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

which had the honor to prepare my
self; that any widow who is dependent
upon the labor Of her child or chiIdre,
and has no other support should he
permitted to have those children con
tract with ths mill company for theil
work. Unless it is the determined
policy of the State to shut the doors
of the legislature to the laboring classes
who arc working Ill these mills many
OF them from our own country districts
and our own people, none of them
aliens and foreigners like many of the
laboriug classes at the North, then |
say that this measure is most moderate
and wise. / do not go to the extent
OF some of the sentimentalists on child
labor, and cannot indulge in some Of
the figures of speech which l have
heard OH the subject, but submit to
all thinking people that no child under
10 years of age should be worked III
the mills. 1t Is not only better for the
child physically, morally and intel
lectually, but it is better for the corpo.
ration, for unquestionably sooner or
later with such labor they will be sub.
ject TO suits for damages for accidents.
OF course this matter could be better
sol, Ell in our STATE if under the exist
ing race conditions we could i'm
mediately put into effect compulsory
education, but 20 have compulsory ed
ucaiion for whites without the same
for blacks would be unconstitutional,
and to have compulsory education for
both laces would soon deplcte our
treasury, and we have to face the mat
ter just as we find it and solve it as
substitute offered by the minority is a
step in the right direction to lead TO
proper solution thereof. My judgment
is that this matter will settle itself if
wise counscls prevail, but if passion
and prejudice are needed we must eX-
pect conflict of opinions and conflict of
interests in future.
The child labor question is simply
the tentative issue on the matters
which will in the future arise on this
question. There remains for us to
solve hereafter the larger, more por
tcntous, and more troublesome ques.
ton Of hours of labor. 1t would seem
that the vast strides that have been
made in the Improvement of machin-
cry in the cotton mills, especially the
Draper looms, and such other machin-
cry where the output of mills in
given time is vastly greater than what
it used TO be, that it would be wise
and proper step on hehalf Of the manu-
facturcrs that some limit in modera-
ton as to the hours Of wages should be
agreed upon by them in order TO meet
the proper requests of those who work
for them. IL is claimed that any re-
ductiOn in the hou of labor or anv
enactment Oh the child labor question
would place the manufacturers of South
Carolina at disadvantage, because
her sister States have no labor laws ON
the subject. 1t is always best to meet
storm before it comes. 1t is always
best if you want peace TO confer with
your adversary, and 1t is always best
on the part of capital if you wish COM
plete success and the advancement of
interest to study The welfare of those
who Labor for the protection of capital.
The great manufacturing interests of
our State are in the hands of chosen
sons of South Carolina, who have been
Orr, Smyth, Cleveland, Parker, Wha.
ley, Barrett aud IIicknlan-and we
submit to them that il is the part of
wisdom, the part of prudence, and the
part of good judgment, before the year
passes found, to call a conference of
the manufacturers Of North Carolina, ;.
South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama"
and enact prudent regulations as to the
hours of labor and the system of labor,
and the fruit of such conference, le-
duccd to regulations and agreement
and afterwards put into law, will tell
for years and years to come in the fu-
ture.
No trouble so far to any apprcciable
extent has existed between the labor
ers and the manufacturers of this coun-
try, but unless they are kept by wise
concessions upon an smicable basis, as
the industry grows, as we hope it will
grow, III marvellous proportions, to that
extent the danger Of friction Will grow
less.
do not know whether this substi-
tutc or any bill upon this question will
pass this Legislature. have my doubts
about it from what have heard upon
the subject, but l do know that the
discussion of the question without pas
sion and without prejudice ought to
bring about some action by those who
have it within their power to bring
peace and quiet in our midst.
THE OTTER SIDE.
Senator Dean said that a law which
is not based on the necessities of the
people is an improper law lie had
listened to the different speeches in
favor of the bill and had heard but
little zeal argument showing the ne
cessity for such Legislation. From
thousands of people who have not yet
lost their manhood and self-respcct
comes the plea to this body "let us
alone; let us manage our affairs as
other free men," The conditions of
the farm people in most sections of the
country are far worse than around the
mills, and in many sections Of the
State cotton mill w0.ld be god.
send. lie spoke of the mill people in
| fho DioJ oooi;nn onl on,l tt,oy So,