red
to give every person discharged a letter stating the reason of his
discharge, which statute was since held unconstitutional in Georgia.

In 1906 the usual sanitary legislation goes on. Massachusetts adopts
an eight-hour law for public work. Arkansas and Louisiana attempt
legislation preventing the violation of contract by persons farming on
shares, or the hiring of farm laborers by others, and Massachusetts
establishes free employment bureaus.

In 1907 four more Southern States attempt laws to control agricultural
labor; the factory acts and child-labor laws continue to spread
through the South; New York largely develops its line of sweat-shop
legislation, and more child-labor laws and laws prohibiting the work
of women in mines are introduced in the South.

In 1908 Oklahoma adopts the Kansas contempt statute, and Virginia
provides for appeals to the Supreme Court in contempt cases. South
Carolina makes it a misdemeanor to fail to work after being employed
on a contract for personal services, or for the employer on his side
to fail to carry it out. Oklahoma adopts a curious strike statute
which, besides the usual provision for the closed shop, makes it a
felony to bring workmen, _i.e._, strike-breakers, from other places in
the State or from other States under false pretences, including, in
the latter, concealment of the existence of the strike; and makes it a
felony to hire armed men to guard such persons.

With this climax of labor legislation our review may properly end, but
the reader will not fail to note the advantage that may be derived
from experience of these extraordinary statutes as they are tried out
in the different States and Territories. It could be wished that some
machinery could be provided for obtaining information as to their
practical working. The legislation of 1909 was principally concerned
with the matter of employers' liability for accidents, a conference
upon this subject having been held by three State commissions, New
York, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Massachusetts extended the act of 1908
permitting employers and employees to contract for the compensation
of accidents; and Montana established a State accident insurance for
coal-miners. California and Montana exempted labor in a large degree
from the operation of the State anti-trust laws; but Washington
adopted a new statute defining a conspiracy to exist when two or more
persons interfere or threaten to interfere with the trade, tools