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wher ever industrial changes shall make
it essential, the cost of producing articles
at the time dutiable in the United States,
in leading countries where such articles
are produced, by fully specified units of
under classification
production, and
showing the different elements of cost, or
approximate cost, of such articles of pro-
duction, including the wages paid in such
industries per day, week, month, or year,
or by the piece; and hours employed per
day; and the profits of the manufactur-
ers and producers of such articles; and
the comparative cost of living, and the
... what articles are con-
kind of living.
trolled by trusts or other combinations of
capital, business operations, or labor, and
what effect said trusts or other combina-
tions of capital, business operations, or
labor have on production and prices. He
shall also establish a system of reports
by which, at intervals of not less than
two years, he can report the general con-
dition, so far as production is concerned,
of the leading industries of the country.
The Commissioner of Labor is also speci-
ally charged to investigate the causes of,
and facts relating to, all controversies and
disputes between employers and employes,
as they may occur, and which may tend
to interfere with the welfare of the peo-
ple of the different States, and report
The Commissioner
thereon to Congress.
of Labor shall also obtain such informa-
tion upon the various subjects committed
to him as he may deem desirable from
different foreign nations, and what, if any,
convict made goods are imported into this
country, and if so from whence.

or

ARBITRATION OF LABOR DISPUTES -Chapter 1,063, of the United States Revised Statutes, provides that whenever comdifferences or controversies arise between other transportation railroad or panies, engaged in the transportation of property or passengers between two more States, and the employes of such companies; if, upon the written proposition of either party to the controversy to submit their differences to arbitration, the other party shall accept the proposition, then and in such event the company is authorized to select one person, and the employe or employes, as the case may be, to select another person, and the two persons thus selected to select a third person, all three of whom shall be citizens of the United States, and wholly impartial and disinterested in respect to such differences or controversies; and the three perand appointed thus selected created and constituted a board of arbitration, with the duties, powers and privileges set forth in the chapter. The board is clothed with power and authority to the same as are United take testimony, appointed by the States Commissioners United States Circuit Court; also to hold sessions at the nearest practicable point to the place of the origin of the difficulty or controversy. It is provided in Section 6 that the President may select two commissioners, one of whom at least must be a resident of the State or Territory in which the controversy arises; who, together with the Commissioner of Labor, shall constitute a temporary commission for the purpose of examining the causes of the controversy, the conditions accompanying, and the best means for adjust

sons

are

by him

ing it; the result of which examination
shall be immediately reported to the
President and Congress, and on the rend-
the
ering of such report the services of
ser-
two commissioners shall cease. The
vices of the commission, so constituted
the President, may be tendered by
for the purpose of settling a controversy
such as contemplated, either upon his own
motion, or upon the application of one
the parties to the controversy, or upon
the application of the executive of
State. In either case, whatever it be,
action of the board of arbitration or
commission, any order, finding, conclusion
or award made by a majority of such
bitrators shall be of the same force and
effect as if all three of such arbitrators
concurred therein or united in making the

same.

of

the

the

the

ar

BOYCOTTING-The Federal Commission of Labor lays down this ruling as to boycotting:

to "Every one has the right to work or refuse to work for whom and on what terms he pleases, or to refuse to deal with whom he pleases; and a number of persons, if they have no unlawful object in view, have the right to agree that they will not work for or deal with certain persons, or that they will not work under a fixed price or without certain conditions. The right of employes to refuse to work, either singly or in combination, except upon terms and conditions satisfactory to themselves, is balanced by the right of employers to refuse to engage the services of any one for any reason they deem proper. The master may fix the wages, and other conditions not unlawful, upon which he will employ workmen, and has the right to refuse to employ them upon In short, both employany other terms.

ers and employes are entitled to exercise
the fullest liberty in entering into con-
tracts of service, and neither party can
hold the other responsible for refusing to
It has been
enter into such contracts.

