The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-01-23
THE CHILD LABOR SUBJECT.
a Memorial from the Cotton Manu-
facturers of Oconee County.

The presidents of the cotton mills in
Oconee County have prepared n state.
ment in regard to child labor in the
mills, which has bcen sent to the lcgis
iatlYe delegation from that county, and
is as follows:
WALHALLA, S. G Jan. +, 1901.
10 the Hon Senator Hcrndon, Renre-
scntatives Brown and Thompson--Gcn
tlemcn Representing, as we do, large
manufacturing interests in OConce Coun
W, we deem H. our duty to lay before
you certain matters relating thereto,
which we are sure will Engage your al.
tcntion.
|. Or course the rapid growth of he
cotton mill industry in South Carolina
n III the South has limited mill extern
son in New England, and as such in.
vestmcnts have been much sought after
there in the past, the change to South
crn mill building is much deprecated,
ana all SORTS OF Efforts have been, and
we DOUBT not will be, attempted to
nandiGap our triumphal progress by un
,ilchuly legislation under cunningly dc.
viscd pleas.
:. Very recently an agitation has been
begun at home, under humanitarian mo-
tives, in regard to children in our mills,
49, CNA5 w iuNu'C Cu uCtllollul lcSlS
for relief from what is believed to be a
| great grievance. AS u matter of fact
there is not a mill manager in our State
who does not heartily approve Of the
age limit OF II years for workers in our
mills this would insure better help and
leave the children from q to - TO 20 to
school and prepare themselves for the
duties of life.
3. Legislation aimed at the mills alone
to accomplish this result will, however,
be fruitlcss unless parents can also be
reached our daily experience shows
that parents insist absolutely upon con
trolling their respective families, and
unlc-s the Legislature u intervene and
enact a compulsory educational Jaw
compelling parents to send their chill
dren to school. up to II years of age
and atliXing penalties for violating tn,
same, u very serious result will swiftly
follow. Georgia and North Caroline
have no such laws it will incvi,abl,
happen that when u South Carolina mil
agrees to employ n family, but, accord
ing to the proposed new law, rejects
workers under - years of age, the fam
lly Will quietly take the train, and in al
hOur or two will be in Il mill, and in
n~c'ghboring State, where all can gc
work.
4. We cannot help reminding you tha
some very positive social conditions
have to be known and considered il
this complex matter work in our mill
is largely by families, not separately, a
individuals some take their ten year
old children into the mill to have then
under their w eyes; Others carry then
there to keep them OF thc streets an,
the chances of bad company; Others from
DIRE necessity for securing their shar
of the family living. With all these ac
tual conditions duly weighed the Gcor
gia Legislature has recently delicate,
similar legislation by the decisive vot,
or more tina two to m Speaking 70
; our mill Investments in OcOncc County
now rapidly increasing, and as well 70
the enormous investments in the Stat,
at large, we take occasion to rcmaII
that ii is a condition, not Il humanitarial
theory you are to deal with. TASTY leg
islation. aimed only at the mills, ma,
transfer a large percentage Of our work
crs to n~cighbOring States that are FIRE
from such legislation. 1t will DC a sa,
day for South Carolina if her industrial
progress is arrested by partial Legislation
enacted by her own sons.
AS Oconce County is on Georgia
border, with partial legislation as md
Gated, our mills will be much exposed I
labor losses.
Confiding in your conservative viey
or these important matters, and askin
for your careful consideration of thi
proposed legislation, we are very re
spcctfully: VIM A Courtcnay, Ncwry
Il Ii Lucas a; w. + Chcsncll, Wcstmin
lister Il. w. Jordan, Seneca.