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most active. If such places are to be shifted from time to time, club-houses of this class should be constructed so that they could be taken apart and moved from place to place.

The committee very strongly recommended the establishment of the Saturday half-holiday and in this connection said in part: "In talking with employees of all classes there was brought to our attention a prevalent and spontaneous desire for the Saturday half-holiday. . . . We know of no other one proposition, outside of those considerations relating to shelter and food, so well calculated to make the mass of workers on the Isthmus contented and happy as the Saturday half-holiday. The climate of the Isthmus is such as to make this weekly half-holiday important not only for recre ation, but, what is more important still, for health. The Saturday half-holiday will . . . afford a distinct opportunity to bring together for outdoor sports and other recreation employees from places scattered along the route, thus encouraging a feeling of com. munal interest throughout the zone in the social life of all its communities and in the prosecution of the enterprise that binds them all together in a common purpose."

A Tuberculosis Campaign in Virginia. The following recommendations made by the Medical Society of Virginia indicate the character and the importance of the crusade which that in. fluential organization is planning to institute against tuberculosis: "We recommend that the members of this society go home with the idea of individually pushing this campaign against tuber. culosis and that they discuss this problem at the next meeting of their local medical societies, urging the town and county authorities to pass such regu lations as an anti-spitting law, the compulsory registration of all tuberculosis cases, and the disinfection of rooms vacated by a consumptive.

We further recommend the organization of antituberculosis leagues throughout the State for the education of the people, not forgetting that the most important work is to be among Negroes and other working classes.

To cure early cases, Virginia should have a sanatorium, which should receive State aid, for the care of the indigent poor, which is a large class in this State. Such a sanatorium should provide for the colored as well as the white cases. We recommend that this matter be referred to a special committee to be properly drafted and presented to the Legislature."

Commenting on these recommendations the Bul. letin of the Virginia Board of Health says:

"We have hospitals for the insane - four in number-at which about thirty-four hundred insane citizens of the State are cared for, only a few of whom are restored. Should not the State do something for the consumptives-a class four times as large as that already mentioned and just as needy, just as deserving, more contagious, with greater danger of innocently contaminating friends or neighbors, and with many more chances of restoration."

This is an important step which the white phy. sicians of Virginia have taken, and the emphatic mention of the Negroes in their plans signifies the thoroughness with which they intend to work. To the scientific mind of the physician it would be folly to omit the Negro race from a movement of this character. So long as the colored people, forming a third of the State population, are afflicted

with such a disease as tuberculosis there is no freedom for the whites. It is to be hoped that the Virginia legislature will make liberal provision for the fifteen thousand unfortunates suffering from tuberculosis within the limits of the State. The Southern Workman, February, 1906.

Labor Difficulties in the Philippines.

The plans for harbor improvements involve an expenditure of about $4,000,000, the work being in charge of Major C. McD. Townsend, an engineer in the United States Army. After difficulties, however, a New York company took the contract for the construction of the breakwaters, the dredging of the harbor, and the filling of the land to be reclaimed, the work to be completed for $2,500,000. The company secured the additional contract of filling in 3,000,000 square feet in front of the Luneta, the two moats which surround the Walled City and a large tract of low country beyond the municipal building.

The first difficulty the company encountered was the labor problem. American workmen were employed, but they were of little value in such an enervating climate. Then American Negroes were employed, but they, too, proved unsatisfactory. Chinese laborers were next secured, but to the disgust of the company they were worse than the American or the Negro workmen. As what seemed a last resort, Japanese laborers were introduced, and when they, too, failed to handle the work the company was preparing to face ruin, when someone suggested that the Filipinos have a chance. At that time nobody thought the Filipinos worth their salt as laborers; but, since there was no alternative, they were employed. To the surprise and delight of the company and of the Commission, they filled the bill, and the harbor improvements are now a reality. The story of these native workmen - how a thousand of them with their wives and families received sanitary houses, wholesome and nutritious food, amusements, schools, a church, and how faithful and efficient they have proved - is one of the brightest chapters in the history of the American occupation. The company was greatly embarrassed and its work delayed by the dishonesty of American firms, who, on the supposition that anything was good enough for the Philippines, shipped damaged goods and machinery.

