We have discovered that a great many people suppose that the factory inspection laws were made to cover the employment of children under the age of fourteen wherever they may be found. This of course is an error, as our jurisdiction only covers the employment of children in such institutions as can be considered manufacturing establishments within the meaning of the law.

Taking advantage of the experiences and suggestions of former commissioners the present department is endeavoring to co-operate with the truant officers and school authorities, who are backed up by the wholesome act known as the compulsory school law, act 95 public acts of 1895, and it is most certain that a rigid enforcement of both these laws will do much to stop the employment of children under the age of sixteen years in any of the more objectionable places, and will also serve later to increase the knowledge of the young and better them for the various pursuits of life.

Female employment is another problem which should and is receiving close attention of the Michigan labor bureau in the present canvass, especial attention being given to such matters as come under various sections in the factory inspection laws relative to the protection and employment of this sex. To assist the regular factory inspectors, and to better the work with special reference to female and child labor, we have seen fit to create a woman's and children's branch department, which we have placed under the personal supervision of a lady eminently qualified to investigate and report abuses in violation of such special and statutory law as was created in the interest of women and children, and some very valuable statistics are being gathered by her at the present time. Although she has but fairly commenced her work a number of flagrant violations and abuses have been reported. In one institution alone she reports over 20 under age.

To familiarize the public with the valuable features of such laws as affect the subject in question, we have caused to be published a couple of small pamphlets containing the statutory provisions for the protection of women and children in our industrial fields.

To possess good laws which are ignorantly or wilfully violated, with no cognizance taken on the part of those to whom the law with its enforcement is interested, is to encourage a contempt for law and is a dangerous thing to do. Hence, we have commenced a movement to encourage the general observance and enforcement of all meritorious labor laws, and we now have in press a complete compilation of all the labor and factory inspection laws of the state, with which we have compiled a large number of opinions and decisions of the supreme court affecting and sustaining the same.

During the session of 1897 several very valuable amendments were made to the factory inspection laws. The first one we have already mentioned regarding "sworn statements" of parents or others. The next amendment was section 5 relative to the proper guarding of hoisting shafts, well-holes and elevators, which concludes with the following language:

"The factory inspector, assistant factory inspector and deputy factory inspectors shall inspect the cables, gearings or other apparatus of elevators in manufacturing establishments at least once a year, and more frequently if necessary, and require that the same be kept in safe condition."

It has been suggested by a great many that the law should be amended so as to bring the elevator apparatus of all hotels, business blocks, and wherever public elevators are used, under the inspection and regulation of state factory inspectors.

It is claimed and probably is a fact, that many of these are operated in a careless manner and fail to receive the most careful attention and repairs which they should.

Section 6 of our factory inspection laws relates to fire escapes in manufacturing establishments, and already most of these places in the state are supplied with safety means of exit, though there are yet some to receive our especial attention.

There is another step that we find being discussed by the public, many of whom believe that the matter of proper means of escape in hotels, opera houses, and places where the public congregate or assemble, should be placed under the supervision of state inspectors, who should be backed up by a special act similar to that regulating the fire escapes in manufacturing establishments.

There are to-day laws intended to regulate this matter, but its failure to be placed under the supervision of some state official or department has permitted them to become as dead letters.

Section 10 of the Michigan laws relating to wash and dressing rooms and waterclosets was very materially strengthened by an amendment during the last session of the legislature.

This section provides that in every factory in which five or more persons are employed, and every factory and workshop in which two or more children, young persons or women are employed, shall be supplied with proper wash room and dressing room, and kept in a cleanly state and free from effluvia arising from any drain or other nuisance, and shall be provided within reasonable access with a sufficient number of closets separate for each sex. Section 14 was so amended that sections 1, 2 and 3 relate to the employment of females and minors, and children under the age of 14 shall be excepted in canning factories and evaporating works, but shall apply to any other place where goods, wares or products are manufactured, repaired, cleaned or sorted in whole or in part (thus practically defining the scope of female and child labor laws of the factory act), and in conclusion states that no other person, persons or corporations employing less than five persons or children, excepting in any of the cities of this state shall be deemed a manufacturing establishment within the meaning of this act.

