Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1886-01-31
COMMUNICATIONS.


There seems to be- a good deal Of con
trarlrly ol opinion about the age at which
children may m permitted to leave school
and 90 Ia work. At the present time it
is entirely in the hands and at the disrrr-
ton Of their parents. We never hear of
any law to the contrary being enforced.
Still the public admit that it is proper
subject for State regulation and super
vision.
But the question is, what would be- a
proper az, At which children may take
their place in the labor mart and com
ncnce the fierce competitive struggle
for existence;
If we have amy regard for their healthy,
robust physical Development, for intel
lrrtual attachments that shall qualify
them to- understand and appreciate the
varied phenomena of nature and of hu-
mar exietruce and to credtably discharge
the mnItifariouS duties of life, an ed
uration that does not meet these require
ments is "A fraud, then sixteen years is AS
low a limit as the public ought to accept
or as the eXigencics of the case demand.
GOV. Harrison would not allow children
to he sent to work under ten, but would
allow them to be sent to work, during
school vacations, between the ages of ten
and twelve. Now. aS the Summer vaCa-
ton is the longest, and the one of which
parents would be most likely to avail
| themselves, lasting for nine weeks, and
commencing the latter end Of June, and
Is the heat, in our cotton and WOODEN
mills and match and other manufactures
| where Juvenile labor is largely employed,
would be- hotter than sheOl during that
| period, registering over one hundred de
grceS of heat, | maintain that that nine
weeks of labor by children of that tender
age would not only he an act of intoler-
able cruelty but drain upon their vital
| ity. that not one in Il thousand can Ell
dure without aapping the foundations of
health, life and longevity. Has the Gov
crnur any children Of his own:
Pass a school house when children of
that age are being dismissed for the day d.
Observe their buoyanCy of motion, their
hiarity Of feeling, the rosy flush of health
upon their cheeks; then pass "A labor bas-
tile when the same class come surging
ont from their Iabors. Observe the pal
lur upon their cheeks, the weary, languid
laAsltudr of feeling, the suggislneSs OF
motion, and then invoke if you can the
enactment of code Of laws that shall
damn their Young lives to such a degra
dcd, suicidal employment. But who ar,
the parties and what are the Interests
that demand that hrcatombS of human
, victims shall be- annually SACRIFICED t.
thi, uuloCh of gain: II is the mere mat
ter OF the saving of the fraction of Il cent
in the manufacture of IL yard Of Wooei
or cotton CLOTH Away with such /
hcartlc4s, mur,croue system. There /,
plenty of unemployed mature labor il
the country amply qualified to endure
dust, grease and heat of Il factory with
out having recourse 10 these helpless vie
TINS. Their labor would cost a little
more but shall that consideration b,
Weighed in the balance against the mate
rll Wrliarr the moral and intellectual
training and ply steal development OF the
hclplrss, unprotected class whose ease We
have been considering: Would lcgisIa
having 4 little humanity infused into it
| br all the generous aspirations of our ma
uurr there Is none, IN a moral SENSE. hu
-, must he held ruburdnat" to devotion
to- the interest of humanity and 4 desire
to alleviate human suffering.
: "\umdHut pearl that cr"~,td fortune wears
A Nu gem that sparkling hangs from heautl
, ears
i Not the bright stars that nights blue arcl
Huiurn,
? W rising SIMS that pild the yctrtl morn
u Shine with such lu>trr
q. NJ.