The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-05-04
SEVERAL COOD LABOR
LAWS WERE ENACTED
Secretary G. w. Deacon Writes
a. Review of Labor Mat
ters in St. Paul.
Believes the State Legislature
Passed Several Good Laws
For Labor,

G.. w. Deacon of Minneapolis, Sec
retary Of the legislative committee for
the Minnesota State Federation Of
Labor in reply to a request from the
editor of the Labor World, has writ
ten the following review of the state
legislature, which recently adjourned.
The legislature adjourned on
Wednesday of last week after a stren-
uous session of IA actual working days
on the part of the senate and 76 act
ual working days on the part of the
house, according to the record taken
from the house and senate journals.
The session just closed has been
remarkable one in many ways, but
taken as a whole the work done and
the laws made will result in a great
benefit to the people. The house was
a most unwieldy body, top-heavy, lop-
sided and one-sided in regard to some
state measures that came before it
for discussion and settlement, IN
others the solons were sane and dis
Greet and honestly endeavored to work
out laws for the benefit of the whole
people regardless Of any "speclar' or
selfish personal interest. In the clos
ing days of the house, however, in
their efforts to get pet measures
through and aid each other to carry
something back to their constituents
which would give them reputation
and standing" when it came to
vote, the merits or dement's of bill
were generally lost sight of, and the
question whose bill is it?" who is
hob ho cir
instead of what is the nature of the
bill?" and the member generally Vot-
ed in response to the call for help
from brother member, rather than to
any benefit which might come to the
public as result Of his vote.
The senate was by far the better
balanced and better working Of the
two bodies. The senators generally
got down to business, and here was
less of a disposition to f1libuster and
block things. 1t is generally conceded
that they did a little Juggling" on the
anti-pass bill and put it up to the
house to kill the bill. but the house
promptly refused to accept that re-
sponsibility and 20. KID" the measure,
which gave the senate some what of
a, jolt. To an outsider it looked as if
all the railroad legislation was a sort
Of game" any way. The conference
corppittee Of the two houses had meet
ing after meeting with the representa-
tives of the railroads. The legislators
and railroads seemed to be trying
each other out" and the conditions
practically were that one was afraid
and the other dare not"
The railroads at last concluded to
offer as a final compromise of a 2h
cent passenger rate and reduction in
freight rates that did not come down
to the rates provided in the original
bill and fired it at the committee as
an ultimatum, thinking the legislators
were waiting for chance to get from
under" This put it up to the solons
to do something" and after some
pyrotechincs and high and lofty tumb-
ling in the house and senate we have
a 2-cent passenger rate, a substantial
reduction in freight rates, and an anti
pass law-and to an outsider it is a
question as to which is the most sur
prtsed party, the railroads, the legis-
lators Or the people.
Organized labor has secured more
from this legislature in the way of
than from any other legislature in the
history Of the state. This is in a
great measure due to the efforts of the
state central political committee of the
State Federation Of Labor aided by
the financial and moral support of the
affiliated unions. The legislature of
two years ago gave us the free en-
ployment bureau, located at Minnea-
polis and that was all. This year we
have in addition:
IA free employment bureau for
st. Paul and Duluth.
"A Bill to Regulate the Employ
ment of Children This law absolutely
torblds the employment of children
under IA years Of age when school is
IN session. Boys and girls who are
over IA and under 16, and who have
not made specified school record,
can get permission to work only on
the ground Of poverty that makes their
LABOR necessary, and the permit is
surrounded by so many .safeeuards
that the old perfunctory system is out
of date. With an enlarged field force
the state labor bureau will be able to
enforce this law strictly and thorough
ly and under the administration ot
Labor Commissioner Williams there Is
no doubt this will be done. With the
aid Of organized labor Minnesota has
once more set work for progressive
legislation. Minnesota Is now con-
ceded to have, in the opinion Of Sem
ator Beveridge, Mary E. Mcdowell and
Jane Adams Of Hull House. the host
child labor law of any state in the
union.
3-Another bill which has become q
law and which attracted but little at-
tention but which was greatly abeitted
and aided by the legislative commit
tee and is worthy of commendatton
makes provision for the bonding ali
paid employment bureaus at a rate Of
$4,000 each agency, the bond to be re-
newed each year.
"A law limiting the employment
Of railroad employees more than IL
consecutive hours a day with an in
teval Of nine hours rest between