The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-10-03
LABOR LEGISLATION
Republican States Have Been Lib
eraI In Legislation for
Labor.
Democratic States Have Done Little
to Make Labor Conditions Better
Within Their Bounds.


for tho benefit of American labor has
been taken either by a Republican
Congress and administration. or by the
Legislature OF Republican State, OF
course with the consent. and sometimes
By tho advice, OF the State executive.
Democratic Congresses have been no
tably negligent In this respect. and
Democratic States have either done
nothing 70 make labor conditions bet
ter within their bounds. OF have slowly
and reluctantly followed at distance
in the trail OF Republican reforms.
state Legislation.
The States have control OF labor leg.
islation within their respective bounds,
federal authority being confined. so far
ss labor IL concerned. to the District
OF Columbia and the territories. federal
reservations and federal public works.
The story OF labor legislation shows
that nearly all labor reforms originated
In Republican States, and at the pres
ent day the Republicans are far ahead
Of the Democrats In the enactment and
enforcement OF laws for the welfare
OF men and women and children who
work for a living. Twenty-six out OF
thirty Republican States have labor
bureaus, and only seven out OF sixteen
Democratic Stntes have similar bu-
reaus. without which labor laws are
often dead letters. Twenty-three Re
publican States have factory inspectors
TO sse 10 the enforcement OF the factory
laws. Only stx Democratic States have
factory inspection services. Fifteen
States thirteen Republican and two
Democratic-have free employment
agencies. Eighteen States have laws
on their statute books prohibiting labor
ON government works or public con
tracts for more than eight hours a day.
or these States sixteen are Republican
and two Democratic. Four Republican
States and one Democratic State have
laws declaring eight hours to be legal
working day In the absence OF q con-
tract. Twenty-seven States prohibit
the employment OF children under four
teen years OF age In factories or these
,twcnty-three are Republican and four
are Democratic States. Laws limiting
the hours OF the employment OF chill
dren In factories or stores have been en-
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
dron In operating dangerous machinery
or cleaning machinery In motion. Fiji
teen Republican and six Democratic
States limit the hours Of labor OF WON
en-. II should BE- noted that twelve OF
the Republican States which limit
women's hours OF labor have factory
inspectors TO see that the law Is obeyed.
while only three OF the Democratic
states make such provision. In twenty
three Republican and ten Democratic
States employers are required by law
10 provide seats for female workers.
Twelve States have enacted legisla.
ton intended 10 effect the extinction Of
the sweatshop system. with its dcgrad-
Ing and revolving accessories. OF these
twelve STATES ten are Republican and
two Democratic. Seventeen Republican
and Eve Democratic States have laws
requiring the payment Of wascs weekly
or fortnightiy. or. In some insts noes.
prohibiting longer period than QUO
month bctwccn pay days
TRADE U.is@ L@sea-.
Fourtecn R~pubiicsn Stairs and only
one Democratic state-Ncvsda--
laws In force prohibiting employers
from dischsrStnx pcrsoos on sccount OF
}neubsrship IN lsboe srsanizstions. O.
jfrcm oomp~iiing pcrsGs to agree not
70 beccuss membcrs Of labor ereanina-
lions 90 conditien q SECURING snpioy-
ment or continutng IN thsir employ.
Forty statcs hssc ps~ssd lAws allowing
trade unions 20 adopt labels o. trade
marss TO be uscd bo e~iensts products
OF the LABOR q thsfr members and pro
hibfting tho oountsrfr<ting ef the use
OF such Labels or trademarks by IN
authorized prroons. OF tho~a States
twenty eight are Republican and twelve
are Democratic.
The foregoing presents for considerai
tlon by iptslilgpnt. patriotic labor sub
stantiai Facts and figures taken from
the statute books of the several States.
40 platitude can upset them. They
Love the records q the Republican
aarty and Of the Democracy on the la
bor Issue, and they must convince ey.
cry reasonable reader that the RcpublI-
can party has not only brought Ameri-
can labor up TO Its present honorable
standard. but that labor can look only
70 the Republican party for assurance
Of protection and prosperity In the
future.
----
usura Restrnin UniawfuI Trusts.
Mr.. Bryan asks me what | would DO
18th the trusts I answer that I would