The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-12-11
CHILD LABOR IN
COTTON MILLS
The View of Prominent Own
ers and Managers.
REFORM is DEMANDED
The Methods of Reform Will Require
Serious Consideration.
NO TO MUIR SHOULD BE DONE TO MILLS
But in the Long Run it Will Help ManufactuE-
ing to Exclude Children. Interests OF
Humanity Demand That it
be Done.

WV
One Of the greatest evils in North
Carolina is the employment OF young
children in the factories.
1t is an evil that ought to be rene
died at once. The humanity Of the
State ought to assert itself, and COM
pei the passage of an act by the next
Legislature to end what VIII in time
dwarf and stunt the manhood and Wo-
manhood of North Carolina.
The best way to secure the proper
law is to enlist the cooperation OF
the cotton mill owners, cotton mill
managers, cotton mill operatives, and
others who are acquainted with the
practical workings of the cotton mill
Industry. Many of the cotton mill
owners desire to put an end to the
employment of children in their mills.
They see how it dwarfs them and inn
Doverishes their blood. In the agita-
ton for legislation to prevent the en-
plovment OF children in the mills, be-
gun by this paper and others at the
session of the Genera Assembly OF
1891. we have sought to enlist the
co-operation of all the n and
managers of cotton mills. Many of
them began to employ young children
when their factories were small at
the solicitation Of their parents. and
sometimes OF their widowed mothers.
One OF the best mill men in the State,
speaking about this matter a few days
AGO. said: L have for some years
wished to quit giving employment to
children in the factories with which |
am connected. but | have not seen my
way clear to do it. for this reason:
MANY skilled workers insist upon our
giving their children employment. II
my mill refuses to employ their child
rem. these good operatives Just quit
me and 90 to a mill which Will employ
their children. We need the employ
ment of these good workers. We
cannot afford to lose them, and so we
submit to employing children, against
our Judgment. because we would 9th
erwise lose needed efficient workers.
This shows the necessity for a law
that will put all mills on an equality.
What shall that law contain? What
ought to be its provisions? In order
to secure the views Of the mill owners
of the State. this letter was sent to
every mill in the State nearly four
weeks ago.:
Raleigh, n. c., Nov. -, 1900.
Dear Sir: I enclose you herewith a
copv of a Child Labor Bill, which has
been introduced in the Georgia Legisla-
ture. There is considerable sentiment in
this State in favor of a law preventing
the employment of children in cotton
mills. l would like. to ask your opinion OF
such legislation. and whether the en-
closed bill would meet your approval, and
have you outline a bill that you think
ought to be adopted in North Carolina
covering these lines.
An early reply Will be appreciated.
Very truly yours.
JOSEPHUS DANIELS, Editor.
The bill enclosed with this letter
was as follows:
THE GEORGIA BILL.
To prevent children under the age Of Il
years Internationally from. working II
textile factories in this State, and to pre-
vent children between the ages OF ter
years and fourteen years from working
in such textile factories except under
conditions herein stated, ard to enforce
the education of children working in tex
tile factories and to provide suitable
punishment for violation of this act, an(
for other purposes.
Sec. /. Be it enacted by the Genera
Assembly Of the State Of Georgia, and i
is hereby enacted by the authority o
the same, that from and after the frs
day of January, in the year A. D., 1901
no child under the age of 10 years shall
be employed in any textile factory OF thi!
State.
Sec. 2. Be It further enacted that from
and after the date mentioned in the
preceding section no child between thu
ages OF 10 and ii years shall be en-
ployed in any textile factory in this STATE
during tire period when the public school!
in the city, town, village, district o
county are in session unless the person
firm Or corporation employing such child
male or female. shall produce q "ertii
cate from the superintendent of schools
OF the city, town, village. district o
county stating that such child has previ
ously attended school for the period o
two months during the preceding 81