The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-02-14
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

The following summary of legisla
tive proceedings during the past weel
gives some OF the most important dis
cussions upon pending measures:
TIE CHILD LABOR QUESTION IN TIL
SENATE.
The bill to prohibit child labor il
the cotton mills was taken up, ant
Senator Henderson, Of Aiken, was thu
first speaker. He SAID in substance
This is surely an interesting, mo
mentous and irreprcssible question
Hence, it is our duty as legislators tt
approach it calmly and dispassionately
and in whatcve: we do to endeavor lt
act in n conservative aud prudent man
ner. 1t is simply the question which
has assumed so many phases, shapes
and forms in the unnatural struggle
between labor and capital which has
always existed and always confronted
the lawmakiDg power ever since the
first law was smade-unnatuyal, because
labor cannot prosper without capital
and capital cannot thrive without labor.
Nevertheless, it is before us, not only
for the first time, and l am sad to fear
not for the last time, and hence it is to
he met. That the legislature has the
inherent right TO regulate and control
the manufacturing industries of the
State, have no manner of doubt.
They derive their franchises from the
State; are creatures of 1t and are sub
ject to its notifications. But it is un-
questionable that any restrictions or
regulations which may be placed upon
such praiseworthy institutions should
be prudent, moderate and conservu-
tive. We should look not only to the
interests of such members Of the gen
eral public who are associated in the
discharge of labor with such corpora
tions, but to the interests of the cor
rolations as well, and always keeping
IN view that sa!utary democratic rule,
that the best guide in legislation is the
greatest good to the greatest number.
Railroads have been regulated: tele-
graphs regulated; express companies
regulated; and every phase of corpor-
ate life, which has been created by the
representatives of the people, when
they Infringe upon the RI hts Of the
people, should be regulated. But a
due regard should be taken TO the
rights Of the creature, as well as those
who are flung with them in the dis
charge of the mulLiform duties which
come upon the human race.
There was time when we had very
few railroads in this State. In the
old DAYS before the war, when the
South Carolina railroad from Charles
ton to Augusta was the only railroad
half TO make The trip, with its peculiar
shaped en"'ncs and cars, the traffic Of
the country and The number of people
employed thereon were too small to
demand of the Legislature its interfcr-
,encc for the protection of those asso.
ciated with it, but as in after years,
that great industry progressed and our
country began TO be traversed by the
steam power to such an extent that
the entire State became interested, and
TO certain extent involved in this
enormous business, 1t became neces-
sary to establish a raih Dad commission
for the protection of the people and
for the regulation of the railroads,
A great hue and cry was raised when
this was attempted, and it was claim
Ell that such a step would be dcstruc-
tive to the railroad interests of the
country, but we did not hesitate to
put the legislation INTO effect, and no
une can doubt that II railroad commits
sion, properly conducted, is of the most
beneficial effect to the people of the
country at large. We are to be con-
graduated that in this enlightened day
and time in which wo live, our grand
old State stands in the front rank as q
manufacturing State. The increase of
cotton mills in our midst Is prodiyious,
When William Gregg first founded
the old Graniteville mill in my own
county many years before the war. the
advance which we now perceive and
realize would hardly have been pre-
dlcted. The mills have come to the
cotton and all of use realize the fact
that they are Of the greatest advantage
to the people of the State of South
Carolina. Building up our waste
places, rehabiltating our towns and
our cities, increasing our taxable pro-
perty, giving occupation and homes to
our own country people who were not
doing well in the sparsely populated
"soSANuieuioi III "loollCCS vi Out OluIC. but
the very fact of the marvellous increase
in this grand department of human in
dustry and human development brings
with it the necessity of protection to
the vast number of human beings who
are connected with this great industry.
That should be administered by the
legislature, not in any spirit of hos'i-
lity, but with kindly hand and a
fostering care to these industries
Nothing rash should be done, nothing
hostile should be enacted; but at the
same time proper measure should be
taken to insure that the laborcrs and
the corporate powers are kept in {
friendly attitude, and with eyurv tenn
tation and invitation to the enactment
OF strikes and turmoils, to which othcl
States and other countries are subject
should be kept down.
The bill for discussion is one of IN,
many questions which will ineyitahl,
arise out of the increase of this uron1
industry in our State. favor tho suh
stitute proposed by the minority of III,