The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-12-12
witness:
PelZer. s.. .............l 9....,.

felZer. y.
a similar agreement ia required OF
all employees OF the Bolton mills, of
which Capt. Smyth Is also the presi.
dent-the only difference being that
the children are required to attend the
public school at Belton," which Is
said to be a graded and excellent one.
Capt. Snyth's progressiveness in
these matters is emulated by Mr..
Lewis w. Parker, president OF the
Victor cotton mill at Greers and the
now Monaghan mill just built in the
suburbs OF Greenville. This latter mill
Is one OF the finest In the State, but Ia
not yet In operation. It's village and
surroundings are laid out. with excel
lent taste and already form an attrac-
tive picture. A fine school building ia
about to be erected on the property.
at Greers Mr.. Psrker's company has
built Tor the mill operatives a graded
school building which would be an or
nament to any town. 1t is handsome
and tasteful within and without, and
ID equipped with special features en-
bodying the most advanced ideas. A
we'll appointed Kindergarten is con-
Quoted In connection with the school,
q pretty church Is attached to 1t, and
there Is q large hall overhead which
Will be used for free lectures Of an in
structive nature for the benefit OF the
operatives-a feature, by the way,
which has been provided Tor at Pelasr
as we'll.
A number of other mills were seen.
but these we're the most advanced In
the matters here under consideration.
at the Anderson cotton mill President
Brock took special pride In the quality
and appearance Of his operatives,
which were indeed exceptionally good,
The ages OF children seen at work
varied In the different mills some
managers were by no means as careful
as others In excluding the small ones
and In supplying them with ample
educational factlities-but everywhere
there was recognition Of the fact that
the labor OF tender children in the
mills was an evil to be deprecated and
remedied and that o moral obligation
lay upon mill owners to provide facili.
ties 10" their education and If possible
to enforce the use OF these facilities.
We have reason to believe that when
the Legislature shall meet it will be
found that progressive manufacturers
Will meet halfway those who are anx.
ious to abolish child-or rather, infant
LABOR In the cotton mills and to com
pei the attendance Of mill children on
the public schools. In truth, it ia nc
$3.50 W sAoi . Uldu IudI Vi LnG
operatives themselves thai there shall
be q law on this subject; for the hu.
name and public spirited manufac. .~er
Who carries out at considerable cost his
plans for the betterment OF mill condi.
tions Is now AT a disadvantage compar.
ed with those who neglect such provis.
ions. What old mills and new mills In
the Greenville district can do OF their
own volitlon, believing that it Is right
and expedtent to do, old mills and new
mills elsewhere can fairly be required
to do. We are convinced that some
compulsion OF law should be put upon
operatives to send their little child.
rem to the schools provided for them.
Many Of these children are from the
mountain districts OF this and other
States, where educational facilities
have been lacking, and they do not
realize as the majority do the value OF
this instruction to their children.
1t Ia best for all Interested that the
State should establish as nearly as II
a some uniformity of obligation and
OF opportunity, 80 that those who are
unworthy shall not profit to the detrl-
ment of the worthy. Let the question
be considered without prejudice or
heat, and the solution, we are sure,
will be to the permanent advantage of
South Carolina.