The area reclaimed from Manila Bay comprises 190 acres. The streets of this block are to be ninety feet wide, and the reclaimed area will be surrounded by a roadway 160 feet wide. At the entrance to the reclaimed land, on opposite sides of this thoroughfare will stand a new custom house and a chamber of commerce, both to be fine stone structures.

In the harbor itself about 600 acres are protected against the terrible typhoons of the southwest monsoon season by two massive stone breakwaters extending nearly three miles. In the construction of these great walls more than 2,000,000 tons of stone have been used. Of the 600 acres of protected harbor 350 acres have been dredged to a depth of thirty feet, and the dredging can be extended as more room is required.

But, of all the innovations, the street cars are the dearest to the hearts of Americans. The Manila Street Railroad and Electric Light Company is spending more than $5,000,000 to supply the city with transportation and light. The city will soon have a new telephone system, too.

The street car company has employed native labor from the first, and with very happy results.

It now has fifty miles of as fine a track as can be found anywhere, and the line may be extended around the head of the bay to Cavite. Near this historical spot there will be a pleasure park such as can be found nowhere else in the Orient; and on Sundays the people may enjoy an outing through one of the finest sections of country in the Archipelago.

Manila is governed by a Municipal Board of five members, three of whom are Americans. These men are not elected by the people, but appointed by the Governor-General, the system of government being modeled after that of Washington, D. C. The natives at times complain, but every thrifty white man in the city will tell you that Manila would have gone to the dogs had the people been allowed to manage their own affairs. As it is, the Municipal Board is administering probably the cleanest city government under the American Flag. There are no political bosses or huge corporations to fight, and there is no "grafting.". .” — The Bull-Dog Gazette (U. S. S. Oregon), Cavite, P. I., Jan. 10, 1906.

Compulsory Education in the Shops. The decadence of the apprentice system and the consequent evils appear to extend wherever modern methods of manufacturing are employed. The United States is feeling the first real pinch of it in a scarcity of skilled workmen, the like of which has never been experienced before. England is striving to alleviate conditions said to be even worse than in America by the encouragement of industrial and technical schools, both manufacturers and the Government recognizing that unless means are provided to bring up an army of trained men an industrial peril far more serious than that existing will be brought upon the country. France proposes to take the bull by the horns by estab lishing a very radical system of compulsory industrial education which would be injected into factory and workshop, employers being made responsible, under penalty, for the training of child employees. The Engineer, London, in a leading editorial on the French agitation, reveals the ap prehension of England, and American manufac turers will recognize a pretty good exposition of affairs in this country in the words of the British writer, who says:

"In 1902 the Conseil Supérieur du Travail held an inquiry, and it was reported that apprenticeship in France was declining to an alarming extent, both as regards numbers and efficiency. Matters have improved but little since. There is no lack of young people in the factories, there are more than enough, but they are not apprentices, they are not taught the trade, but are engaged on work on which it is profitable to employ them, and they are paid wages in the ordinary sense of the word. The resemblance to the condition of affairs which prevails here [England] is obvious, and, indeed, under modern methods of manufacturing the condition is, unless by-laws and regulations intervene, inevitable. Keen competition and close cut prices, the automatic tool, the jig and the rig, the tool room, the routine card, the single operation method, and the hundred branches of the organization of a well-ordered and profitable factory have made it

possible for a great part of the work to be carried on by intelligence trained within the narrowest bounds, and since such labor is highly economical it is very largely employed. Moreover, the opposition to the system which might have come from parents and guardians of the lads has not only been removed but has been actually replaced by encouragement. Actuated by the desire — frequently from necessity-to see the children contributing to the support of the home, the parents, rather than bind them apprentices, have sought employment for them at remunerative wages. The result is unavoidable; the employers require lads to do routine work, the parents wish their boys to earn wages; the apprentice disappears and his place is taken by a youthful workman."

