United labor bulletin., 1910-08-11
THE COLORADO STATE
FEDERATION OF LABOR
Objects for the Ben
of Officers

Will no doubt be the shaping of defin-
ite labor legislative program, the discus
sion and adoption of those measures that
it is decided to ask the next regular ses-
sion of the Colorado legislature to enact
into laws.
In this connection l have before me a
work by Miss Irene Osgood. assistant
secretary of the American Association
of Labor Legislation. entitled Progress
sive Tendencies in the Labor Legisia-
tion of 1909" Every delegate to the con-
vention should study this article, and,
fearing that they will not have the op-
portunity to do SO, l will quote some of
her paragraphs: 'The greatest need in
the field of labor legislation is the estab-
lshment of scientific standards. The
chaotic condition of such legislation in
this country is everywhere recognized"
1T is significant that this lack Of
uniformity has led to the organization of
a special national association to pro-
mote scientific study of labor legisla-
ton"
The legislation of last year included
two or three encouraging first steps in
the direction OF standardization The ap-
pointment of state commissions to study
certain subjects and draft bills, as, for
example, the commissions in Wisconsin,
Minnesota and New York on workmen's
compensation; in Arizona and Illinois on
mining; and elsewhere on convict labor.
are hopeful signs that henceforth we will
demand accurate information on underly-
ing conditions before drafting bills to
remedy them. The careful preliminary
work will enable US to frame laws that
are specific in character and capable Of
enforcement. Such general measures as
the Illinois act, that sufficient and rea-
be provided, will be replaced by laws
similar to that of Colorado. which de-
fines fire escapes and specifically regu-
lates their length, width, strength and
the kind of material to be used."-Fac-
tory Inspection Law. 1909.
l have here quoted these paragraphs
TO show that-what WINS recognized TO be
the trouble with labor legislation in our
1908 convention has found expression in
other states, namely, lack of standardiza-
ton and definite specification. Bills are
lily drawn. which leads to their being
declared unconstitutional If enacted into
laws. Wisconsin probably leads all the
states in the matter OF drafting labor
bills, the legal department of the univer-
sity OF that state having made a special
study of this subject.
The 1905 convention declared for a
specific set of laws tending to the group
ing OF all officers and offices that have
been created for the protection of the
workers, under one head; in fact. the
building up of a department of labor, be-
cause the happy-go-lucky style of Great
ing different Offices and officers. each
working on their volition and ideas. has
proven ineffective. and, in a measure, a
waste of money in that no adequate re-
turns-the protection of the workers
are shown by this method OF doing busi-
ness. Hence we have the charge made
that such and such a law only creates
a few jobs etc, etc, and to some ex-
tent this is true. because these officers
having nobody directly over them to see
that they fulfill their duties conscien-
tiously. unless they happen to be zeal
Gus trades unionists or humanitarians,
are apt to fill their Offices in perfume
tory way with no special effort to full
fill the spirit of the law. however much
they may stick to the letter of it. The
politicians or legislators, however. only
looked at the political side of this, and, !,
in their owl-like wisdom and jealousy.
thought that this labor department was
going to get too strong, 1t would never
do to allow the laboring men to have
this much power; they would be dictat-
ing the policies of the state" etc. and
to this cause, as much as anv other,
several OF our bills were slaughtered.
We are progressing some, however,
for. during the past year. the officers of
the federation and members of the pres
ent labor department have devoted con-
time and attention to the pre-
paration Of adequate labor laws; first
and foremost. in my opinion, is an en-
ployers' liability law that will abolish
the barbarous doctrine Of assumption of
risks and contributory negligence of en-
ployes when injured or killed at their
work. I place this as Of first import
ance. because 1t applies to all workers,
regardless of craft or calling.
The eight-hour law for miners, mill
smeltermen, open-cut mining,
mills, etc, the admirable bill on
this subject that passed the House and
died in the Senate last session.
Woman's eight-hour law.
Coal mine ventilation law.
Child labor law.
These proposed laws should receive
the endorsement OF the convention with
such other measures as the convention
In Its wisdom may determine. But do
not favor the crowd'ng OF our legisla-
tive committee with too many bills FIR
two reasons. The committee last ses-
sion had altogether more bills than
could be looked after and given proper
attention. and the fact that 1t is the Gus
tom Of our legislators to pick out and
pass the least important to the workers
Of the proposed laws. pass them
and leave the most important to die on
The calendar or In committee.