tion in wages, 13 did not favor it, and 4 did not respond. Of the total employers, 5 thought that employees could accomplish as much in 8 hours as in 10, 111 did not think so, and 10 did not respond.

PENAL AND REFORMATORY INSTITUTIONS.-On October 31, 1896, there were six of these institutions reported in the State, with a total of 2,836 inmates and 268 employees. The following table gives a summary of the more important data presented:

STATISTICS OF PENAL AND REFORMATORY INSTITUTIONS, OCTOBER 31, 1896.

The total number of convicts represents those in the institutions on October 31, 1896, while the number shown in the other columns in some cases represents the average for the year. This accounts for the apparent discrepancy in the figures.

STRIKES. Short accounts of 12 different strikes occurring during the year are presented. These included strikes of cigar makers, printers, bookbinders, bakers, stove mounters, carpenters, woodworkers, metal polishers, laborers in salt and lumber works, shipyard employees, and coal miners. Very little statistical information is given. The greater part of the chapter is devoted to a review of the Tenth Annual Report of the United States Commissioner of Labor on Strikes and Lockouts.

DECISIONS OF COURTS AFFECTING LABOR.-This consists of a reproduction of extracts from issues of this Bulletin.

ΜΟΝΤΑΝΑ.

Fourth Annual Report of the Bureau of Agriculture, Labor, and Industry of Montana, for the Year ended November 30, 1896. James H. Mills, Commissioner. iv, 133 pp.

The subject-matter of this report may be grouped as follows: Introduction, 17 pages; statistics of counties, calendar year 1895, 12 pages; railroad wages and traffic, 11 pages; prices of farm products, propor

tion imported, and cost of staple groceries, 16 pages; farms and farm wages, dairying, fruit growing, business establishments, etc., 11 pages; cattle, sheep, and wool industries, herders' wages, etc., 13 pages; labor and employment, 10 pages; manufacturers, general employers, etc., 13 pages; metal products of Montana, 6 pages.

INTRODUCTION.-This part of the report consists of comments upon agricultural statistics, immigration, and other matters pertaining to agriculture. Figures are also presented showing the operations of the free public employment office at Helena. The total expenses of this office, including salaries, etc., were $1,481.88 for the first year of its operation, ending November 30, 1896. During this period there were 966 applicants for employment and 873 for help. Positions were secured for 607 persons.

RAILROAD WAGES AND TRAFFIC.-Tables are presented showing the number, occupations, average wages, etc., of employees receiv ing less than $2,000 per annum, and the amount of freight traffic, as reported by each railroad company in Montana, June 30, 1895, and June 30, 1896.

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT.-This chapter contains a directory of labor organizations in Montana and tables showing estimated number of the employed and unemployed in the State.

Following is a list of labor organizations and their membership, corrected to June 30, 1896:

MEMBERSHIP OF LABOR ORGANIZATIONS, JUNE 30, 1896.

The following statement shows the estimated number of employed and unemployed wage-earners in the State on June 30, 1896:

ESTIMATED EMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED WAGE-EARNERS, JUNE 30, 1896.

Railroad employees, of whom there were 7,425, and farm owners and stock growers and male members of their families over 18 years of age, of whom 12,032 were reported, are not included in the above statement. Statistics of strikes and lockouts in Montana are quoted from the reports of the United States Commissioner of Labor on Strikes and Lockouts.

MANUFACTURERS, GENERAL EMPLOYERS, ETC.-Reports received from employers of labor in the mining, smelting, printing and publishing, flour milling, lumber, brick and sewer pipe, brewery, cigar and tobacco, foundry and machine shop industries are presented in tables showing average wages, number of employees, hours of labor, production, capital invested, etc., during the current fiscal year.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

First Biennial Report of the Bureau of Labor of the State of New Hamp shire. 1895, 1896. Julian F. Trask, Commissioner. 415 pp.

