Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-09-28
OREGON LABOR WORLD
PROSPEROUS DESPITE
PANIC AND HARD TIMES

The report of Labor Commissioner
Hon. Just rendered shows unpar-
alleled prosperity among the work
Ing men OF oregon. The great strides
In advertising the state and It's re-
sources ls the main reason given for
the remarkable condition OF labor
Notwithstanding the panic and tho
cry OF hard times" In many parts
OF the country.
Many important matters are taken
up and discussed at length by Hon.
but probably the most startling IL
his unmiatakably clear warning that
the Chinese and other AslatIcs must
be excluded from the country for the
benefit of The white race In general
and the laborlng men In particular.
The report In a. follows.
Review and Recommendations.
In presenting this, my third BIZ
enflial report. ! am pleased TO state
that tho Industrial condition IA rap-
Idly recovering from the shock Il re-
celyed by the bank panic last fall.
Owing 10 this panic and also to the
advance In the railroad rates. Indus
try IN oregon was checked. and many
men thrown out OF employment espe
clally In the lumber lndustry That
Oregon could not for long time
suffer much from this must be wei
understood when u II considered
that crops were good and prices
higher than ever before Never bee
fore was there so much wealth
among all classes % people as dur
Ing the last year. Very little trouble
has been manifested between em-
pi0yer and employees. Strikes and
iockouta were few and without law
'leasness. oregon's great resources
and the awakening OF commercial
hodies all over the state Co the need
OF adyertlslne 10 the world our ad-
ventagea, are sending our state 10 the
front with great strides.
Accidents.
The accidents In lumber camps re-
man the same as before. hut In the
mills and factories. owing 90 the In
epectlon law. have been greatly re-
duced Reports OF Academia are
more fully made and but few fail 10
report the same to this Office, owing
20 the fact that manufacturers are
beginning 90 rcrogniEe the laws gov
erning this bureau in the true light
as required under the new condition
OF devolping the great resources OF
our state. OF keeDing mace with other
states. and OF hettering the situa-
tion for all.
Child Iabor.
oregon IL 60 be eOmBlimented on
her child labor law. Though n no |
doubt can be improved. Il Ia stlli
one of the best IN the country ana J
through the child labor commission.
4 IL being enforced as Ear as possl- |
BILE. AS the state grove In indus
trial Importance. this law Is already
here 90 meet coming conditions aud |
Il already, In many Instances. soreivl
needed, While II may be good for |
a child, when school does not claim |
him, 20 work az suitable employment, |
the factory With its dark. musty and |
dusty cellars and attles Is not the
place for him Oregon's factories |
are 80 Tar generally we'll lighted ana |
ventilated, stu they are not the
proper places IN which 10 Apond the /
inteFmisslon between school terms
No child should be allowed 20 absent |
himself from the school under any
eireumstances except sickness There |
are Ga the United States today i,s76,-
1875 children over the age of u years |
that know neither how 10 read or
write Child labor 4 mostly respon-
sih'e for thls condition
CHILD labor Iaw---violaeioas.
The enforcement of the child lahof
law. as FAR a. Portland Il concerned.
has been ieft Ca the child labor com
mission who has, during the last two
years, aled In the once OF the dis
trlct attorney complaints and In the
Juvenile court. four oomplaints. the
latter being 81 such 4 character as
20 hr'ng the offence also within the
jurisdiction OF the jnsenlle court
nnly the iuynnile court easeu DAmo
Ia trial netore the last election.
The prosecatinE sttofney could elf a.
500 Jury, and being called before |
~ wss sufneieat "a stop further
llnlallnl nf the lam IN lhaaa aanA.A