Show YEARS OF PROGRESS r gratifying betterment of economic conditions shown in the last quarter of a century by GEORGE A STEVENS senior statistician department of labor of new york state OST important of tho the changes ar affecting labor in tho the last t enty fhe the bears ears in my opinion tou Is the betterment ot of the f economic condition of the work ers through their organizations wages have been largely increased while e there has been a material reduction in vor working king lime time in hat that term of ears th through tho the efforts of the organized workers their standard ot of living hae has been greatly im pred their homes are better furnished and their children better dressed if there had been no organization condition would not be what they pro today the factory laws laus have been lm proved the live liv h and limba of employ es are better protected dangerous machinery is safeguarded there Is api closer super supervision talon over factory work ork the legislature legle lature la Is constantly increasing the force of factory inide c tors tore and giving the department of labor sufficient elent means to carry on the work ork in a suitable table manner conditions under which men ind and woman work are better sanitation on onilla tila llon lion ight and other provisions for llie the comfort of employed emp loyes havo have come in with ith saner architecture and more wholesome regard for thu the welfare of employed emp loyes credit belongs to labor unions tenement house work Is now nox regulated the houses in which such sueh work Is JS done are licensed insuring clean and sanitary workrooms wor krooms all these advances are arf due lo 10 0 o the which has been carrle 1 on in recent years by the labor people themselves and social reformers and by this latter designation I 1 mean per fons who really by their works have shown themselves vitally in the general welfare of the people many church organizations have aided in nuiell ameliorating orating the thu ur u U 1 it of working people with the more cordial relations relation ft thus established strikes are not so numerous u and instances of discontent are loss less frequent there Is rather a get together policy and f bendly agreements as to hours ani wages and con dilious of work woth collective Collect he bargaining as it Is amed is now entered into bo between teen associations of mechanics and manufacturers legislation of the moat faal importance to laboring men and women nomen has been enacted in this last quarter con lury ury in new york state as well as in every other state in the union re reu u lation of child labor hours for u om employment protection of health employers liability all have taken a conspicuous place not to mention the broad public provisions for laboring qan man comfort f by way nay of establishing small parks recreation piers and the various movements calculated to dilate all classes oven even the poorest to high hibbar r standards of living ani and now there wore Is a trade union n lovinie lo ainie which corresponds to the boais central federated union but this organization includes unions which have hae both women momen and men workers it Is a very effective institution ir employment of children has been gradually restricted the minimum ago age I 1 limit eventually being fixed at 11 3 ears and on juno 16 1907 the legislature amended the act to provide that no child under sixteen be allowed to work in any factory except between 8 0 clock cloel 1 and 6 or tor for more than eight hours in any day or nix days in a week the latest revision provides that no male mate minor under eighteen may be emP employed loed in any factory more than 54 hours a week or more than nine hours a day the sam provision applies B to female workers the provision reducing the hours from 60 to 54 for male minors and women becomes effective october I 1 next T there h ere are a few exceptions in tho the cai ploy ment restrictions which may be disregarded to in a general consideration of iho tho like this work still to be done some progress has been made in legislation regarding employers liability and workmen ork mens compensation but much more on that score will III have to bo be done in tho the vay way of amendatory acte acts that will stand the teat of interpretation by the courts and accord with constitutional require requirements before the working masses will w receive any sub |