The age-herald., 1900-12-02
Adequate Appropriation for h.
 dustia School Urged CHILD LABOR AND OTHER BILLS Prominent Women Discuss Timely Top ics-8rilIiant Events of Thanks
 giving Week-SOme We'd Inqs of the Winter
BY ANNIE KENDRlck WALKER.

The present Alabama Legislature is con sidering several bills which are of supreme moment to Alabama women. The bill in troduced by MT. Pettus, the speaker of the House asking for an appropriation of $25,- 600 to the Alabama Industrial School for White Boys, will come up as special order of business next Wednesday, On Tuesday a joint committee from the House and Senate will visit the Industrial School at East Lake. If the subsequent action of the legislature depends alone upon the report of this committee the appro- priation would be doubled, for its re- port will necessarily reveal situation that demands immediate relief.
 In the child labor bill introduced by Rep resentative Leath its advocates present sta- tistics and conditions that have aroused the women of Alabama to a Keen realization of the importance of its passage. Those who have made a study of child labor point to the factories and mills. It Is impossible to see hundreds of wanfaced little ones after working hours, without recalling James Lane Aliens description of a school house in the early days of Kentucky: Poor 1ittlo backwoods academicians, driven in about sunrise, driven out at duskl Poor little tired backs with nothing to lean against! Poor little bare feet that could never reach the floor! Poor little droop-headed figures, so sleeply in the long summer days, so afraid to fall asleep,''
 The factories and mills, with their chill oren driven in at sunrise, driven out at dusk, and on the other hand, the police courts, the jails, where children guilty of minor offenses are thrown in among hard ened criminals. thrown out in the months and years to come wholly. irretrievably de- prayed. The advocates of the reformatory fXun re oprn nt1t n urge investigation, a study of the criminal statistics, a knowledge of what the child saving institutions are accomplishing in other states. They point to what Ala bama Is doing in a small way along these lines. They ask for an adequate appropriation from the State to maintain this school. They do not present any statement that is not borne out by facts. The estimate of the funds necessary for the next two years is follows:
 To pay debts due on houses and
 lands .......... ........ ................$ 4,6OO To complete building, provide water
 and plumbing ............ ............ 400 To erect barn and outbuildings ...... 1000 To purchase mules, tools, wagons,
 etc........ DUO To fence farm, and for fertilizer,
 seed, etc..... ....'... .........' 1,UO0
 Total for improvements ...........s $500 To maintain, cothe and teach 75 boys
 for the year 1901 .......... ......... 5000 To maintain, clothe and teach 75 boys
 for the year 1902 .......... ........... 7,500
 Total for two years ending Janu- ary l, 1903 ........ ........ .s25 900
 The appropriation if granted will be less per capita than any of the institutions of the State where the education alone of the inmates constitutes the whole expense.
 Besides the bills asking for an increased appropriation for the Industrial School and that dealing with laws in reference to child labor in Alabama, the woGen of the State were deeply interested in the passage of the bill asking for appropriation of S100,00 to the Girls Industrial School at Montevallo. In this appeal there are so many reasons for the appropriation to be made that every man and woman who has a friend in the Legislature should urge upon him its importance.
 The situation presents to every Legisla- tor an opportunity to show himself on the humanitarian side by placing his emphatic endorsement upon the passage of the thrce bills introduced by Speaker PettB and Representative Leath.