Now the Conseil Supérieur du Travail has prepared a long report which is the first step towards a new French law which will apply to both boys and girls, whether they are bound by indenture or not; and the discussion of which, it is believed, will result in a compulsory system of industrial education, along the lines laid down by the Conseil, or closely resembling them. This law, as proposed, will provide for the establishment of technical or trade classes, attendance at which, during eight hours per week, will be compulsory. The employer will be obliged not only to permit attendance at these classes within the legal 10 hour working-day, but he will be expected to see that his young people are regular and proficient in their studies. At the end of each year there will be an examination in proficiency, and every boy or girl who can pass it will be exempt from any further attendance at the classes. The youth who, after a year of careful application, fails to satisfy his teachers that he has the mental capacity for greater improvement is to be exempt from further attendance. Those who have received technical education at other schools will, of course, be exempt. In the examining body will be representatives of the employers. The education will be entirely free and the cost will be borne by the municipalities aided by State subscriptions.

A system such as this does not appeal to the American idea. The same evil exists in this country, but probably it will be remedied in some less rad. ical manner and one which will not impose a compulsory burden upon the employer. The American manufacturer is becoming educated in the great question of providing capable labor for the future. He is taking great interest in industrial and technical schools. He is encouraging his employees to take advantage of the evening schools. He is even establishing evening schools at his own expense when no others are available. Sound business sense is combined with the philanthropic side of his interest. The present famine of skilled labor, at a time when there is no lack of unskilled material waiting for the chance to learn, has taught a lesson that will not be forgotten when the need has passed by. Usually in America the natural process of business evolution produces the panacea for any industrial evil, and the awakening of the manufacturer to a danger is an all-important element in the process. - The Iron Age, New York, Jan. 18,

1906.

STATISTICAL ABSTRACTS.

Imports and Exports, Boston, 1905.

The Journal of Commerce and Finance of the United States for December, 1905, reports that for the year ending December, 1905, the imports of merchandise at Boston amounted to $106,065,998, an increase of $26,118,221 over 1895. The exports from Boston during the same year aggregated $93,797,887, an increase of $4,778,014 over 1895.

Unfair Shops — Metal Works.

Out of 31 establishments manufacturing metals and metallic goods which were listed and recorded as "unfair" in the February Journal issued by the Metal Polishers, Buffers, Platers, Brass Molders, and Brass and Silver Workers International Union, five are located in Massachusetts-three in Southbridge and two in Boston.

Crime in Fall River – 1905.

The number of persons arrested in Fall River dur. ing the year ending Nov. 30, 1905, reported by the Board of Police was 3,978, an increase of 353, or 9.74 per cent over the preceding year; 3,388 were males and 590 females Thirty-nine persons were delivered to other authorities, 1,432 were released, and 2,507 held for trial. The number of arrests was 3.76 per cent of the population. Of the 407 persons arrested for of fences against property, 189, or 46.44 per cent, were under 20 years of age. The number of non-residents arrested was 15.21 per cent of the total arrests. The proportion of prisoners of foreign birth was 27.25 per cent greater than the proportion of population of foreign birth. The proportion of prisoners between the ages of 20 and 39 was 59.34 per cent greater than the proportion of the population. The arrests for drunkenness numbered 2,176, or 54.70 per cent of all arrests; 20.31 per cent were non-residents and 63.51 per cent were of foreign birth. The number of juvenile offenders was 258, a decrease of 24.11 per cent; 20.55 per cent of the offenders were of foreign birth, and 83.14 per cent of the parents were of foreign birth.

Textile Mill Escalators.

The Wood Worsted Co. of Lawrence is having four escalators constructed to be installed in its new mill at Lawrence. It is stated that this is the first time that provision has been made in the plans of a manufac turing plant for carrying employees from one floor to another. The carrying capacity of the moving stairways will be 2,000 operatives. The estimated cost is $100,000. It is hoped on account of the large number of women employees that the great benefit derived from the installation of the escalators will offset the expense. The fact that the mill will be six stories high and that the spinning room will be on the top floor seems to render the escalators almost invaluable. The company thinks by this improvement in conjunc

tion with others in the equipment of the factory it will be enabled to have a larger field of applicants for employment to choose from.