Section 15 was so amended as to provide for an increase of the annual appropriation from $8,000 to $12,000 for factory inspection.

This very comprehensive section which defines the duties of the commissioner, the compensation of the deputies, amount of appropriation, reports, supplies, etc., reads as follows:

"For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act the commissioner of labor is hereby authorized and required to cause at least an annual inspection of the manufacturing establishments or factories in this state. Such inspections may be made by the commissioner of labor, the deputy commissioner of labor, or such other persons as may be appointed by the commissioner of labor for the purpose of making such inspections. Such persons shall be under the control and direction of the commissioner of labor and are especially charged with the duties imposed, and shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the commissioner of labor, not to exceed three dollars a day, together with all necessary expenses. All compensation for services and expenses provided for in this act shall be paid by the state treasurer upon the warrant of the auditor general: Provided, that not more than twelve thousand dollars shall be expended in such inspection in any one year: And provided further, That the commissioner of labor shall present

to the governor on or before the first day of February, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, and annually thereafter, a report of such inspection with such recommendations as may be necessary: And provided further, That in addition to the above amount allowed for expenses, there may be printed copies of such reports for the use of the labor bureau for general distribution. And all printing, binding, blanks, stationery, supplies or map work shall be done under any contract which the state now has or shall have for similar work with any party or parties, and the expense thereof shall be audited and paid for in the same manner as other state printing."

All of these amended sections number two, five, ten, fourteen and fifteen, which was the work of the last legislature, and they take effect on September 1st of the present year.

Representatives Eikhoff and Molster and other friends of labor in the legislature deserve special mention and credit for the results and the hearty co-operation of the representatives of the labor bureau. The assistance of the former commissioner, Col. Morse, is likewise to be remembered.

One of the most important acts of the last legislature affecting the powers of factory inspection in the state fixes the responsibility for making permanent improvements to manufacturing establishments in Michigan where ordered by factory or deputy factory inspectors, and provides that in certain cases that the tenant can make the improvements and deduct the same from rent. This law reads as follows:

OWNER TO MAKE PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS UNLESS OTHERWISE PROVIDED. Section 1. The people of the state of Michigan enact, That whenever fire escapes, elevator protection or repairs, water closets and other permanent improvements to buildings are ordered by factory or deputy factory inspectors under the provisions of act one hundred and ninety-five, said improvements shall be made by the owner of the building or premises where such improvements are ordered: Provided, That nothing in this section shall be construed to interfere with any contract between owner and tenant whereby the tenant agrees to make such improvements when ordered by factory or deputy factory inspectors.

WHEN TENANT TO MAKE SUCH IMPROVEMENTS.

Sec. 2. Whenever the owner of any building or premises as mentioned in section one of this act is a non-resident of this state, the tenant shall make such improvements and may deduct the cost thereof from the amount of rent for use of said premises.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.
Approved May 7th, 1897.

During the year 1896 the former chief inspector reported the inspection of 2,991 manufacturing places in Michigan. Up to August 26th, the present force have inspected over 2,500 factories in addition to several hundred revisits made in the interest of enforcement of former orders, and to see that they had been complied with in an acceptable manner.

I believe that by the close of this year that our force will have inspected fully a thousand, if not more, manufacturing institutions than was inspected in a single year before.

ever

While it will be remembered that the present incumbents did not take charge until the first of May of the present year, some inspecting had been

done before. We have not said this by way of reflection on past administrations, but to show the benefits of the increased appropriation which allows us much larger force and better facilities for inspection, and the enforcement of the factory laws, and I feel very much encouraged with the present condition and the advanced state of our work for this year.

It is well to mention that the salaries of the commissioner of labor, who is chief factory inspector, and the salary of his deputy, respectively $2,000 and $1,500, does not come out of the $12,000 appropriation for factory inspection purposes, but they are paid as commissioner of labor and deputy commissioner of labor from state funds, in the same manner as the salaries of other state officials are paid.

