The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-03-23
CHILD LABOR,
An Interesting Paper by Rev. J. w.
Marshall Before the Social
Science Club.
In Which the Health, floral and
Financial Aspects are Ably
Set Forth.

Though the evening was not pleas
ant one to be out, there was gOodly
attendance'ta the meeting of the
Social Science Club Tuesday The
question under consideration was that
of child labor, relating to it's employ
ment in factories and all other places
where it can but prove detrimental to
health and morals of the child, land so
react upon the welfare of the nation.
The paper was read by Rev. j. w.
Marshall, and showed the result of a
thorough study of the question, and
the different features of the subject
and their bearing upon society were
graphically presented, and the evil
effects therefrOm strongly brought
out The writer followed the history
Of child labor and the work which has
been done to lessen the evil, through
legislation. In this respect much has
been accomplished in the great
factory centerS. Its course was follow
ed through various states, the full
evil therefrom fully revealed, and
what has been accomplished by legis-
latiOn commented upon. The census
reports upon this subject do not, he
said, tell the full story of the evil be-
cause they do not, or cannot, get at it
in all it's detail and horrors. They
can give the result in factories and
wherever it is followed openly, but
where it is hidden away in the filthy,
unhe althy, deadly tenement build
ings and carried on under what is
known as the sweating system, we
must depend upon other sources for
information as to its vast extent, and
terrible effects upon humanity.
In factories child labor is more eX-
tenSively followed in the textile
trades, where children from ten years
up are employed because the work is of
nature which they can easily handle,
and they are quicker and more Skillful
in the work than adults, and of course
work for less money. In other lines,
the manufacture of tobacco presents
one of the greatest fields for child
labor and the worst features of the
case are found in this line. Unhealth-
full as other lines may be to the little
tOilerS,' this is the most SeriOusand de-
grading in it's effects. Other avenues
in which child labor is Employed and
it's deleteriOus effects upon health and
morals were referred to.
The financial benefits resulting
from child labor, he said, were not ap-
parent, as statistics show that as the
earnings from the employment of
oh
of the heads of the family decrease in
a like ratio, and that often times the
combined earnings of the entire
family do not reach the amount for
merly earned by the head of the
family alone, and in many instances
barely suffice to secure Scanty supply
of the neceSSarieS of life.
The effects upon morals and health
were shown to be of most serious
nature, and were touched upon to
considerable extent. The utter lack
of training of any kind, and the effect
of such employment upon the future
of our people were most graphically
pointed out.
Law, he said, would do much, but
would not entirely do away with the
evil. Education, he believed to be
one of the most effective forces in
Graduating it, but serious obstacles
are met in spreading the necessary in
telligence among those who so badly
need it. Night schools had been tried
and found ineffective, as it was impoS-
sible to make any Roadway with chill
dren who had undergone a strain of
ten to fourteen hours hard labor dur
ing the day. If education is to be eff
fective, he believes that laws must be
made, prohibiting the employment of
children under 16 years of age, and re-
quiring their attendance at school for
certain period each year until they
arrive at that age. This should be
faithfully and rigidly enforced and
through it the desired end might be
attained.
This was the substance of the more
important points Of his paper.
The discussion of the same was
opened by Mr.. G. III. Higgs who stated
that he had not had the time to give
the subject much thought or study
but could heartily agree with the SEN
timentS expressed in the paper
Education, he thought, would prove
one of the most effective remedies,
but there were many obstacles
presented in compelling the spread
of education among the class most
in need of it.
In the general discussion which fol-
lowed many phases of the question
were brought out and pleasant and
instructive evening was spent by
those present
The paper at the next meeting will
be read by Rev. l.. W. Beattie on the
subject, "Is Christianity Socialistic."
C. A. Wayahn, formerly with A.
Blissinbach, of this city, has opened a
photograph gallery at Amboy. Geo.
E. Keene also goes there twice week.