Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-15

carrying out of its intent and purposes
ana hence has never been able to do
what it wished and for what it was
intended.
1t was created in 1911 by act Of the
Legislature and $500 appropriated for
all OF its purposes. exclusive of the
salaries of the commissioner, his dep
uty and stenographer That was I'M
derstood by all not to be q sufficient
amount for its varied duties. but as
the office had been created through the
consolidation o. the Bureau Of Indus
trial and Labor Statistics and the
State factory inspectors position. for
the direct purpose of bringing into ex-
istence an active department, it was
thought best to start on a small scale,
work up and prove its value.
The department has grown beyond
all expectations of the founders, to one
Of the busiest and most valuable in
the State. Once, the work consisted Of
compiling statistics for the welfare and
advertising Of the State and but few
people took advantage OF it's existence
to benefit thereby-while now il some
times appears As though every person
in the State had something for the de-
pertinent to do.
The firSI appropriation was $500.
That had to do for some time, although
in no year did we have enough money
70 do the work absolutely necessary
That fact became so apparent to Gov
error Haines and his Council in the
latter part OF 1914 that they appropri-
ated a. sum from the State contingent
fund to tide over he actually necessary
expenditures of that year
THE Legislature of 1915 saw the
same necessity and increased the ap-
preparation from $4,000 to $1,000. but
through the blunder of someone, it was
not properly placed in the appropria-
ton bill and Gov. Curtis and his Coun-
ell refused to give us the additional
$3.50. so that we have been stumbling
along on a $4,000 appropria ton.
Mind you. when this department was
struggling along in its attempts to ac-
complish something for the people Of
Maine on $500 year, and We were al
ways short Of money for our needs. we
had few of the many labor laws now on
the statute books. We had a child labor
law. but not the improved child labor
law. SO called, nor the 54-hour law, nor
the workmen's compensation law, nor
the present stringer factory inspection
law. Yet we had to neglect the perform
ance of some duties even then imposed
by the laws we did have.
Most OF the labor laws now IN force
have been passed tince 19l1-about 90 be-
ing so STYLED, and they have entaileds an
endless amount of work on this depart
ment We don't mind the work. but we
do think we should have the necessary
funds TO carry out the provisions of the
same laws.
Now, on the strength of the coming
to our assistance of Gov. Haines and
Council | had drafted and introduced in
to the Legislature of 1915 a resolve to
make our yearly appropriation $1,000 and
it was passed. as have stated. but
through the error or blunder of someone
we lost the benefit of the extra $3.50.
which il provided and have been working
almost overtime on the same old little
$500 appropriation.
The estimate l made up and filed with
the state auditor calls for $4,000 yearly
for the needs of this department, to he
used exclusive OF the salaries of the
commissioner his deputy and steno-
grapher. 1t seems in figures a large IN
crease over the s45oO provided so long
by the appropriation, but it actually is
not in keeping with the real growth Of
the departments work. Had the appro-
priations in the past been what they
should have been, the jump to $500
would not seem so large.
1.-THE statutes place upon the depart
ment this work and to do it as the Law
says we must have the funds. The in
crease also is not due. wholly to the 81
hour and the child labor laws. We have
many other laws which increase the du-
ties of the department force, and the old
laws were not fully enforced in their
day.
Factory inspection has suffered on ac-
count of the lack of funds. We have
been unable during the past three
months TO send out any inspectors for
that reason. My ambition is to improve
the general conditions in the factories in
regard to sanitary conditions, guarding
OF machinery, means Of escape should
fires or other disasters occur.
ut seems to me that an appropriation
OF $4,000 to carry on the work of the
labor department Of the State OF Maine
which has under it's jurisdiction at least
200 600 people, is very conservative-in
view of the appropriations allowed by
some Of the states whose industries are
somewhat similar 20 ours. For instance
the Minnesota department Of labor Is
allowed SEA, $50 per year: the Wisconsin
Industrial Commission s1o5.75o: and The
Kansas department of labor s25,5Io.
IT feel that the duties imposed by the
labor laws upon this department war