The legitimate cost of printing, stationery and supplies are also paid from the general fund after being audited by the board of auditors, thus leaving the $12,000 annual appropriation to be disbursed within the discretion of the commissioner of labor to meet the requirements of state factory inspection. With this last increase, and the fact that the salaries and cost of other supplies were otherwise provided for, leaves it now possible to do efficient work in this branch, though none too much has been provided and more could be advantageously used.

Only those who have thoroughly investigated the requirements and who have realized how large this state is, and how many manufacturing institutions we have to look after, can fully realize the great requirements of this bureau when it performs its rightful duty, and too few fully sense the great importance of this work in the interest of labor, which in spite of all hardships and contentions has grown rapidly since its organization and can now stand in a creditable position along with the same departments of other states.

I believe that a great oversight has been made by the legislature of Michigan in not creating a law and a department for the thorough inspection of steam boilers and receptacles of explosives, which should be put under the supervision of a state inspector and deputies, or which might be placed in the hands of the regular factory inspection force, provided a small increase of funds were supplied to meet this additional labor and expense.

We have already had several complaints of the condition of boilers by those who presumed that their inspection came properly under our jurisdiction, which is a mistake, unless we give these complaints the broadest consideration.

That something should be done relative to this subject cannot be gainsayed, and none interested can object to state supervision of such property as might be considered dangerous under certain conditions to the life and welfare of those compelled to labor or live in close proximity to such devices.

For years the government has recognized the importance of this subject relative to steam navigation, and a number of states have taken action in relation to the inspection of steam boilers, but so far nothing has been done in Michigan.

Acting in dual capacities in the labor bureau and factory inspection department we have the following attaches, commissioner of labor and chief factory inspector, chief deputy commissioner and inspector, seven regular appointed deputy factory inspectors, two special canvassers, one lady inspector and canvasser, one chief clerk and one assistant clerk, one statistical reporter, who has charge of the newsclipping department, in which the newspapers of the state are gleaned for labor news and factory statistics, one lady stenographer and one janitor, all of which are working efficiently to bring about the desired results in the interest of labor and factory inspection.

Although but recently organized, the new appointees of our labor bureau are doing most effective work, as I promised to demonstrate in the forthcoming report, and I believe that they all realize their duties to the state and to the special branch of work in which they are employed. We are also favored by a governor whose entire sympathies are with us in our work, which is most favorable to those situated as we are requiring at times the sympathy and aid of the highest authority of state.

We might also add as words of information that an annual appropriation of $8,000 per year is set aside by the state for the use of the labor bureau, separate from factory inspection, which is expended in gathering vital labor statistics.

MINNESOTA-E. B. Mayo referred to the bake shop laws and stated that there had been left out of them a few words that made them quite defective, when passed in 1895-amended in 1897. He also mentioned that their child labor law had been so amended as to fix the limit at fourteen years, covering employment anywhere outside of their home, except during vacation of public schools when they may work in stores.

MASSACHUSETTS-J. M. Dyson, expert inspector, referred to the work of that state relative to heating and ventilation, and further stated that Massachusetts was experiencing no trouble in the enforcement of the labor and factory laws, and had not for many years. He spoke of the great respect maintained for these laws by both employer and employé, and that no one thought of violating them today, as everyone knew that it meant sure prosecution and condemnation by all, though they were conservative in the handling of these laws.

INDIANA-D. H. McAbee, factory inspector for the state of Indiana, who was in attendance upon the convention, reported verbally that the legislature of his state, on March 2, 1897, enacted a law to regulate the employment of women and children in manufactories, and providing ways and means for their greater safety and better protection of their health; but as an emergency clause was inadvertently omitted, the law did not take effect until the latter part of April following. This act also makes it his duty to enforce all previously enacted laws for the benefit of labor. He stated that during his services in the few months of the existence of the law, he had found much to do that was beneficial to those in whose behalf it was created; that he had caused the cessation from work and sending to school of many children whose age and illiteracy under the law precluded them from labor; that he had effected the construction of modern fire escapes on a goodly number of manufactories of over two stories in height in which many persons are employed; has had elevators, stairways, etc., repaired to a