Washington sentinel., 1901-06-29
TT, IT., SENTINEL

made an lnVeSuRation OF the con-
ditions attending the employment
of child labor in the South. Her
conclusions are embodied IN an
article published in the New York
Herald last Sunday. Miss Ashby
has had experience in work for the
amelioration OF the condition Of
the London poor. She is a grad
uate OF Westfield College, Univer-
sity OF London, where she special
lied in sociological studies. Child
labor, the tragedy and shame oi in
dustrial England one hundred
years ago." she declares, "is the
specter OF the New South today"
Miss Ashby's inquiries appear
to have been limited to the cotton
mills. For such conditions as she
claims TO have found there, she
says, the Southern manufactures
is not responsible. THE response
bilitY," she asserts, lilies entirely
with the Northern capitalist. Or
eleven practical superintendents 10
whom talked, several being from
Massachusetts, or Pennsylvania,
ten declared that doing away with
labor OF children under 7 years OF
age would benefit rather than harm
the industry" In the ten mills
run by Northern caDital, according
to MISS Ashby's statement, the
!. number Of children under IL years
hold was almost twice as great as in
be mills conducted by Southern
kners. In Alabama, prior to
q, there was a State law limiting
sAhours OF labor OF women and
children and prohibiting the en-
ployment OF children under II
years OF age. It is alleged that
this law was repealed at the insti-
CATION OF a Massachusetts, COM
pany, which owns one OF the larg
est and best equipped mills in the
South. AS a result OF the repeal
OF the law the age minimum tor
children employed in Alabama
mills has been removed. as also
the provision restricting the hours
OF labor Of women and children.
Miss AshbY alleges that North
ern capitalists refuse to invest their
money in Southern cotton mills
unless it is with the specific under
standing that they shall exploit
child labor. They claim, it is
stated, that unless this concession
is made they will be unable to
compete with the productions OF
Northern mills. Miss Ashby de-
scribes the methods by which a
supply of labor is guaranteed. Be-
fore a corporation will agree to
build mill in new !erritorY it must
have assurances in writing of suffi-
cient labor TO operate the mill.
The people who are earning
scantY living on their little farms
are induced to sign contracts to
contribute so many members Of
their families TO the mill. The
father Of the family must not only
promise his labor at a miserable
pittance, but he signs away the
labor and liberty Of his little chill
dTen. The company promises them
good houses in exchange for their
log cabins, and tree schools for the
children. There are schoolhouses
in the mill village, but they are
empty. The father has pledged
his little ones to work in the mill,
and there is no time to 60 to school.
The wages are so small it takes the
earning Of all the family 20 pay
the rent oi the company's neat little
house and to pay the grocery bill
at the company's store" Little
children, Miss AshbV charges,
work not only Ia hours a day, but
are also employed for night work.
The picture which this English
woman draws is not pleasant to
look upon. It seems to be over
drawn. In her eaTnestness she may
have laid on the somber colors too
heavily, and, IN her desire to anne.
liorate the condition Of the mill
toilers, she may have fancied that
conditions are worse than they are.
Yet it is unquestionablY the fact
that many Southern manufacturers
are not entirely satisfied with the
conditions. AS rule, the South
ern mill owner is humane and
treats his employees with the ut
most kindness. AS a rule, his
employees have in the past been
satisfied with the conditions under
which they worked, and strikes
were OF rare occurrences. The
mill workers had comfortable
houses and ground for gardens.
They were as healthy as any class
oil industrial workers, and they
were self respe citing people. Miss
Ashby asserts that the situation
has changed materially since
Northern capital sought invest
ment in the New South" Child
labor is exploited now as never
in the South. and for this exploita-
ton the Northern capitalist is re-
sponsible. "The little white slave
is sacrificed to appease a fetch OF
commercial superstition and not
for real or fancied necessity OF
the industry" Such la VS. as the
South had governing child labor
have been repealed at the instiga-
ton Of Northern capitalists, and
Miss Ashby Indignantly declares
that "there is no condemnation
strong enough for those who delib-
erately induce an inexperienced
set of men TO enter upon a course
Of self effacement in the persons OF