The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-11-22
CHILD LABOR IN COTTON MILLS

This weeks issue of the Cotton Mill
News published at Charlotte prints a
thoughtful and suggestive editorial on
Child Labor in Cotton Mills" The
point it makes is this: Child labor,
while wrong, is i'll many instances the
best that the parent can do in the way
of teaching his offspring trade by
which to earn q living. The remedy
suggested, therefore, is for the State
to first provide adequate schools and
then prohibit the employment OF
young children in factories.
The News argues as follows:
The question of. child labor in the
Southern cotton mills has for a number
of years furnished an interesting topic
for the employer and employee, and while
public opinion has been strongly in favor
Of legislation tending to correct what
some have seen fit to call an evil, it APP
pears to be rather difficult to devise q
plan that will meet the requirements
with the least possible injury to botn
the operative and the mill-owner. Some
urge legislation which will uncondition-
ally prohibit child labor in our cotton
mills. At a glance this may appear very
we'll, but upon more careful examina-
tion of this proposition, it will be seen
that there are instances in which it
would cause injury to the child and Sc
riously inconvenience the parents.
In the first place, our public school sys-
tenn provides schools for these children
for only short period each year, in
many instances not more than two to
four months The remaining eight to ten
months of each year, the children, who
otherwise might be learning trade as
mill operatives would be living lives OF
enforced idleness and in many instances
acquiring bad habits which would proba-
bly, lead to their final destruction.
It. appears to US that the Legislature
would have no moral right to enact a
law to prohibit children in the mill vii
lagos from learning trade, without pro-
viding them with the facilities for acquir-
ing education. Authority should always
carry with it responsibility.
We believe that child labor should be
eliminated from the mills, and we believe
that this movement has the approval of
a large majority of both the operatives
and the mill-owners, but before it is done
such provisions should be made as will
improve rather than lessen the opportun
mites of these children.
This is a question that is of vital in
terest to every family who have cast lots
with our cotton mills, and in its consider
alton we should be actuated by higher
motives than merely getting rid OF the
children as competitors, or employing
them because their labor is cheaper.
careful consideration Of this subject
leads to the conclusion that law enacted
prohibiting the employment of children
in any cotton mill during the term OF
public school would place the response
bility where it properly belongs II
would then devolve upon the State which
has assumed the guardianship of these
children to continue the curtailment OF
child labor by providing means for the
extension of their public school terms.
The management of few of our South
ern mills have voluntarily adopted this
plan, and so far as they are concerned
have practically settled the question Of
child labor in their mills. At the begin
ming of the school term every child under
certain age is suspended from the mil
and required to attend school, but as soor
as the school term is closed they arr
again taken back into the mill. Thus il
is that the children are educating botl
the hand and the mind, and instead O
idIing through a long vacation, learning
to curse, chew tobacco and smoke cigar
rettes. they are earning their own liv.
ing and acquiring habits of industry an(
thrift.