Education in Massachusetts — 1904. The total expenditure for public education in Mas. sachusetts for the year 1903-4, as reported by the State Board of Education, was $16,436,668, an increase of $1,266,598 over the preceding year. The amount paid for teachers' salaries was $9,197,908, an increase of $322,693, and for buildings, alterations, and repairs there was expended $3,653,433, an increase of $489,777 as compared with the preceding year. The average cost of education per pupil increased from $35.80 in 1902-3 to $38.10 in 1903-4. The percentage of local State valuation (May 1, 1903) raised by local taxation and expended for public school purposes was $4.95 per $1,000, an increase over 1902 of $0.23 per $1,000.

The average membership of pupils in all the public schools was 431,361, and the percentage attendance based on the average membership was .91. There were employed in the public schools 14,741 teachers, an increase of 442. The average salary of male teachers per month was $145.48, an increase of $0.21, and of female teachers was $55.37, an increase of $0.76 over the previous year.

Factory Inspection in Massachusetts —

1905.

During the year 1905 the Massachusetts District Police made 9,699 inspections of factories. There were found to be employed 350,931 males and 208,714 females, making a total of 559,645; the children under 16 numbered 18,278. All districts except Boston reported the law relating to the employment of children under 16 satisfactorily complied with. Here it was found, especially in the smaller establishments, that the employers did not insist upon the age and schooling certificates before allowing children to go to work; usually the promise was made to procure it, and then the employer would neglect the matter until it was called to his attention.

There were 3,363 elevators inspected. Regarding elevator accidents the report says, "it is not surpris. ing that there are accidents-it is surprising that there are not more accidents, when we observe the careless and indifferent manner in which these dangerous machines are operated."

Twenty-three offences against the labor law were prosecuted; of these, 12 resulted in the offender being fined, the fines amounting to $402; four were placed on file; and seven cases were discharged or were pending at the latest report. Sixteen of these prosecu. tions were against the unlawful employment of women and of children under 18; four against the employment of children under 14; and the others against the violation of R. L., c. 104, in not providing proper egress, not posting fire-escape notices, and not

providing fire-alarm gongs; violation of sanitary laws; and operating motion-picture machines without approval of the District Police.

Industrial Accidents in Massachusetts,

1905.

The number of accidents due to causes connected with the operation of machinery which occurred dur. ing the year 1905, and was reported to the Massachusetts District Police, was 1,733, as compared with 1,434 in 1904, and 1,547 in 1903. Forty-six accidents proved fatal in 1905, 37 in 1904, and 36 in 1903. The number of persons injured by machinery in cotton, woolen, and paper mills and shoe factories in 1905 was 1,097, as compared with 996 in 1904, and 1,115 in 1903. There were 768 persons injured while engaged in cleaning machinery while in motion, or by attempting to extricate therefrom waste, bobbins, or other articles which in some manner had caught or become entangled in the machine; in 1904, there were 488 like cases, in 1903 there were 513. The number injured in this manner constituted 44.32 per cent of all the accidents, and contributes in that degree to suffering which reasonable care and circumspection would have avoided.

The accidents reported, but not included in the foregoing paragraph, having no connection whatever with the running of machinery, were: 518 injured while engaged at work, either as carpenters in making repairs, painters on buildings, laborers employed in mill yards loading or unloading cars or trucks, or in some other occupation necessary to the operation of any such establishment; 71 injured by weights falling upon them; 73 injured by splinters; 83 in using tools; 27 injured by flying sparks; 69 fell from staging; 95 injured by falling; and 20 in recreation.

Eight-hour Day for Printers.

In reviewing the situation of the contest of typographical employees for an eight-hour day the Typographical Journal for February states as follows:

The total membership of the International Typographical Union is 47,344; 37,741 of this number are now working eight hours a day. On the strike roll are 5,304 members. Those unions where no decided action has been taken regarding the eight-hour movement include 7,693 members, but of this number 40 per cent (about 3,067) are newspaper men and are working but eight hours a day. The membership reported for the Massachusetts unions affiliated with the International is 2,342. In no instance has any action been reported as to the eight-hour movement in this State.

Reduction in Hours of Labor - Woolen Goods.

