census enumerators can be relied upon, the conditions with respect to the employment of children as they existed during the period covered by the last Federal census.

Though agricultural pursuits as a class were followed by comparatively few of the child breadwinners in California, the leading occupation group in 1900 was agricultural laborers, of whom there were 1,493 in the State. There were also 1,099 children returned simply as laborers without further specification. These two groups combined formed only about one fourth of the children at work in California, though in several other States, especially in the South, the proportion is nearly three fourths for agricultural laborers alone. Practically, none of the children returned as laborers in California were girls or young boys, more than half of all being boys 15 years old and over nine tenths boys at least 12 years of age.

The servants and waiters 10 to 15 years old numbered 1,333, three fourths being girls. The bulk of these were aged 15, though one third of all were girls from 12 to 14 years old. The additional occupations in which a majority of the child breadwinners were girls were the following: dressmakers and other textile workers; laundry workers; telegraph and telephone operators; and canners and packers of meat, fish, and fruit. Only among fruit-canners were the girls at least 15 years old less numerous than those of all lower ages.

None but male children were employed in the following occupations: draymen, hackmen, teamsters, etc.; miners and quarrymen; newspaper carriers and newsboys; and plumbers and gas and steam fitters. Only one third of the newspaper carriers and newsboys were at least 15 years old, the proportion at this age being about as small also among messengers and office and errand boys. The younger boys likewise outnumbered those at least 15 years of age among hucksters and peddlers, canners and packers of meat, fish, and fruit, and textile mill operatives. In other occupations, however, a majority of the breadwinners were not only boys, but boys all at least 15 years old. This holds true particularly of plumbers and gas and steam fitters, and in less marked degree also of bookkeepers, clerks, stenographers, etc.; draymen, hackmen, teamsters, etc.; metal workers; miners and quarrymen; painters, glaziers, and varnishers, and woodworkers. The boys at least 15 years old likewise decidedly outnumbered those under this age among packers and porters, printers and bookbinders, salesmen, and telegraph and telephone operators.

In California it was only among children of both sexes working in the fruit canneries and textile mills and among newsboys and messengers that the proportion less than 15 years of age was notably large in 1900. In the other occupations employing children in considerable numbers the bulk of the child breadwinners of either sex were at least 15 years old, or of sufficient age to have probably passed through the grammar grades in school.

NUMBER AND CONDITION OF THE UNEMPLOYED.

It has not been possible to get detailed statements as to the number of persons unemployed and the length of time during which they were idle, but according to reports of the various unions throughout the State comparatively few persons are at present out of work.

In the volume on Occupations, just published by the Census Bureau, this subject has been worked out exhaustively. It has been possible from these figures to compare California with continental United States, with reference to the unemployed.

The tables on page 94 show that the proportion of the unemployed is smaller for California for the aggregate and for each occupation group except trade and transportation. In continental United States 49.2 per cent of the unemployed are out of work from one to three months, as against 42.8 per cent for California; 39.5 per cent from four to six months, as against 37.1 per cent for California; and 11.3 per cent from seven to twelve months, as against 20.1 per cent for California.

Of course it is impossible to get at the causes of idleness among workmen. How much is enforced and how much voluntary will be of prime importance in determining the industrial condition of a country. Many causes aside from lack of work keep men from employment for a part of each year. Sickness, vacations, moving from one part of the country to another, etc., are causes of idleness.

In the different trades represented in this State there is little idleness. Just at present there is less activity in the iron trades than formerly, while the building trades are especially active. There seems to be a sufficient number of unskilled laborers to meet the demand and even a surplus of this kind of labor in some localities, particularly San Francisco.

Considerable comment has been occasioned among laboring men generally by the recent order of certain railway and other corporations limiting the age at which an employé may begin work. This age limit. is usually set at 35, beyond which age no new man may be employed, nor can any man over 45 be re-employed. While it is not the practice of this Bureau to make comments that could in any way be considered partisan, still it seems that while dealing with this subject of the unemployed, a word concerning this practice could not be considered out of place. No doubt every man at 45 years of age should be settled in his

life work and should have a permanent position. In many vocations, however, changes are absolutely necessary from the very nature of the work. In any vocation changes should be possible at any time. No one may question the right of any corporation to make any rule concerning the age of its employés it sees fit, yet, what one corporation does all may do, and should every corporation fix the greatest age at which a man might enter its employ at 45, it is difficult to determine just. what would be the result to employés in general. Many causes may conspire to throw a skilled mechanic or clerk out of employment. The corporation employing him may become bankrupt, or lose half its business through competition or depression, or conditions may be imposed upon him impossible for him to bear. If he severs his connection with his firm, he can find employment nowhere else. Thus, should all employers refuse to hire a man who has passed the forty-fifth year mark, every man beyond that age must hold his job at all hazards, or else suffer under the most vicious blacklist that ever existed. An absurd feature of the whole condition is that the rule applies to the rank and file and does not affect the officials; especially comic is the fact that the officials taking the position that a man over 45 years of age has ceased to be of mental and physical value, are mostly over the 45-year limit, and so, under their own ruling, unfit for positions of trust. It is scarcely reasonable to assert that a dogmatic line can be drawn at which point all men, regardless of individuality, habit, or character, can be declared fitted or unfitted, as the case may be, for any position whatsoever. It would seem somewhat paradoxical that the maximum age at which a man can enter railroad service, for instance, is the minimum age provided by the Constitution at which a man may become President of these United States.