As yet but one office has been opened in the State of New York, although the law is applicable to Buffalo as well. The legislature appropriates $5,000 per annum for the use of the New York City office. The clerical force consists of a superintendent, whose salary is $1,500; a stenographer at $900, and a clerk at $780 per annum.

THE CALIFORNIA LAW.

The bureau of labor statistics in two states, namely, California and Missouri, have opened free public employment offices without waiting for legislation. The first of these was California, where, upon the failure of the legislature to act, certain business men offered annual assistance.

A free employment department was opened in San Francisco by the State Bureau of Labor Statistics, on July 15, 1895. The work of the department was carried on under the regular appropriations for the bureau aided by a subscription of $1,000 made by prominent business men and establishments.

The system upon which the department is conducted is as follows: "Each applicant for help is required to fill out a blank specifying the number and sex of employés desired, the kind of work to be performed and the wages to be paid, Applications for employment are made upon blanks furnished by the department, giving the applicant's name, address, occupation, years experience, wages wanted, nationality, citizenship, literacy, age, conjugal condition, number in family dependent upon applicant, reasons for being unemployed, and references. The data contained in these applications. are entered in separate books kept for the purpose, properly indexed. Each applicant for employment who is sent to fill a position is furnished with a card addressed to the prospective employer stating that the bearer is sent to take a position, at specified wages, of a character described in the card; he is also furnished with two postal cards to be delivered to his employer, one of which is to be used by the latter in notifying the department of the employment of the applicant for work; and the other in notifying the department of his discharge and the cause thereof."

The Seventh Biennial Report of the California Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1895-96, contains the latest available information concerning the workings of the free employment department; the report referred to states that from July 15, 1895, to August 1, 1896, 18,920 applications for employment were registered, of which 14,250 were made by males and 4,669 by females, also that positions were secured for 3,314 males and 4,669 females.

THE MISSOURI LAW.

The legislature failing to enact the bill so earnestly recommended by the bureau of labor under Commissioner Hall, nothing further was done until the appointment of Commissioner Rozelle, who is an enthusiast upon this subject. Finding that the offices and rooms by the factory inspectors in St. Louis could be made available for his purpose, and that his regular appropriation could be used to employ clerks therefor, he at once opened a St. Louis office as an adjunct to his bureau, and has given to it his personal attention and untiring energies.

The free employment department was opened on the first Monday in October, 1897, and the 19th annual report of the Missouri Bureau of Labor Statistics states that during the month ending October 30, 1897, 1,748 applications for employment were received, of which 1,511 were made by males, and 237 by females; that 787 applications for help were received, of which 521 were for males and 266 were for females; and that 283 males and 223 females procured employment. The following account of the workings of the office is given in the report above referred to.

"Applicants for employment are required to file their applications on a blank furnished by the department, giving their name, address, age, sex, nativity, kind of employment desired, wages required, where last employed, cause of idleness, references to character, etc. All such applications are registered for thirty days and then dropped from the list where employment is not secured. Applicants have the privilege of renewing application every thirty days if they desire, until employment is secured. Persons desiring help are required to file an application in the same manner on a blank furnished by the department, stating in exact terms the kind of labor wanted, wages, term of service, etc., which application is also registered for the term of thirty days or until help is secured.

"Whenever applications are received and registered a number of parties making application for the position designated are promptly notified by postal card and given the address of the applicant for service. In this way the unemployed and the employer are brought together with little difficulty, and at no more expense than the cost of a postage stamp.

"All possible care is taken to prevent the registration of irresponsible persons. Through the agency of the press, whose indorsement and coöperation has been the most cordial, the benefits of the system are becoming known in every section of the state, and the department is growing in the confidence and esteem of large employers of labor.

"Nearly 30 per cent of the applicants secured employment through the department during the first month of its existence, and the percentage should increase. Thus far, only three persons have been required to do the work. Additional help would enable the bureau to establish another branch of the department at Kansas City."

