The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-12-12

must rest either in herself, or in the
benevolence of her employers.
. Minnesota, too, leads the several
states, in laws designed to offer pro-
lection to the lives and limbs of her
work people by compelling the plac-
ing Of proper safe guards about all
pieces. of dangerous machinery, and by
prohibiting the use Of defective ma
:chinery. No law upon our statute
books is so rigidly enforced.
Tenements and sweatshops.
The existence of the tenement house
factory, and the sweating system have
been most grievous evils to all society
in the larger cities, Trade unions and
settlement workers have within recent
years called upon every resource to
eradicate them, and with a marked de-
gree of success. Nothing in our indus
trial life has had such a depressing
effect upon the health and morals Of
the: working classes: as the conditions
surrounding those employed in tene-
ment houses and sweat shops.
DemoraIizing Effects:
Here sallow and haggard human be-
Aa6o IO!' IASCSSdACly HUH lIlOIH t1lt
midnight for mere: pittance, with
scant and unsanitary living rooms as
work shops, and not a breath Of fresh
air from one day to another: Here dis
ease, is. prevalent in every form. Its
environment is!infectious. Amid such
surroundings society's outcasts and
criminals find a fertile breeding place.
No blot upon our industrial system is
so hideous: land none has given such a
combat when attempts were made to
remedy the ills prevail Hing there. III:
J. - Public Sentiment Aroused.
Legislative committees, sociological
societies trade unions and magazine
writers succeeded in calling the atten-
ton of the PUBLIC to the unwholesome
conditions existing among tenement
house ana sweat shop working people,
and one Of the first states to respond
was our own state Of Minnesota
Recognizing that this state was
destined to take it's place some day
among the leading manufacturing
states OF the union, our law makers,
with commendable foresight, enacted
into law measures which will, SO long
! as they remain upon the statute books,
! prevent the introduction of the evils
! affecting labor as exist in the tenement
houses and sweat shops Of the larger
:. cities of our nation. ,~~... . ="
I Factory Inspection.
| We have in Minnesota very good
law providing tor the sanitary inspec-
ton of all places where working peo-
pie are employed. with it's impartial
enforcement we need fear no social
condition in Minnesota of the cfarac-
ter above referred to. - ;."~s
! Efforts are to fba made at the COM
ing session of the legislature to Sc
cure the enactment OF a law providing
| for a minimum amount of air space
/ for each employee in factory OF
workshop. II this cankbe done anoth-
er barrier shall have been placed in
! the way Of unsanitary workrooms
| and another step will have been tax
en- to protect the health OF the work
! ing classes. Minnesota has neve,
been found wanting in legislation OF
this character. .;;{ . .s ~: "
r nv Hureaus OF information. ~ :
t. Providing bureaus Of Information tc
! aid the unemployed to secure employ.
/ ment ts another onward step in social
/ Legislation recently taken by Mime
1 sofa. The sta te was moved to do this
! because Of the wholesale abuse 81
J workinEmen BY private employment
I agencies, III which applications fol
| enpl ayme ut were submitted toE FIRE.
4 quent Injustice. Fon y few men were
! sent far rom nome; after pa yina
4 their last dollar Tor. q Il OBJ, only te
i find when eachinx their destinatior
! that there wssE no. work Tor them, ane