Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-07-27

our cities, so we shape the destiny of
our republic. which they in few short
years will rule. In proportion as we
neglect or pass them by the blame for
! inefficient govt rests upon us. During
/ the last century our urban population
has increased one-fourth, to-day there
is to be found over million people in
/ the tenements of our American metro
polls Truly there is reason for the
scrutinous attention given at least to
the life and doings of these people,
who have been too long in darkness.
In New York of course conditions
are most alarming, for it stands upon
the shore Of the broad Atlantic, an
open door thro' which pours a practic
ally unrestricted immigration. Here
the helpless and inefficient remain to
inhabit our slums and form the dregs
of our society.
The child in such surroundings is
the creature of environment and OPP
portunity, and here it finds little food
for its growing mind or body.
In these tenements are to be found
the children who are to grow up and
take an active part in our govt. The
kind of soil determines the quality of
the harvest-the tenement district is
the soil for the child and it nourishes
and moulds his young life. What
helpful lessons could a child receive.
for example, in dark and dingy rooms,
the walls absolutely black with smoke
and age, the plaster falling off in
places ard green mould on the ceiling?
Then look into this one-be a little
careful-the hall is darll-do not STUN
BILE over the children-not that it
would hurt them. Kicks and cuffs are
their daily diet, they are used to little
else. The air is stiffling and close, Il
door is opened, you hear tiny helpless
wall, A child is dying, with half a
| chance it might have lived, but the
dark room killed it. The gap between
the dingy brick walls is the yard, a
strip of smoke colored sky is the heaven
of these poor children. DO you wonder
the name does not attract them to
church
The enormous rent robs the child of
an education the only avenue leading
! upward to Independence and self-sup-
port-it thus compells him to enroll in
| the vast army of wageearners before he
| has learned to read
| Poverty and child labor are yoled
together everywhere need sets the
child to work when he should be in
| school
New York has compulsory educa-
tlonal and factory laws prohibiting the
employment of young children. All
between the ages of eight and fourteen
must attend school during at least
fourteen weeks of each year. None
may labor in the factories under the
age of sixteen unless able to read and
write.
These are The barriers thrown up
against the inroads of ignorance, but
they are only barriers of paper. We
have the laws but we do not enforce
them. We fail to save the child while
there is yet time to make good citizen
of him, but we provide the means Of
catching him when his training begins
to hear IA fruit that threatens the pub
lie peace.
Usually the best way to iuaugurate a
reform is to make u careful investiga-
ton and learn the real facts of the
case. Yet it seems almost impossible
to gain accurate information concern
ing sweatshops and fact-ries on ac-
count of the political influence Of the
proprietors and superintendent. The
selfish greed for gold on the part of
some and the inordinatc desire to con
ttol the polls on the part of others,
i prompts them to misrepresent facts
and bride inspectors,
In the soap factories large mum
Der of boys and girls wrap soap with
miraculous speed, but after they have
done this work for SIX or seven months,
they are filed with disgust, not for
tins work only. hut for all work. they
have learned nothing of value and are
suffering from exhaustion of body and
soul II is the same with the children
in the mills Of the South. who work
with surprising animation, but even
the best employer, admit that the little
people are >apping their strength and
are sure to pay for ii in the future.
As 10 the earnings of the infantile
workers, they are never sufficient to
make difference between pauperism
and Independence, The family that
depends upon these earnings almost in
varabiy depends also upou either pub
lie or private relief
One can not enter factory where
little chi llreu are erupl,,vng ,,;tl,.,. q,