held, however, that employers in separate,
independent establishments have no right
to combine for the purpose of preventing
workmen who have incurred hostility of
one of them from securing employment
upon any terms and by the method com-
debarring
monly known as blacklisting,
such workmen from exercising their vo-
cation, such a combination being regard-
On the other
ed as a criminal conspiracy.
hand, a combination of employes having
for its purpose the accomplishment of an
illegal object is unlawful; for instance,
a conspiracy to extort money from an em-
ployer by inducing his workmen to leave
him and deterring others from entering
his service is illegal; and an association
which undertakes to coerce workmen to
become members thereof or to dictate to
employers as to the methods or terms
upon which their business shall be con-
ducted by means of force, threats, or in-
timidation, interfering with their traffic
or lawful employment of other persons is,
as to such purposes, an illegal combina-
tion. Unlawful interference by employes,
or former employes, or persons acting in
sympathy with them, with the business of
a railroad company in the hands of a re-
ceiver renders the persons interfering 11-
for contempt of
able to punishment
court."

HOURS OF LABOR.-The U. S. Revised Statutes provide that eight hours shall constitute a day's work for all laborers, workmen and mechanics who may be employed by or on behalf of the U. S. Government. This does not prevent the Government from making arrangements with its employes by which their labor may be more or less than eight hours a day. Nor does it prescribe the amount of compensation for that or any other hours of labor. When, therefore, a laborer in the habit of working for the Government 12 hours a day, for $2 50 per day, is informed by the proper authority that if he remains in the service at that compensation, he must continue to work 12 hours a day, and he does so continue, and is paid accordingly, he cannot afterward recover for the additional time over 8 hours a day's labor.

In 1887 Congress provided by act that eight hours should constitute a day's work for letter carriers in cities or postal districts connected therewith, and any letter carrier should be employed a greater number of hours per day he shall be paid extra for the same.

Holiday pay-All persons of the Government service as per diem employes are allowed the following holidays, for whien they shall receive pay the same as on other days: January 1, February 22, May 30 (Memorial Day), July 4, December 25, and such days as the President may appoint as days for National thanksgiving. OCEAN MAIL SERVICE-An act of the Congress of 1890-91 provides that vessels employed in the mail service under the provisions of the act shall be American built steamships, owned and officered by American citizens, in conformity with the existing laws, and upon each departure from the United States the following proportion of he crew shall be citizens of the United States, to wit: During the first two years of such contract for carrying the mails, one-fourth thereof; during the next three succeeding years, one-third thereof, and during the remaining time of the continuance of such contract at least one-half thereof; and said vessels must be constructed after the latest and most approved types, with all the modern improvements and appliances for ocean steamers. Said vessels shall take, as cadets or apprentices, one American-born boy under twenty-one years of age, for each 1,000 tons gross register, and one for each majority fraction thereof, who shall be educated in the duties of seamanship, rank as petty officers, and receive such pay for their services as may be reasonable.

CIVIL SERVICE.

The term "Civil Service Act" refers to an Act of Congress "to regulate and improve the Civil Service of the United States," approved January 16, 1883, which gave the power to the President to appoint by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, three persons, not more than two of whom shall be adherents of the same party, as a Commission, with authority to prescribe regulations in pursuance of, and for the execution of, the provisions of the rules and of the Civil Service Act. The terms used in the regulations are: "Classified Service," re

ferring to all that part of the executive Civil Service of the United States included within the provisions of the act; "Grade," referring to a group of employes or positions in the classified service arranged upon a basis of duties performed without regard to salaries received; "Class," referring to a group of employes or positions in any grade arranged upon the basis of salaries received; and "Excepted Position,' " referring to any position within the provisions of the Civil Service Act, but excepted from the requirement of competitive examination or registration for appointment thereto.

