The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-05-20
= Startling Picture Of Massachusetts,
Factory Life.

Boston Correspondence of the New York Herald.
1T is matter of common information
that children are more largely employed
in manufacturing establishments in Mas
sachusetts than in any other section of
the country, and it is equally true, but
not so generally known, that their condi-
ton is little better than that of the juveile
negro population in the palmy and flourish
ing days of Southern slavery. Education,
morality, and Christianity have always
been advertised as the chief products OF the
old Bay State, but there has always been
an intentional or accidental omission Of
less worthy characteristics of this Puritan
land. While there is undoubtedly much
to praise and admire In Massachusetts
laws and customs, it is nevertheless true
that there is a very great deal to den0unce,
and it would seem to be well if some of the
long-haired philanthropists would con-
centrate their efforts upon needed re-
forms about home, rather than to try to
ameliorate the condition of the less de-
serving in distant localities. The matter
of the employment of children in manufac-
turing establishments is one in which there
Is an opportunity for wise reform, and
the demands for it have been so numerous
of late that the last Legislature was forced
to take some decided action, and in re-
spouse to a CARLOAD or more of petitions
an inltiatOry step was taken in the pas
sage of law forbidding the employment
of any children less than 10 years of age,
and the employment of any between 10
and 10, unless they shall attend school
three months in the year, and none of
these to be employed more than 60 hours
per week-the penalty for violation being
fine of $50 from the parents, guardians,
or overseers of the establishment.
To secure an enforcement of this law,
or ascertain the possibility of enforcing it,
Mr. Henry E. Oliver, of Salem, was spe-
cially detailed as State officer to exam
inc into the manner in which children are
employed in the various manufacturing
establishments in the State, and report,
which he has recently made to the. Legis-
lature, Is anything but corroborative of
the eminent character of Massachusetts
MIR. Oliver, in pursuance of accomplish
ing The work assigned him, commenced a
correspondence with the town clerks, as
SCISSORS, and deputy State cOnstables
throughout the State, and in answer to his
inquiries, obtained the following facts OF
SOL towns, Isl contained establishments
employing children to the number of 81
1913, of whom l ,S5S were boys and $40
girls. Of these, were under 10 years of
age, and 2,546 between 10 and 15
Only 1887 are able to read and write.
Towns wherein evening school is kept,
80; number of days schooling per year
had by children under 10 years, since en-
tering employ, no reply number of days
schooling per year had by children be-
tween III and 10 years since entering en-
plOy, 6 years no schooling to 60 days
schooling; hours ofemploymento of children
per week, to 70; average months en-
ployment per year of each child under 10
to 3; average months employment per
year of each child between 10 and Is,
20 ~; whole number of months night
work since 1850, ~ to "a average num-
Der oil hours per night of such night work,
IL to 10; whole number of children EN-.
pioyed in such night work, said to be
above ID, 1877.
Ofthe establishments at Fall Rivcr Lowell,
and Lawrence, employing chilJren, thirty
were found TO have them within their
premises over 60 hours per wvea, and in
view OF this and other unples slnt facts
MIR. Oliver remarks: Yet we ere not as
men altogether without hope. Something
has been accomplished. The condition OF
these children has evoked the attention OF
the State. There is demand for informa-
ton on the subject, and demand that
Will push away evasion and all adrOit con
cealment, and that will insist upon it that
this reproach under which the common
wealth has fallen shall be purged away,
and that State that has boosted so much
OF Its educational advance, and so often
called upon sister States to mend their
ahOrtRn-nInOQ no ho tod OF NIT h
the finger of scOrn, and hear it reprOach-
fully said, Physician, heal thyself.' We
nave, indeed, boosted long and loud, and
we still boast, and by the highest as we'll
as the lowest educational authorities, in
state paper and report of small school
district, we herald to the world tidings OF
our own educational selfpraise And yet
we have very great deal to learn, and to
feel 1t to be true, that if in general views
and practice of diffusive education we
have outstripped England we ourselves
are being outstrlpped by our own sister
states IN the same matters"
having gwen lengthy account of the
attempts In various sections of the State
to educate the factory children, Mr.. Oliver
refers TO the condition OF the factory child.
rem IN England, and then goes on to say :
Now, if 1t be asked what has all this to
do with your speciality, reply, you have
equal ignorance here, and equal misery
Will come from it, unless you remedy
1t by educating your workers. In
education, then, the principal cen
tiers OF the manufacturing industry
stand below the average of the whole
OF England and Wales Taking the sig.
natures OF parties to marriage registers as
guide, thoee who make their mark ,
were 30 per cent. of the men and AS per
cent: OF the women, the proportion of all
England and Wales being 90 per cent. of
men and 30 per cent of women, showing
all through better education of women
than OF men. In this pitiable ignorance
Manchester was the lowest, being for
males IL, and for females 46 per cent, a
degree OF ignorance that should shame
Old England and alarm New England, lest
a worse befal her. For drunkenness.
more persons are arrested in the manufac-
turing districts than elsewhere, in the ra-
ito of seven to five, or 700 there to 500
elsewhere. The ratio of morality is uni
formly greater than the average in England
and Wales, arising from overcrowding and
Imperfect sanitary regulations, insufficient
cy oil food, excess of drinking, and other
bad habits"
Further along in his report appears an
extract of a letter to Mr. Oliver from =
person familiar with factory life in Massa-
chusetts: "The principle Of slavery, dis
guise 1t as we may has always existed
and always will. The manufacturer will
pay his help as little as possible, and keep
tnem al work as closely as pos ible, and
all ne intends they shall have is enough
10 ieeo tnem, TO cloth them, and to keep
fh..rr,