St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-03-20
DRASTIC AND EFFECTIVE.
Child Labor Law Is Being Vigorous
Iy Enforced.

The report Of Factory Inspector
Mayo on the child labor situation in
Minneapolis was made public yester-
day.
The inspector visited 1856 factories in
Minneapolis, in 81 of which no viola
tions of the law were found. In the
others 430 We're found, either under
sixteen OF seemingly so. OF these 1863
were boys, Ill girls. On investigation,
226 were found to be over sixteen. OF
the others 80 were found to be under
fourteen years of age, and We're Or
dered dismissed. All others were or
dered to secure certificates showing at
tendance required by the compulsory
education act, or excuses for non-com-
pliance, showing the need of the child'S
labor for it's support or the support of
it's parents. OF the 81 who left the
factories, or We're dismissed for this
reason the greater share doubtless
attended school, although there ~ no
definite information available showing
exactly how many of them did. The
greater share of the 80 under fourteen
dismissed upon order of the nipector,
also attended school, although few
of them having previously attended
school for twelve weeks in the preced-
ing year, were able to secure positions
in stores, and appear in the report of
that branch ofiinspection. OF this 1913
left in the factories between fourteen
and sixteen years of age, SO are work
ing upon certificates showing school
attendance of twelve weeks at some
day school. There are So working with
certificates showing the same length
of attendance upon night schools, and
% received excuses, on condition that
they attend night schools.
The inspector also visited twenty
one public telegraph and district mes
Senger offices, fifty-one stores where
child labor was found employed and
fourteen stores in which no such labor
was found. In these various places
313 children were found. OF that num-
Der 107 were found to have been over
sixteen years of age. OF the 206 under
sixteen years of age, thirty-nine left
or were dismissed. Eleven were known
to have returned to school, and prob
ably the other twenty eight did, al
though of that no positive knowledge
is available. There were left 1877 chill
dren in the service of the employer
under the age of sixteen years.
The enforcement of this is bring
ing many children who worked in vari-
Gus places to attend school, when 9TH
erwise they would not. 1t brings many
into school who otherwise would be
truants, as they know that without
school attendance they cannot secure
work. especially if absence from school
is not caused by work. AS a second
airy result the age of children enl-
ployed, especially in factories and mes
senger service, has been materially
raised.
One significant fact in this connec-
ton should be mentioned The child
labor law of Minnesota has thus far
called for but one case Of prosecution.
And yet the law of Minnesota is the
most stringent and exacting upon the
statute book of any state of our Union,
or of any land on the globe, with the
exception of Switzerland. Of the 466
children UNDER sixteen found in Min
neapolis and coming within the pro-
visions of the act, only 81 would be
affected by the law of Great Britain
46 by the laws of Massachusetts, and
80 by those of New York, and about
Illinois. In the latter state much
ment Of the child labor law of $685.
and one gentleman in Minneapolis, en-
ployed in the dry goods business, who
has recently come from Chicago, de-
clared that a child labor law could
not be enforced. Whatever may be
true of Chicago, the law in Minneapo-
lis is practically fully in force, and
that without any appreciable friction.
The great body of employers have ac-
copied the provisions heartily and
fully. In stores children under four
teen do not work nights, and there is
a decided tendency in factories and
telegraph companies to raise the min