felt most keenly the effect of the depression, the monthly wage payments being reduced to 61.34 per cent of the average in 1892. The following is a reproduction of a portion of the summary table presenting these facts:

PERIOD OF DEPRESSION, FROM JUNE, 1893, TO AUGUST, 1894, COMPARED WITH NORMAL CONDITION OF 1892.

A little more than one-half of the establishments represented reduced the rate of wages. The most common percentage of reduction was 10.

In several of the industries not over one-third of the establishments reported reductions in wage rates, and in one industry, that of printing and bookbinding, no changes in wage rates were reported. Changes in the wage rates, average employees and wages, time the establishments were idle, and the production during the depression as compared with 1892, together with percentages similar to those shown in the above statement, are given in detail in the report for each of the 378 estab lishments, grouped under the different industries.

CHILD LABOR.-To show the desirability of extending the age limit from 13 to 14 years at which children could leave school and seek employment, the bureau continued the investigation of the Connecticut board of education, referred to in the report of the secretary for 1892-93. Information was obtained from the grammar schools of the state as to the average age at which pupils completed the highest grammar grade, the per cent not completing the grammar school course, the per cent leaving school upon attaining their thirteenth year, and other data on the subject. Fifty-eight of the 74 schools reporting for 1894 stated that the average age at completion was more than 14 years. In the majority of schools reporting, the percentage of children who do not complete the grammar school course exceeded 50.

The replies to the question concerning the average age at completing the grammar school course are summarized as follows:

AGES AT COMPLETION OF GRAMMAR SCHOOL COURSE.

In commenting on the results of child labor and educational laws in other states as compared with Connecticut the commissioner states: "There are employed in New York factories 15 children for each 1,000 employees, in Massachusetts 18 per 1,000, and in Connecticut 21 per 1,000." The calculations are based on the United States census of 1890. The beneficial results of extending the age limit are treated under the appropriate heads of "Strength of body and of character," "Greater skill and increased comforts," "Would not intensify competi tion," etc.

EFFECT OF REDUCED WORKING TIME ON PRODUCTION.-Information on this subject was obtained from about 100 establishments. The questions called for the effect of a decrease in working time on piece earnings and on production per employee. The answers are published in full for each establishment, by industries.

The following statement concerning establishments engaged in the manufacture of hats is illustrative of the data furnished for the different industries:

HAT-MAKING ESTABLISHMENTS CLOSING AT NOON ON SATURDAY.

More than one-half of the establishments making returns reported that there had been no reduction in production following a decrease in the working hours; 31 reported a reduction in product proportionate to the reduction in working time; 7 reported a slight reduction in product; 6 did not report whether the reduction was proportionate or otherwise. The conditions prevailing in the different industries, as shown by the

answers of each establishment, are discussed in detail. The statistical presentation is preceded by a general treatise on the subject under consideration.

TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION.-This subject is treated in textual form, and covers the methods prevailing in foreign countries and in various institutions in the United States, the data being gathered largely from the Eighth Annual Report of the Commissioner of Labor of the United States.

INDIANA.

The Fifth Biennial Report of the Department of Statistics of Indiana for the years 1893 and 1894 opens with a summary of the data concerning different industries and a reproduction of the labor laws of the state. The subjects discussed in the report are as follows: Women wage earners of Indianapolis, 108 pages; labor organizations, 57 pages; domestic labor, 57 pages; coal mining statistics, 123 pages; the iron industries, 35 pages; the wood industries, 70 pages; miscellaneous industries, 53 pages; the glass industry, 33 pages; economic, social, and census statistics, 83 pages; cereal crops and farm animals, 50 pages; railroad statistics, 31 pages.

WOMEN WAGE EARNERS OF INDIANAPOLIS.-The statistics relating to this subject are compiled from the reports of 500 working women in Indianapolis engaged in 20 different industries. The reports were secured by a personal canvass, a representative number being selected for each industry. The questions were designed to obtain detailed information under the following heads:

1. Origin: viz, nativity of girl and of parents, whether city or country reared, and occupation of father.

2. Personal and industrial surroundings.

3. Wages and earnings.

4. Expenses and savings.

All but 31 of the 500 girls involved were born in the United States, and 359 were born in Indiana. Eleven working girls' parents were natives to every 9 girls' parents who were foreign. Eighty-four per cent of the girls were reared in the city. Forty per cent of the girls' fathers were mechanics, 31 per cent laborers, 15 per cent tradesmen, 6 per cent professional men, and 8 per cent in miscellaneous occupations. Nine-tenths of the girls were unmarried, and 86 per cent were living at home.

The facts presented in the following statement have been selected from the tables showing statistics concerning the origin and personal and industrial surroundings of the working girls of Indianapolis:

PARENTAGE, CONJUGAL CONDITION, AND AGE OF WOMEN WAGE EARNERS, INDIANAPOLIS.

The averages obtained from some of the other important subdivisions

of the inquiry are given in the following summary:

WORKING TIME, EARNINGS, AND EXPENSES OF WOMEN WAGE EARNERS,

a These averages were apparently obtained by adding together the industry averages and dividing the sum by the total industries, 20, and hence take no account of the number of individuals in each industry. True averages might vary considerably from those here given.

LABOR ORGANIZATIONS.-Two forms of blanks were used in gatherthe statistics of labor organizations—one contained interrogatories mitted to the secretaries of the organizations and the other inter89—No. 1———————5

rogatories to which the members were requested to furnish replies. Information was solicited concerning average wages, working hours, days employed, apprentices, dues and benefits, age, nativity, conjugal condition, number in family, number who owned homes or shares in building and loan associations, etc. Two hundred and seventeen organizations, representing 66 trades and callings, with a membership of 19,081, were reported by the secretaries. The average daily wages for the entire state was given as $2.34, and the average working hours per day 9.7. The average daily wages for apprentices was 98 cents. The average weekly dues of labor organizations was reported as 11.3 cents. One thousand one hundred and forty-two individual members reported their average age as being 33 years and their average daily wages $2.40. Of the number reported 895 were native born, 244 owned their homes, and 249 owned shares in building and loan associations, the shares aggregating in value $126,621. The statistics for each organization are given in detail as reported by the secretaries and by the members. The results are summarized by cities, and it is believed the tables represent fully 90 per cent of all the labor organizations of the state.

DOMESTIC LABOR.-The inquiry in regard to domestic labor was designed to ascertain the actual economic condition of domestic labor in the principal cities of the state. Six hundred and thirty-eight representative reports were secured from the eight largest cities, the number for each city being in proportion to the population. Care was taken to secure the reports from different sections of the respective cities. The results are presented by totals for the different cities under the following general beads:

1. Personal condition of domestics.

2. Parents of domestics.

3. Work and wages of domestics.

4. Earnings, expenses, and savings of domestics.

The statistics are analyzed with great care and at considerable length. Only a few of the important facts can be presented here, and they may be summarized as follows: