The age-herald., 1901-01-18

rooms in the Commercial Club building at 4:9O o'clock yesterday afternoon for the
 purpose of discussing the bills bearing on
 compulsory educstion and the regulation of child labor, and to effect an organization to promote the interests of these proposed
 bills.
 The Meeting.
 The meeting was called to order by Rep-
 reser,tatfve J. H. LeaIth, who requested
 Miss Ashby bo explain the object for which
 1t had been called. Miss Ashby said that
 she had asked a number of persons to meet
 her for the purpose of starting an organ
 ized movement or agitation towards the
 adoption by the Alabama Legislature of
 two bills, one of which provides that every child between certain ages must attend
 school at least sixty days in each year, and
 the other seeks to regulate the employ
 merDt of children in cotton mills and fac
 tories. Both bills were published in full in the Age-Herald of "Wednesday.
 Miss Ashby said that in order to accom-
 plish anything there must be concert of action and that central committee to have the direction of the agitation in the State must be provided. She called upon eii "ho WOiS "ilfhhS lO HUT III tHo ! movement, to signify their willingness and to make such suggestions as they might deem proper and feasible. She spoke of her visits to number of the cotton mills in Alabama and named several prominent persons in different cities and towns who
 had consented to assist in every way possi-
 ble the movement she had tnaugurated. Representative Leath. Representative Leath addressed the com and said it would require unanimous eff fort on the part of the people of the State to bring about their passage. He spoke of the small wages paid children employed in cotton mills and of the long hours they had to work. He said that the strongest argu- ment made against the anti-child labor bill introduced in the Legislature by him, prior to the holiday recess. was that the cotton mill companies provide schools for their employees. He said that after working twelve hours the children felt more like sleeping than studying, and for that reason the schools were lightly attended B. W. /Brumley offered motion to the effect that a committee be appointed 10 frame bill that could be passed through tne LeSlSldCuTe HIS brought MISS ASnDy to her feet with the explanation that the
 bills she had prepared and which were pub lished in the Age-Herald Wednesday were based on her personal researches and that they had been submitted to expert legal authorities who gave their approval of both of them.
 N !, Brumley stated that such committee, if appointed might accept the bills pre- pared by Miss Ashby.
 Other Speakers.
 Judge W. H. Stanley spoke in behalf of the two prepared bills and urged their inn portance. He said that the wording of the bills was immaterial, provided they con- tained the necessary provisions for regulat- ing the troubles complained of. He said the question with every person present was, How to get the little children out of the
 mills.
 Mrs. c. H. Spencer, in behalf of the Wo-
 mans Christian Temperance Union, pIedg- ed the support of that organization to the movement She, said the organization had inaugurated similar movement at the an- nual meeting held in Huntsville last fall Prof. Joel c. DuBose indorsed the bill seeking to regulate child labor but opposed certain clauses in the proposed compulsory education bill. He said that the tendency of the age was to subject education to machinery. 'Tf people who have no chill dren are to dictate the education of the children" said Professor DuBose, then woe unto this country. The sentiment in favor of education is growing in Alabama and the time is fast coming when every person in the State will be ambitious to have an education" He urged that the bills be separated in order that all might work for the enactment of the one prevent ing child labor
 Preliminary Plans. Two committees were provided for, to which the two bills are refereed to with in-
 struotions to report to 8 mass meeting to be held at an early date. On motion committee was appointed to arrange for a mass meeting to be held one night within the next week or ten days. The committee is as follows: Dr.. J. Fl. Phillips. Prof. Joel 0. DuBose Pro- lessor White, James Bowron, John w. O'Neill, Dr. A. N. Ballard. Mrs Zach Smith, Mira Wyman, Mira c. Fl. Spencer. , After the announcement of the commit tas the meeting adjourned