The rules published by the Commission on May 6, 1896, show that almost everything in the District of Columbia between the grade of mere laborer or workman and the grade of Presidential appointment is included in the classified service. The following places are brought into the classification outside the District of Columbia: All executive officers and employes who are serving in a clerical capacity, or whose duties are in whole or in part of a clerical nature; or in the capacity of watchman or messenger; or physician, hospital steward, nurse, or whose duties are of a medical nature; or as draughtsman, civil engineer, steam engineer, electrical engineer, computer, or fireman; or in the service of the Supervising Architect's office in the capacity of superintendent of construction or of repair, or foreman; or in the service of the Treasury Department in any capacity. The latter section

con

shows that outside the District of Columbia, as well as within the District, everything in the Treasury Department is classified. In branches of the service outside the District of Columbia. nected with other departments, the classification is somewhat more restricted. No person shall be appointed to, or be employed in, any position which has been, or may hereafter be, classified under the Civil Service Act, until he shall have passed the examination provided therefor, or unless he is especially exempt from examination by the provisions of the act or the rules made in pursuance thereof. It is provided that examinations shall be held at such places and on such dates as

the Commission shall deem most practicable to subserve the convenience of applicants and the needs of the service. It is also provided that persons in the Government service may be appointed as Boards of Examiners, but the members of such boards are not all to be adherents of one political party when persons of other political parties are available and competent to serve.

Every applicant for examination must be a citizen of the United States, must be of proper age, and must make his application under oath, upon a form prescribed by the Commission to be accompanied by such certificates as may be required. The age limitations are fixed by the Commission, and vary for different branches of the service. The Commission may, in its discretion, refuse to examine an applicant, or to certify an eligible who may be physically disabled to

112

perform the duties required; or who has been guilty of crime or infamous or disgraceful conduct; or who has been dismissed from the service for delinquency or misconduct within one year next preceding the date of his application; or has made a false statement or practised or attempted to practise deception in securing his registration or appointment. Every competitor who attains an average pershall be eligible centage of 70 or more for appointment to the position for which Competitors he has examined. been whose claims to preference under the law have been allowed, and who attain an average of 65, or over, shall be placed, in the order of their average percentages, at the head of the register of eligibles. Persons who served in the military or Laval service in the Civil War and were and honorably discharged therefrom, persons who have been separated from positions through no delinquency or misconduct, shall be placed at the head of the register in the order of their fulfilments of The term of eligibility requirements. shall be one year from the date on which the name of the eligible is entered upon When vacancies occur in the register. classified positions the appointing nominating officer shall request certification to him of the names of eligibles for the position vacant; the certification being of the three names at the head of the register of eligibles, and which names must not have been three times certified to the department or office in which the vacancy exists.

cities was amended to include all cities,
and making the provision mandatory.
Under the original act the promulgation
of rules had been optional with the
has been reinforced
Mayor. The act
very materially by an amendment to the
State Constitution, prepared by the Con-
of
Convention
1894, and
stitutional
adopted by the people in November of
that year. This provision, which has
now been in force since January 1, 1895,
is as follows:

"Appointments and promotions in the
Civil Service of the State and of all the
including towns
civil divisions thereof,
and villages, shall be made according to
merit and fitness to be ascertained, so far
as practicable, by examinations, which,
so far as practicable, shall be competi-
tive; provided, however, that soldiers and
sailors of the late Civil War shall be en-
titled to preference in appointment and
promotion, without regard to their stand-
ing on any list from which appointments
or promotions shall be made."

The courts of the State have construed this provision very broadly, and as a result all non-competitive examinations, except for positions in State hospitals and Prior to asylums, have been abolished. or

such

Certificates for appointments of persons in, or on direct detail from, any department or office in Washington, D. C., shall be made so as to maintain, as nearly as possible, the apportionment of appointments among the several States and Territories and District of Columbia upon the basis of population, except as to appointments in a few places.

