Show YEARS OF MORE LIL gratifying betterment of economic conditions shown in the last quarter of a century by B GEORGE A STEVENS senior statistician department of labor of new york state OST important ot of the changes affecting labor in the last A years la in my opinion Is tho the betterment of the economic condition of the workers through their organizations wages have been largely I 1 increased while there has been a material reduction in working timo time the eight hour day Is in force in a large number of trades especially in the building industry and the printing trades the saturday halt half holiday Is also generally observed in that term of years through the efforts of the organized workers their standard of living has been greatly improved their homes are better furnished and their children better dressed if there had been no organization conditions would not be what they are today the factory laws have been improved the lives and limbs of employ es are better protected dangerous machinery Is safeguarded there thera la Is tar far closer supervision over factory work the legislature Is constantly increasing the force fame of factory inspectors and giving the department ot of labor sufficient roeana means to carry on the work in a suitable manner conditions under which men inen and women work are better sanitation ventilation light and other provisions for tho the comfort of emp employed loyes have come in with saner architecture and more wholesome regard for the welfare of employed emp loyes credit belongs to labor unions tenement house bouse work la is now regulated the houses bouses in which such work la is done are licensed insuring clean and sanitary workrooms wor krooms all these advances are due to the agitation which has been carried on in recent years by tho the labor people themselves and social reformers and by this latter designation I 1 moan mean persons who really by their works have shown themselves vitally interested in tho the general welfare it f the people many church organizations have aided in ameliorating the condition of working people with the more cordial relations thus established shed strikes aro are no so BO numer aus us and instances of discontent are tess lesa frequent aare Is rather a get together policy and friendly agreed agree i vents aa to hours and wises and corf auona of work Coll octive bargain ing as it Is termed terme evis la now entered int into 0 between associations of mechanics and manufacturers legislation of the most vital importance to laboring inen aind women hs ta b bean enacted acted in this thia last quarter cen tury in new york state na an well as aa in every other state in the union regu of child labor hours houra for employment protection of health employers liability all have taken a conspicuous place not to mention the broad public provisions tor for laboring mens comfort by way of establishing small parks parka recreation piers and the tha various movements calculated to stimulate all classes even tho the poorest to higher standards of living and now there Is a trade union league which cor corresponds ads to tho the mens meas central Ade federated rated union but this organization includes unions which have both women and men workers it to Is a very effective institution employment of children has been gradually restricted the minimum age limit eventually being eted at 14 years and on june 15 the legislature amended the act to provide that no child under sixteen be allowed to any factory except between 8 and 6 5 or for more than eight hours houra in any day or six days in a week the latest revision provides that no male minor under eighteen may be employed in any factory more than 64 54 hours a week or more than nine hours a day the same provision applies to female workers the provision reducing the hours from 60 to gi 54 for male minors and women becomes effective october 1 next neat there are a few exceptions in fh the employment restrictions which may be disregarded la in a general consideration of the subject like his ahls work still to be done some progress has been made in legislation islat lon regarding employers liability and work mens compensation but bul much more on that score will have to be done in the way of amendatory acts that will stand the test teat of interpretation by tho the courts and accord with constitutional requirements before the working masses will receive any substantial benent benefit the irbe constitutional amendment passed in 1894 at the behest of the workers numerous manufacturers and those who favor industrial reforms solved for all time tho the prison labor problem so far as th aba empire state la in concerned here the competitive convict system has been abolished contract labor in penal institutions la Is now a memory the state and its political divisions taking for their own use all goods made by prisoners it if this method ot of employing convicts were established in every evary state stata in the union treo free labor would not have any cause causa for acm complaint organized labor aided by scores of advanced thinkers thi akers among the social philosophers and broad minded statesmen la Is at present agitating for uniform labor legislation in 0 fc dlf different ferent states before the cla of another quarter century doubtless doubt loaa the efforts effort now being put forth arth by theme energetic elements will kave a outcome |