The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1895-02-07
PQPutiSh AND the LOBBY
\ MsreifuI Measure IA Danger.
'or the Csrcasisnf

4 M~reifuI MEASURE In Danger
For the Caucasian
The Populist party has affected
great scorn for the lobbyist. Ii had
It's origin largely in the dissatis.ae-
ton with the lobby influence at
Washington.
The poor men on the farm and in
the factory continue their daily toll
under heavy burdens Of taxation,
while the rich Manufacturers, bank
ers, railroad kings and trust bloats
swarm in the corridors of the capitol
begging and receiving the aid of leg
isiation TO help them IN their private
enterprises.
1t was 10 be hoped that the new
party, fresh from the people, would
do something In this State TO protect
helpless children under IA years old,
whose lives are ground out in mills
and factories.
But Notwithstanding the boast of
THE CAUCASIAN that 1.-THE lobbyist
Is al discount in the present legis-
lature," | saw about a dozen, plomi-
nent manufacturers, lowering over
the Capitol one day last week. work
ing against the bill to protect chill
dren IN factories. They base their
opposition on the hardships which
would befall mothers who are Deepen
dent on the labor Of their children
for bread and meat. This argument
is only cloak. The real fact is that
the labor of children is cheap and
large dividends can be coined out of
their delicate and innocent flesh and
blood. AS for orphans, we have an
asylum for them, and God pity the
statesman or manufacturer who
thinks it is right for parent to sac
ritice the lives of her or his children
to get living.
The fact of little children under
fourteen years old, being summoned
from their beds by whistle that
| blows at 4:3O IN the morning, when
the night of the stakeholder and his
pleasure going children, is just halt
over. is blot on our civilization
No civilized country in the world
permits little children to be worked
as they are worked in North Caro-.
lima; and this is the only State in the
Union, with one exception, that does
not throw the arm of the law around
these helpless human beings.
know that it is argued that such leg
islation would "hurt the manufactur
ing interest of the State, &c. Bu'
the answer to that is, let US have les.
manufacturing and less deadenins
work. | would not give a copper
cent for the Christianity or states
manship of a man who would weigh
all the mills of the State against tn,
inalienable right of ''life, liberty o.
the pursuit of happiness" which be
longs to every little child, howeve
poor, ignorant, ragged or defenceless
Shall it be said of the Populist par
ty, as often said of the Democratic
or Republican party, that it is goo,
friend of the oppressed when out g
Office, but when in, it opens the ca
to the lobbyists and turns its back OF
those far away on the farms and il
the mills9 And if such be the cas-
in Raleigh, what hope have we tina
the new party will not shut the doc
on the poor and down-trodden whel
1t gets to Washington
Nothing has done so much to elm
mate pauperism, crime and degrade
ton in this country as wise factor
legislation. Ard the wisdom an
, necessity of such legislation are en-
couraged by all citizens and enligh,
ened people.
JEROME Down.