LOCAL NOTES.

are

Massachusetts (in 1884) and New-York (in 1883) are the only States which have laws. In several Service State Civil cities the rules are, however, embodied In Philain their respective charters. delphia a system of examinations is pro"Bullitt bill." vided by the so-called The persons admitted to competition must, however, be satisfactory to the appointing officer, and the examinations conducted by boards within the departments, so that in practical operation the In Newsystem amounts to nothing. Orleans, La., and Seattle, Wash., rules have recently been adopted by popular vote, applying to all branches of the city service. A similar set of rules is provided for by the charter of Indianapolis. The system in that city was, however, temporarily set aside by the action of the Mayor in 1896. In Milwaukee, Wis., and in Portland, Ore., there are rules applying to certain departments, although not to all. In St. Louis the people are to vote on the proposition in April next. State act followed The New-York closely the form of the Federal act. provided for the classification of State offices, and for the various departments in cities of 50,000 inhabitants and over. In 1884 the provision relating to

It

all

1895 a great majority of the places in the entire service were non-competitive, and but slightly removed from political influence.

of

The original bill applied merely to the various State departments and to cities The having 50,000 inhabitants or over. promulgation of rules in any such city was optional with the Mayor. In 1884 the bill was amended to make the provision with regard to cities mandatory, and extending its operation to cities of every class. Before this had been done, however, rules had been adopted by the Mayors of New-York, Brooklyn and Buffalo. Mayor Edson in New-York City appointed as Civil Service Commissioners Messrs. Everett P. Wheeler, E. L. Godkin and E. Randolph Robinson, all whom had been actively identified with the reform movement. The original rules were drawn under their supervision and the original classification perfected by them. After five years' service they were replaced in 1889 by Tammany commissioners. During the five years following, the administration of the rules was more or less imperfect. Under Mayor Strong, however, the old commission was restored, and the board increased five members, the new members being Charles W. Watson and J. Van Vechten Olcott. Vatancies afterward Jccurred through the resignation of Mr. Godkin and the death of Mr. Robinson. In 1896 the application of the rules was greatly extended, until, excepting heads of departments, there were not more than sixty positions not filled through competition, either in the case of promotion or original appointment. system of labor registration adopted. There are 20,000 positions in the municipal civil service, of which 5,000 in the educational department are subject to a separate system. Of those reare laborers, employed maining 5,000 under the registration system. The competitive schedules embrace positions of every character, both clerical, technical and professional. Examinations are con

The was also

ducted by a board of nine examiners, who are themselves selected through examination. The examinations, without exception, are of the most practical character. Promotions are made after competition among those desiring to compete in the next lower grade. The higher places must be filled by promotion, unless the appointing officer certifies to the Civil Service Commission that there are none in the lower grade fit for the higher duties to be performed. There is no provision in the State act or in any of the local rules limiting the power of removal, excepting that removals may not be made for political reasons. In Brooklyn the right to a hearing is given by the city charter. In New-York City, in certain cases, similar rights are guaranteed by the Consolidation act.

FOREIGN RULES.

In all of the principal foreign countries an entrance examination, both mental and physical, is required before appointment in the civil service. The tenure of office is, as a rule, permanent, or during good behavior, and after the employe has become incapacitated by reason of age, length of service or physical infirmity he is retired with a pension, the amount of which varies, in proportion to length of service. from one-sixth to four-fifths of actual salary. In some countries it is optional with the employe to retire after fifteen years of service, while in other countries from thirty to thirty-five years of service are required before retirement. The salaries paid to clerks and other subordinate employes are lower than those paid by the United States Government, but in the principal countries the salaries of higher officials-such as heads of bureaus and chiefs of divisions-are, as a rule, higher than those paid in the United States. The hours of labor vary in the different countries. In the far Northern, as well as in the tropical and semitropical countries, the hours of labor are short; in nearly all of the countries, as well as in the United States, the hours of postal employes are longer than those of other Governmental employes. The time allowed for lunch, the amount of annual leave with pay, and the amount of sick leave with pay, very in the different countries; in some the time for lunch or rest, or amount of annual leave, is fixed according to the grade of the employe, the higher grade of employes being allowed more time than those of inferior rank; many of the countries are more liberal in regard to sick leave than the United States. An unusually large number of holidays is allowed, especially in Oriental countries; these holidays are, as a rule, religious ones-Christmas and New Years being generally observed in the European countries; in some countries, however, national events are also celebrated. In some countries females are not employed at all, while their employment in other countries is, as a rule. limited to work of teachers, telegraph operators and positions in the postal service. In Morocco salaries are made up from bribes and presents, and employes hold their places so long as they can squeeze enough money out of subordinates to satisfy their superiors.

