Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1908 — LABOR LEGISLATION [ARTICLE]

LABOR LEGISLATION

States Have Been Liberal in Legislation for Labor. Democratic States Have Done Little to Make Labor Condltiona Better 0 Within Their Bounds.

It is a fact that every important step for the benefit of American labor has been taken either by a Republican Congress and administration, or by the Legislature of a Republican State, of course with the consent, and sometimes by the advice, of the State executive. Democratic Congresses have been notably negligent in this respect, and Democratic States have either done nothing to make labor conditions better within their bounds, or have slowly and reluctantly followed at a distance In the trail of Republican reforms. State Leklalatioa. i * ■■ j i j The Slates have control of labor legislation within their respective bounds, federal authority being confined, so far hs ‘labor is concerned, to the District of Columbia and the territories, federal and federal public works, tthe ktory' of libor legislation shows that nearly all-labor reforms originated in Republican States, and at the enJ’day the Republicans ate far ahead of the Democrats in the enactment and enforcement of. lews for the welfare of men and women and children who work foyr, a Hying. ,Twenty-six out of thirty Republican States have labor bureaus, and oqly seven opt of .sixteen Democratic States havg similar bureaus, without which labor laws are often dead letters. Twenty-three Republican States have factory Inspectors to see to the enforcement of the factory laws. Only six Democratic States have factory inspection services. Fifteen States—thirteen Republican and two Democratic—have free employment agencies. Eighteen States have laws on their statute books prohibiting labor on government works or public contracts for more than eight hours a day. Of these States sixteen are Republican and two Democratic. Four Republican States and one Democratic State have laws declaring eight hours to be a legal working day in the absence of a contract. Twenty-seven States prohibit the employment of children under fourteen years of age in factories. Of these twenty-three are Republican and four are Democratic States. Laws limiting the hours of the employment of children in factories or stores have been enacted in twenty-four Republican and thirteen Democratic States. Eighteen Republican and ten Democratic States prohibit night work by children. Twelve Republican and three Democratic States prohibit the employment of children in operating dangerous machinery or cleaning machinery in motion. Fifteen Republican apd six Democratic States limit the hours of labor of women. It should be noted that twelve of the Republican States which limit women’s hours of labor have factory ii&pectora to see that the law is obeyed, while only three of the Democratic States make such provision. In twentythree Republican and ten Democratic State* employers are required by law to provide seats for female workers. Twelve States have enacted legislation intended to effect the extinction of the sweatshop system, with Its degrading and revolting accessories. Of these twelve States ten are Republican and two Democratic. Seventeen Republican and five Democratic States have laws requiring the payment of wages weekly or fortnightly, or, in some instances, prohibiting a longer period than one month between pay days.

Trade Ualon Label), Fourteen Republican States and eoiy one Democratic State —Nevada— laws in force prohibiting employers from discharging persons on account of membership In labor organizations, or from compelling persons to agree not to become members of labor organizations as a condition of securing employment or continuing In their employ. Forty States have passed laws allowing trade unions to adopt labels or trademarks to be used to designate products) of the labor of their members, and prohibiting the counterfeiting of the use of such labels or trade marks by unauthorized persons. Of these States twenty-eight are Republican and twelve are Democratic.

The foregoing presents for consideration by intelligent, patriotic labor sub? stantlal facts and figures taken from the statute books of the several States. No platitude can upset them. They prove the records of the Republican party and of the Democracy on the labor issue, and they must convince every reasonable reader that the Republican party has not only brought American labor up to Its present honorable standard, but that labor can \ook only to the Republican party for assurance of protection and prosperity in the future.