The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-02-08
Protecting the Little Ones.

We call the earnest attention Of our leg
islators 70 the Act for the Protection uf
Factory Children now before them, not
only A q movement dictated by common
humanity. hut as one absolutely necessary
flr thr protection nj society The number
ot children put ru hard work under the are
NJ ten hi New York has become arpaling.
increasing as no has done RAPIDLY during
the last ten wears with the rise since the
war Iu prices ui both labor and the means
Of supporting life. A poor man with
Swarmug household finds it the quickest
and most ctfrtrual mode Of relief to thrust
each child AZ soon almost as il has left the
cradle INTO "a workshop or factory. These
children are, in many If the large MANI
3D.. facturieS worked from eleven To fifteen
F" hours day for SIX DAYS III the week
'wl,luur being taught the slightest rudi-
a." mtuts Of education or religion. OF the
number and age OF children 50 employed in
this ury alone, some Iica may nv gained
frum Mr. Braces book upon the Dangerous
Glasses ~ New York From | 500 To
2.uuu. he states I. under fifteen wears If
4" a-r. are employed I'M a single branch.
" tIr manufacture If paper collars OF
" those between fifteen ana twenty wears
" the number reaches 5000. In tobacco
" factories IN New York. BROOKLYN. and
" the nelghhorhood are children only four
wears ui age- others OF eight earn their
three dollars per week One child tend
.' ing a machine had 70 be raised on a box
90 foot and half high ~ enable her 10
reach her work Ola women of sixty
and children hardly past infancy We're at
90 work u one room. The occupations
and haHaicrafts III which the services II
these stuifed little men and women can be
called into use ans legion hut whatever
they are, llr Brace has Justly ClaSSpd Them
among the dangerous classes. They are
probably the most dangerous amon,r IL
Cur grown ruthan born in % Iaxer prriod
w the money market has some idea IF
the lustcr work uf lav and order against
which he rebels. and to which he could
conform II hc pleased. Ten wears ago the
poor man could afford to give his 10y At
tlSi IA enough rn learn 40 the public
school e. read and write. H1s bones had
INN. o harden. tho machinery IF his body
4" Nr,. .ir htted Tor work ana some idea
NH hiN irAl POSITION "A "a member Of society,
t'-N " creature "hith ''"d has male, ne-
.''I' rue H'Id 'Fu'-erN ~ earning t""'i to
N.'I 7" '-,N was Svt before MN, entered
.''''. -','". II S""n n the poor little
'''''.' amman can use ms hands, while hls
N"IrS "rt ytt Erlsile. ana ms brain u
'I'.Ih' "Hir Hls knowledge - life, ITS pos
~....'l,N aHa 'yutr"iiing forces, Is limited
'i' 'il'F where me- was born, the grus-
N'.I ri 'At corner, ahd the policeman, who
N." "Iil Ihth "ia4s "li some ot ms neigh
Doors ihin uuhu""n deeper depths If mis-
tl\- aAu ms sole EunNlrdge vt God Is
"NfiahtI irNm an oath. hc rs set down
before lnHthine T" earn hls bread, m be-
-lh U" I-ht i""t ny foot the lifelong bat
lie WIN Ntath. me results are obvious.
lhest chidrrn' without exception, become
d"a1icd and weakened the vigorous sap
~ lite never seems ~ hud its way into
Their "ithtred. wan little bodies. As for
any growth lu s'nl "r brain, they remain
as lhey Went mt" the mandatory ami
mus whether they become dangerous
animals depends solely spun circumstance.
he ignorant boy n fifteen ~ mill "r shop
mas learned ID" other use 81 life but 10 OBJ
tam iood and shelter and To crafty his
FaSsl"hS. II an easier mode ot DONG tins
than work comes t. him, why should he
not accept 1t He knows nothing Of
world p honesty, kindness, culture 70
restrain hm nothing ~ God. The
Policeman ana the Ihl behind him take the
place Oh neil and heaven and at the powers
therein
IL Is easy {" rctort that society does its
part ny li"Nlaihs Iu"he schools As long
a. euuoa'l"h = h', o.Hp"ls"ry- the temp
ta'loh NJ wages am ihe necessities oi pov-
cry Will Keep these means used. The
"hly m"de "i reaching the eyil IS by such
At ny a. ". 'he n" "Iered IN winch 1t
Il ll'' 'ueu li'a' 4" ehhd under the age
"i ''n wears Sinai "e employed TOT hlre
IA any hi"il'lia't"ry OF mechanical shop
n Al any Manufacturing work within
tns Hta'e ana r. chlld under the age
oi WE'VE years ShalI TIE so employed IN
less Suoh emo "a" 'iit'iligihiy read UNI
4. III I,n"l'y n I'M o,i'ars i"r every
d.. Jay u"'iii7 ''i'" any sue, cilI'u snail re
-. y" ne Pa'u ny the EN-
Ii'lyi AH,' ~" tl'"t y" chliu I'M
nj ''i' ase II sixteen years snail Pc en-
Pi"ge" III any "''Iluiac''ry or IN any
me llNi'i 4, "I i.i"h''iac'urlng work
N, i'iiiii ''i' ''''e TIT i n, IMAM Sixty
7" ''V eie III "ther
provisions m the blIl as proposed equally !
bpuehcrnt and necessary amnnor Which D.
~, 80 ~. .., ,,l.,,l y. -. y
'ie ""s' III "iS 6i''u M ho'l0t WIS NLlch
gives 20 'iiese poor cillIareh' Win whom /
the " ", mas uealt 50 nardly' tner chance I
ior OhiiS'h'''5 ai' the "urlh n july |
oesiue Weekly n'dI -iioiluay' Al work
- ~ a. III. IAN l io"s