WORKING DAYS OF A YEAR. Deducting the Sundays and holidays, the number of working days in a year in various countries is as follows: United States, 305. (In some States there are more holidays than in others, hence, less working days; as, for instance, NewYork has nine legal holidays in addition to every Saturday after 12 o'clock noon, which is legally a half holiday.) In Central Russia there are 267 working days; Canada and Great Britain has 278; Portugal, 283; Russian Poland, 288; Spain, 290; Austria, 292; Italy, 298; Bavaria, Belgium and Brazil, 300; Denmark, France, Norway, Saxony, Switzerland and Wurtemburg, 302; Sweden, 304; Prussia and Ireland, 205; Netherlands. 308; Hungary, 312.

PENSION LAWS, ETC.

To obtain a pension the applicant must file his claim with the Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D. C., setting forth the military or naval service of the applicant, and the nature and character of his disabilities; the application must also be signed by two persons as identifying the applicant. The Commissioner of Pensions will acknowledge the receipt of the application and order the applicant before surgeons appointed to make a physical examination, If actual disability is reported, the applicant will get a pension, otherwise the application will be rejected. Widows are required to make application in the same manner, and must furnish proof of marriage to the soldier or sailor by a verified transcript from the public record, or by affidavits of the person who performed the ceremony; or by affidavits of two witnesses of the marriage; or by the record of baptism of children. The widow must also furnish proof that she has not married since her soldier husband's death, and that she is dependent on her daily labor for support; also of the death of the soldier; also his identity if enlisted under an assumed name, and if she or her husband had been previously married, the death or divorce of husband or wife must be given. Children under 16 and dependent parents are entitled to pensions, but they must furnish proof that the death of the soldier or sailor was due to his services. Applications rejected by a Board of Pension Surgeons may be reconsidered on the evidence of two physicians that disability exists. Pensions for privates range from $2 to $30 a month in most cases, though $72 a month is granted to those who have lost both hands, both feet or both eyes.

The number of pensioners on the rolls June 30, 1896, in each State and Territory was as follows:

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Utah

766

Vermont

9,734

Virginia

8,139

Washington

4,963

West Virginia

12,932

Wisconsin

27,775

Wyoming

666

Totals

165,379 34 2,499,507 98 35,454 71 1,262,799 68 2,445,465 16 175,293 09 12,409,269 19 519,809 28 237,339 34 15,432,462 79 712,891 23 629,959 23 12,459,588 87 493,178 86 203,213 46 614,315 41 2,572,899 19 1,000,045 24

were

106,922 24 1,521,651 84 1,268,609 77 676,446 04 2,073,066 67 4,048,706 70 95,435 51 |966,897 $137,466,805 03 In addition to the above there 3,781 living in foreign countries, to whom $582,735 was paid. Of these 1.889 were in Canada, 665 in Great Britain, 601 in Germany, 79 in Switzerland, 61 in France, and 85 in Mexico. The several pension agencies are located as follows: Augusta, Me.; Boston, Mass.; Buffalo, N. Y.; Chicago, Ill.; Columbus, Ohio; Concord, N. H.: Des Moines, Iowa; Detroit, Mich.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Louisville, Ky.; Milwaukee, Wis.; NewYork City, N. Y.; Philadelphia and Pittsburg, Penn.; San Francisco, Cal.; Topeka, Kan.; Washington, D. C. There were added to the rolls during the year the names of 40.374 new pensioners, and the names of 3,873 who had previously been dropped were restored. During the same period the names of 44.093 persons were dropped for various causes.