In December, 1905, William Wood & Co. of Philadelphia voluntarily made a reduction in the working time of its mills from 60 hours to 57 hours a week, and advanced the wages of both time and piece-work employees five per cent to offset the reduction in time. Since these changes were announced by the company quite a number of other mills in the Philadelphia district have adopted the same course, so that it might be said that there has been a general reduction of three hours in the working week of the woolen and worsted mills of Philadelphia and vicinity.

William Wood & Co. stated to the Bureau that they were entirely in favor of a further reduction in the hours of woolen and worsted textile workers to even 54 a week, providing the working week could be made 54 hours throughout the industry in all districts. Of

course it is understood that such a step could not be taken without the concurrence of the other mills making the same kind of products.

Cotton Goods — South Carolina. According to the returns of the United States Census Bureau the number of establishments engaged in the manufacture of cotton goods in South Carolina in 1905 was 127, against 80 in 1900. The authorized capital reported in 1905 for said establishments aggregated $82,337,429, an increase of $43,078,483, or 109.73 per cent, as compared with 1900. The value of product in 1905 was $49,437,644 against $29,723,919 in 1900, an increase of $19,713,725, or 66.32 per cent.

Education in New York, 1905.

Public education in the schools of New York State cost last year $41,064,842, an increase of $3,329,905 over the preceding year. For teachers' salaries there was paid the sum of $23,084,218, which was $1,104,831 more than that expended in the year before. For buildings, sites, and repairs there was expended $10,984,565, an increase of $2,321,999, and for libraries $172,976, a decrease of $38,024, as compared with the preceding year. The average per capita cost of education has increased. Last year it was $33.45 per pupil, which was $2.30 more than the year before. The value of elementary school buildings and grounds is put at $105,572,576, an increase of $13,124,317. There is a wide disproportion between the values of school buildings in cities and of those in districts outside the cities. In cities the average value is $91,330.91; in districts outside the cities $1,833.63. There were employed in the public elementary schools 32,886 teachers, an increase of 697, at an average annual salary of $701.94 and an average weekly one of $19.94.- Bradstreet's, Jan. 27, 1906.

Alien Immigration, United States, 1905.

The number of alien immigrants, exclusive of aliens on transit, admitted into the United States during the 12 months ending December, 1905, aggregated 1,055,834. Of this number 284,967 came from Austria Hungary, 268,441 from Italy, 177,860 from Russia, 48,645 from England, 37,644 from Ireland, 36,943 from Germany, 24,870 from Sweden, and 23,202 from Norway. The number of immigrants hailing from these eight foreign divisions aggregated 902,572, or about 85 per cent of the total.

Of the total number, 61,362 arrived at the port of Boston, and 826,934 at the port of New York. - Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance of the United States, December, 1905.

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During the five years, 1901 1905, excluding the month of December, 1905, the total exports amounted to $7,476,702. The increase in 1905 over 1901 amounted to $2,131,639, or 580.24 per cent.

The exports to the United Kingdom in 1905 amounted to $631,787.

There were 451 automobiles imported during the first 11 months of 1905, amounting in value to $1,697,026; making the average value of each automobile imported $3,763. The value of "parts" imported was $106,327; making the total value of the imports $1,803,353.

Finances of the United States Government.

The ordinary revenues of the United States Treas. ury for 1905, as compared with 1904, show an increase of $3,642,935.45, while the expenditures were less by $15,123,407.86. The net result for the fiscal year was an excess of expenditures over revenues of $23,004,228.60.

For the last two years the expenditures of the Government have been in excess of the revenues to the aggregate amount of more than $64,000,000. This, however, included the extraordinary expenditures in 1904 of $50,000,000 on account of the Panama Canal.

The available cash balance in the general fund on June 30, 1905, was $145,477,491.89, a reduction for the year of $26,574,076.13.

The revenues for the first quarter of 1906 were $147,014,725.10 and the expenditures $156,588,966.66, an excess of expenditures over receipts of $9,574,241.56. In the first quarter of 1905 expenditures were $17,856,615 in excess of receipts.

The annual estimate of the appropriations required for the Government service of the United States for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1907, has been transmitted to Congress by the Secretary of the Treasury.

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OCCUPATIONS, AND COMPARATIVE INFORMATION.

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