Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-15
CHILDREN In SHOPS.
A Surprisingly Large Number En-
ployed at Manual Labor,
TO THE STATE LAW.
Some Interesting Information and Sug-
gestiOns Adduced
BY THE STATE BUREAU OF STATISTICS

| W. H. Martin, Factory Inspector for the
State, when here few days ago seems to
have found surprisingly large number of
children employed in mills and factories,
who are employed contrary to law. When
Inspector Barker, who represents the Gov
| ernment. was here several weeks since, he
reported number of establishments where
he thought it would be necessary to enforce
the provisions of the law. Immigrant In
spector Robert Layton. in speaking of the
matter yesterday, said:
"The question involving the employment
of children in mills and factories is a broad
| one and depends entirely on the conditions
and circumstances surrounding the child's
| life. There can be no harm in. putting
| child of IA years of age or over, to work,
| provided he has had reasonable oppor-
! tunity to get the foundation for an educa-
| ton, and he is not overworked to the detri-
| ment of his health. If widow left with
| out means of support has children capable
of earning livelihood for her, they ought
| to be put to work. Ifparents are niggardly,
or the father spends his boys earnings for
| liquor and deprives him of his education,
the employment of such child ought to be
stopped. The hours OF labor ought to be
shortened. The theory giving eight hours
for labor, eight for sleep and eight for rest
and enjoyment, is fair and just division of
the "a hours allotted to man, and no child,
of whatever circumstances, should be COM
PEELED to work longer than that
GENERAL LEGISLATION NEEDED.
"Labor organizations are making two
mistakes Just now. This thing of asking for
special legislation is all wrong. We don't
want class legislation as against any other
class. What we do want is general legisla-
tion that will place us on an equality with
all other men. We don't need better ap-
prentice systems, and too much time is
wasted trying to improve on the present
systems. The days are past when men learn
all departments of trade. Where is the
shoemaker who wants boy to learn the trade?
Modern machinery has changed things so
that the practical machinist of to-day would
not have known anything about his trade
% or 80 years ago. The laboring classes
will only be benefited when employer and
employe are brought closer together and
made to understand each others conditions.
One trouble now is the employees have lost
confidence with the employers. If men
talk about striking, manufacturers raise
the cry of dullness in trade and their ina
bility to pay an advance. The next day or
two their men 60 out and the firm pays
esty on both sides will be of incalculable
value to the labor question"
SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
Prot. Bolles, Chief of the State Bureau of
| Industrial Statistics, sent 500 blanks from
Harrisburg to the principal labor organiza-
tions, knights of Labor and trade organiza-
tions, for distribution among workingmen
of the State. embodying the following ques-
tions:
Ought children be employed in factories or
mills?
Ought they be employed in any case; for ex-
ample, whom their mother is widow?
At what age should their employment begin7
State the effects consequences to children
| and parents of employing them. For example.
would parents work less If their children were
employed? Effect on health, education, ETC.,
Ought the hours Of a days labor be short
| eneuf If SO. in what trades and occupations.
and how much?
Ought the working day be uniform in all
| trades occupations, etc?
What legislation, if any, ought to be enacted
| for the improvement and benefit OF the work
| ing classes?
How oughtthe apprenticeship system be car
| ried on?
| in general, what course of action either by en-
| ployed or employers or BOTH would be the
bestf the prosperity and happiness of bothf
To the question whether children should
be employed in factories or mills large
majority of the Is persons who wrote to the
| Bureau of Industrial Statistics answered
that they should not be thus engaged under
| IA years of age. A few said under II, and
| some Is and 16 One workingman replied
that children should be kept at school until
they are 81, and the State should see that
| any poor child born in it should have all
| the educational advantages Of those having
wealthy parents.
NOT A SOURCE OF WEALTH.
Another wrote that it could not be q
source of wealth to the country to have chill
dren employed and have able-bodied men
| and women remain idle. Another said that
by the employment of children grown per-
sons are deprived of employment and that
the employment of children impairs their
health and results in a weaker race every
generation. One who answered in the mega
| tive added that If we wished to preserve our
liberties, "the schoolroom is the place for
children"
One who put himself on record as against
the employment of a child under Is years of
age said the morals, the body and the mind
are stunted by enforced labor in tender
wears. Another declared that child labor
was menace to the intelligence of the
country from the fact that as soon as boy
is large enough to do any work he is put to
it and kept from school. One workingman
answered in the affirmative, because Gin
Philadelphia, the city OF homes, an un-
skilled laborer cannot, on his own individ-
ual earnings, afford to occupy a suitable
house and rear his family and live as an
| American citizen should live."
Several answered that there could be no
objection to the employment of children
provided that due regard was had for their
health and safety. Another replied that in
many factories boys labor was an important
factor and in many instances absolutely nee
essary.
| RADICALLY DIVERSE VIEWS.
The question, ought they (children) to be
employed in any case; for example, when
their mother is widow, elected radically
diverse answers. Many replies justified
their employment. but others said it was
the duty OF the State to take care of the
| widows and see that their offspring was
properly educated before being put to work
in factories and mills.
One who answered in the negative said
the curse of just God must sooner or later
fall on any country or people who will per-
init any child born among them to be set to
work without an education, Another wrote
that 1t was his private opinion that widows
were pre-eminently able to take care of
themselves. Another suggested general
fund for the maintenance of INDECENT widows
and children until the latter are able to
work, when they should be obliged to reim-
burse the State by paying a percentage OF
their earnings until the debt was entirely
liquidated. One declares that females
should not be employed under any circum-
stances, as the man should be the only
bread-winner.
| 1f L. Al.