Of the total of 970,678 pensioners on the rolls on June 30, 1896, they were classified as follows: Army invalid pensioners, 715,290: Army widows, minor children, etc.. 198.756; Navy invalid pensioners, 18,152: Navy widows, minor children, etc., 7.853; Army nurses, 540; widows of soldiers of Revolution, 7: daughters of soldiers of Revolution, 7; survivors of War of 1812. 14; widows of soldiers of War of 1812. 3,287; survivors of Indian Wars (1832-1842), 2,718; widows of survivors of Indian wars, 4,237; survivors of Mexican War, 11.800; widows of soldiers of Mexican War, 8,017.

The following are the names of surviving widows and daughters of Revolutionary soldiers on the pension rolls, June 30, 1896, and their places of residence:

Lovey Aldrich, Los Angeles, Cal.; Hannah N. Barrett, Boston, Mass.; Juliette Betts, Norwalk, Conn.; Nancy Cloud, Chum, Va.; Susannah Chadwick, Emporium, Penn.; Esther S. Damon, Plymouth Union, Vt.; Sarah C. Hurlburt, Chatham Valley, Penn.; Nancy Jones, Jonesboro. Tenn. Hannah Lyons, Marblehead, Mass.; Rebecca Mayo, Newbern, Va.; Mary Snead, Parksley, Va.; Ann M. Slaughter, The Plains, Va.; Rhoda A. Thompson, Woodbury, Conn.; Nancy Weatherman, Elk Mills, Tenn.

The following are the surviving soldiers and sailors of the War of 1812 on the pension rolls, June 30, 1896, with their ages and residences:

Hosea Brown, 104, Grant's Pass, Ore.; Joseph Coffman, 94, Milsaps, Texas; Hiram Cronk, 96, North Western, N. Y.; Jarrot Curl, 100, Pine Wood, Tenn.; Elijah Glenn, 100, Newark, N. J.; James Hooper, 93, Baltimore, Md.; George W. Jones, 93, Dubuque, Iowa; John Lumberson, 90, Baltimore, Md.; Laman Lejeune, 100, Thibodeaux, La.; William C. Moss, 93, Stonington, Conn.; Eleazor Smith, 100, Danbury, N. H.; Thomas M. Sturtevant, 96, Madison, N. J.; Isaiah B. Sexton, 91, Sparta, Mich.; William R. Yancey, 95, Daphne, Ala.

The amounts paid last year for pensions to the survivors and widows of the War of 1812, the Mexican War and the Indian wars of 1832-1842, were: War of 1812, $458,820; Mexican War, $2,182,782; Indian wars, $737,473.

SUGAR BOUNTY.

On September 5, 1895, R. B. Bowler, Controller of the Treasury, rendered a decision that the sugar bounty, appropriated in the Sundry Civil bill by the LIII Congress, was unconstitutional, the case being the claim of the Oxnard Beet Sugar Company for $11,782. The appropriation made was $5,000,000, with which to pay bounties on cane sugar made up to June 30, 1895, and $236,239 for beet sugar produced previous to August 26, 1894. Subsequently test cases were brought into the United States Supreme Court on writs of error to the United States Circuit Court of the Eastern District of Louisiana, by the Realty Company, representing the beet-sugar interests, and Andrew H. Gay, representing the Louisiana sugar men. The Supreme Court handed down its decision on May 25, 1896, which ignominiously reversed the decision of Mr. Bowler. The decision in part was that "the appropriations of money in the act of 1895 to be paid to certain manufacturers and producers of sugar, who had complied with the act of 1890, were within the power of Congress to mɛke, and were constitutional and valid. Upon the general principle, therefore, that the Government of the United States, through Congress, has the right to pay the debts of the United States, and that the claims in these cases are of a nature which that body might rightfully decide to constitute a debt payable by the United States upon

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