin-
! ion that the state house could be dec
grated in a harmonious manner Win
less difficulty if there was not such
a vast variety of kinds of marble en-
! tering into the castings and Walnscot-
ting and pillars of the building.
understand" said Professor Cum
mings today, .that one OF the commls-
| sioners who erected the building was
| an authority on marble and he was
| allowed his own way in making the
state house a regular museum OF mar
BILE. 1 understand there was formerly
a. pamphlet printed and distributed to
visitors telling them all about the
marble and that there is nearly every
kind Of marble known in the struc-
ture of the building. There is such
vast variety of color in the marble
that it is a most difficult matter to
nut color on the walls that will har-
monize with all that color in the mar
BILE. Mr. Garnsay has scheme which
I think will prove successful and
beautiful but the variety of color in
the marble makes it difficult mat
ter to decorate the walls so as to
harmonic with the marble"
The supreme court has adjourned
again without handing down decl-
sion in the charter city assessment
cases. While there is no definite
knowledge that the supreme court is
divided on the question of the cases
the fact that the decision has been
held up for over a year is leading TO a
strong belief to that effect. If the
court is evenly divided ordinarily 1T
affirms the decision of the lower
court but in this case there are two
cases consolidated One was decided
in Scott county in favor of the cities
with special charters assessing the
railroads on the real value of the
roads and the other in Linn county
against that construction of the law
In such a situation the divided de-
cision Of the supreme court could no1
affirm both lower courts and so the
matter rests unless one of the su-
preme court judges takes different
view of the matter or the legislature
passes a law covering the point more
definitely.
Governor A. b Cunmins has re-
ceiyed from Governor John III. Mick
ey letter and certified copy of bill
passed by the Nebraska legislature
which it is desired shall be passed by
the legislature of Iowa, Missouri, and
South Dakota The bill was passed to
accommodate the changeful course of
the Missouri river. The first section
is as follows: When by action OF the
Missouri river. any portion OF the
state of Nebraska, otherwise than by
accretion, shall be left adjoining that
belonging to the state of Missouri
Iowa, or South Dakota, the state OF
Nebraska hereby valves all jurisdic-
ton over said lands and the inhabi-
tants thereof subject to the condi-
tions hereafter specified" The bill
was passed according to the provi-
sions OF the enabling act of April Is,