The Commissioner further says:

"That the work of the department is appreciated by the people of the state and of St. Louis, especially, goes without saying. The results are beyond anything expected, and the work has already reached a point that taxes to the utmost the limited force in charge."

In the twentieth annual report of the Missouri Bureau of Labor, Statistics and Inspection, covering the year ending November 5th, 1898, Commissioner Rozelle reports in regard to the free employment department of his bureau as follows:

"As heretofore stated, the free employment office in this state was opened in 1897 in connection with the office of the State Factory Inspector, 915-916 Chemical building, St. Louis, Mo.

"Owing to the failure of the St. Louis authorities to appoint a factory inspector, as provided by law, it was felt that the state inspector was not justified in giving all of his time to St. Louis, to the exclusion of other cities, hence the necessity of turning the office to practical account suggested the free employment agency in connection with the other work of the department, without extra expense to the state. Practically the same force employed in the inspector's office has conducted the work in the free employment department.

“With a slight increase in the office force much better results would have been obtained. At no time were more than three persons employed, and much of the time only two, including the superintendent.

"While no legislative authority was sought prior to the inauguration of the system, the matter was communicated to the Governor who endorsed the plan, and since it has been in operation it has been warmly espoused by the press and public. It is gratifying indeed that not one single protest has been made anywhere throughout the state against the operation of this department, but on the contrary words of commendation and praise come from every quarter, from the employers and employés alike.

"The bringing together of the employer in need of help and the worthy unemployed seeking work, free of expense to both and at a minimum cost, is

the chief function of the state employment office. The state itself can not furnish employment and the class who patronize this department so understand."

During the year 7,783 applicants for positions were registered, and 4,661 applications for help were filled. Of the applicants for positions 5,680 were males, and 2,103 were females. To show the general character of the work done the following details are copied from the report:

"The orders for help received and filled from October 1, 1897, to October 1, 1898, inclusive, are as follows:

Situations Secured by the St. Louis Office.

"Under the head of "professional," the following occupations are included: advance agent for lecturer, portrait painter, civil engineer, physicians, druggists, newspapermen, dentists, female druggists, lawyers, teacher of clay modeling, specialists in Belles Lettres, history, etc., photograph artist, promoter and piano player.

"Under "mechanics" are wagon-makers, cobblers, carriage blacksmiths, plasterers, bricklayers, smoke-stack painters, butchers, barbers, brass and iron molders, blacksmith and horse-shoers, bridge and structural iron-workers, carriage painters, shoe-fitters, upholsterer, shoemaker, matchers and ripsaw men, engineers, firemen, tinners, granite-cutters, hoisting engineers, electrical eegineers, machinists, brass-finishers, metal-polishers, core-makers, plumbers, gas-fitters, wood-working machine hands, marble-cutters, signwriters, paper-hangers, cabinet-makers, bench-molders, sheet-iron workers and tailors.

"Miscellaneous orders include vinegar pickle men, men with covered wagons, soap-makers, meat-cutters, prospectors, auctioneers, clay pit men, description writers, candy-makers, tobacco stemmers, dyers and cleaners, educated women for drapery departments, experts on tobacco growing, girls for leather work, manicurists, hoop-pole shavers, curb-stone setters, stonesawers, machine draughtsmen, armature winders, men to operate steam drills, bicycle repairers, steam-hammer men, photographers, telegraphers, bottlers, box nailers, granitoid workers, single-tree makers and vise makers."

"Orders have been received from the following states and countries: Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, Alabama, Louisana, Indian Territory, Kentucky, Georgia, Indiana, Mississippi, Iowa, Oklahoma Territory, Ohio, Nebraska, Old Mexico, and Montana."

Another statement of the Commissioner is of special interest:

"Not the least service rendered the public by the establishment of the state free employment department has been the decimation of the fraudulent 'employment agencies,' so-called, especially in St. Louis, where sixteen of these concerns were said to exist only a year ago, only four are now to be found."

"The methods" continued the report, of these concerns in entrapping the unwary are almost beyond belief; but the daily complaints to the officers of the law confirms their truthfulness."