The first two reports of the New Hampshire Bureau of Labor were made annually, as required by law, and designated as Volume I and Volume II. In 1895 the law was altered so as to provide for biennial reports, so that this, while the first biennial report, is the third report of the bureau, and is designated as Volume III.

The following subjects are treated in this report: The shoe industry, 180 pages; retail prices of food and fuel, 131 pages; strikes and lockouts, 19 pages; industrial chronology, 9 pages; statistics of manufactures, 33 pages; labor legislation, 6 pages; historic epitome, 6 pages; miscellaneous subjects, 24 pages.

THE SHOE INDUSTRY.-This is an investigation of the shoe manufacturing industry of the State. The subject is introduced by a short historical sketch of the industry and a description of the operations of shoe manufacture. A brief account of the development and pres

ent status of the industry in each town and city is given, including illustrations of some of the leading establishments. This is followed by a comparative statement showing the number of shoe manufacturing establishments, the number of employees, the amount of wages paid, the value of the material used, and the value of the product, in each of the 19 States in which shoe manufacturing is extensively carried on.

The greater part of this chapter on the shoe industry consists of statistics relating to the industry in New Hampshire, secured mainly through agents employed by special contract. The statistics cover social, industrial, economic, and sanitary conditions relating to the shoe workers of the State. It appears from the statistics given that as regards shoe manufacturing New Hampshire ranks third among the States of the Union. It has 64 establishments, which pay annually $3,469,918 for wages and employ 8,069 persons, the cost of the material used amounting to $6,749,322 and the value of the finished product to $11,986,008.

Of the 1,815 shoe workers considered in these returns only about 6 per cent claimed to have given a year's time to learning the business. In regard to wages 74 reported an increase and 173 a reduction. As to the cost of living, 759, or 42 per cent of the total number reporting, saved a portion of the wages earned, while 1,056, or 58 per cent, reported no savings. The tendency of wages is reported to be toward piecework, and that mode of payment is now adopted by nearly every shoe manufacturer. While the tables are full of interesting information, no summaries were published from which a further analysis could be made. The chapter also contains a statement showing a comparison of shoe workers' wages in 12 States, the information having been obtained by correspondence.

RETAIL PRICES OF FOOD AND FUEL. This information was obtained from retail storekeepers in 235 cities and towns. The prices given are for the months of June and December, 1895. As in the case of the preceding tables, no summary is published. In treating of the general result of this inquiry the report says: "Two important facts seem to have been established, viz: (1) That there has been a general decline in the prices of commodities." * * * "(2) That there has been a general advance in wages, especially marked in locations where employees of prosperous manufacturers comprise a larger proportion of the patrons of retail dealers in food and fuel."

STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS, 1895 AND 1896.—Brief accounts are given of 18 strikes and 1 lockout, arranged according to localities. The following statement shows the causes and results of these strikes and lockouts and the number and occupations of the strikers and persons locked out, as collated from the text.

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Twelve strikes and 1 lockout were reported in 1895 and 6 strikes in 1896. Of the 18 strikes in 1895 and 1896, 12 were on account of wages, 1 for reduction of hours of labor, 2 against the introduction of piecework, 1 against working overtime, and 1 against amount of work to be done. In one case the cause was not reported. Two of the strikes were successful, 15 were failures, and in one case the result was not reported.

A series of tables on strikes and lockouts in New Hampshire, prepared from the Tenth Annual Report of the United States Commissioner of Labor, closes the chapter.

INDUSTRIAL CHRONOLOGY.-Brief accounts are given of important changes and other events affecting industrial establishments in the different towns and cities of the State and their employees.

STATISTICS OF MANUFACTURES.-Tables are presented showing the returns received from 632 establishments in 1895 and 420 establishments in 1896, and comparative data for the years 1894 and 1895 from 293 identical establishments. The data comprise capital invested, cost of material used, value of product, number of male and female employees, total wages paid, and average yearly wages. The data are arranged by industries.