Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1908-10-02
LABOR LEGISLATION
Republican Statcs Have Been Lbs
eraI In Legislation for
LabSr.
Democratic States Have Done Little
to Make Labor Conditions Better
Within Their Bounds.

1t is a fact that every important step
for the benefit Of American labor mas
been taken either by Republican
Congress and administration, or by the
! Legislature OF . Republican state' OK.
course with the consent, and sometimes
by the advice, of the State executive.
Democratic Congresses have been no.
tably negligent in this respect, ana
Democratic States have either dohe
nothing to make labor conditions pet
ter within their bounds. or nave Slowly
and reluctantly followed ut DISTANCE
in the trail Of Republican reforms.
@r state Legislation. ,
The States have control of labor leg
islation within their respective Douhus'
federal authority being confined, SO 1ar
as labor is concerned, to the District
of Columbia and the territories tederai
reservations and federal pubic "orhs.
The story of labor legislation SHOWS
that nearly all labor reforms orislhateu
in Republican States, and at the pres.
ent day the Republicans are far aheau
of the Democrats In the enactment anu
enforcement Of laws for the Weilafe
of men and women and children VINO
work for living. Twenty-six out OF
thirty Republican States nave 1aDoi
bureaus, and only seven out OF slAteel
Democratic States have similar Du-
rcaus, without which labor laws are
often dead letters. Twenty-tnree lie
publican States have factory inspectors
to see to the enforcement of the factory
laws. Only six Democratic States nave
factory inspection services. filteeh
Statcs-thirteen Republican and two
Democratic--have free employment
agencies. Eighteen States nave Et"s
on their statute books prohibiting lapof
Oh government works or pubic coh'
tracts for more than eight hours DAY.
OF these States sixteen are Repupiicah
and two Democratic. -Four Republican
States and one Democratic State nave
laws declaring eight hours to be lesal
working day in the absence OF con-
the employment of children under tour-
teen years of age in factories VI THESE
tNentv-three are Republican and four
are Democratic States. Laws limltlhs
the hours of the employment OF chill
dren in factories or stores have Deeh ell
acted in twenty-four Republican and
thirteen Democratic States Eighteen
Republican and ten Democratic States
prohibit night work by children. Twelve
Republican and three Democratic
States prohibit the employment OF chill
dren in operating dangerous machlhers
or cleaning machinery in motion. Ell
teer Republican and SIX Democratic
States limit the hours of labor OF Wom-
en-. 1t should be noted that twelve. OF
the Republican States which illhit
womcn's hours of labor have factory
inspectors to see that the law is oocyeu'
while only three of the Democratic
States make such provision. IN twenty.
. three Republican and ten Democratic
States employers are required by law
to provide seats for female workers.
Twelve States have enacted leSisla-
ton intended to effect the extinction OF
the sweatshop system, with it's desrad-
ing and revolving accessories. OF these
! twelve States ten are Republican and
two Democratic. Seventeen Republican
and FIVE Democratic States have laws
recurring the payment Of wages weekly
or for.nisatly, or, in some instances,
prohibiting longer period than one
month between pay days