The news & observer., 1901-03-09
NO LABOR LAW
TO Be ENACTED
Legislature Relies on Promise
of Mill Men.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE
Chatham Made Practically a Pro-
hibition County.
THE DISpENSARY AT MONROE DISCUSSED
Morehead City viii be Allowed to Tax tie
Atlantic Hotel Bar. Wilkes County 10
Recover Her Territory From
Ashe County.

The Committee on Judiciary, having
had under consideration the various
bills introduced in the House, having
for their purpose the regulation of chlld
labor in cotton mills, agreed yesterday
to make the following report on them:
That they have carefully considered
the subject of child labor in mills; the
evil of child labor has been strongly
impressed upon your committee; in
fact, every person who appeared be-
fore the committee joined in con-
deming the employment of young chill
dren in cotton mills, and expressed
determination to cooperate in the effort
to remove that evil. 1t further appeared
to your committee that this evil was
being rapidly diminished in this State;
that comparatively few children under
the age of twelve years work in cotton
mills, unless there is some particular
necessity, such as being the children OF
widows or afflicted parents who are de-
pendent upon their labor for support
The mill owners are specially desirous
of remedying this evil, and limiting it
to cases of necessity. The committee
was gratified at the spirit shown by the
mill owners in providing educationa.
facilities and churches, and the COM
mittee was gratified at the friendly rela-
tions shown to exist generally between
the owners and employees. The mill
owners presented to your committee an
agreement. signed by a very large ma
jority of the mills in this State, meas
ured by either numbers or capacity,
wherein it was agreed that hereafter the
hours of labor in textile mills should
not exceed sixty-six hours per week,
that no child under ten years old shall
be permitted to work in the mills in any
capacity or under any circumstances,
and that no child under twelve years
old. except the children of widows and
and afflicted parents shall be permitted
to work in the mills during the term OF
an available school.
After fun consideration of all the bills
and of the various arguments presented
and of the petition aforesaid, your com
mittee was of the opinion that perhaps
this evil could be removed without
legislative action, and it is the earnest
hope of this committee that the mill
owners in this State who have not en-
tered into this agreement shall speedily
do so, in which case the evil will have
been remcdied by the voluntary action
OF the persons Interested
Your committee recommends that this
report, together with copy of the
agreement aforesaid, be spread upon the
Journal of this House. and that the ori-
ginal of said agreement be filed with
the records of the House of Represen-
tatives.
The committee further recommends
that the labor bills be indefinitely post
poned in order to give the mill owners
who have not signed one more oppor-
tunity to do so before legislation is en-
acted.
The House Judiciary committee yes
terday decided to report unfavorably Sen
ator Hcnderson's. bill providing for ar
election on the dspensary question il
Salisbury.
The House Judiciary committee yester-
day favorably reported a bill providing
fer returning to the insurance com
panics that complied with the Willard
Insurance Law their charters and other
papers filed with the Secretary of State il
compliance with the Craig act. This puts
these companies back just where they
were before the Craig act became law
The Legislature having exempted insur-
ance companies from the provisions Of
the Craig act, they now ask the enact
ment of this bill into law to relieve them
from any possible liability they may have
incurred by filing their papers in this
State.
The House Committee on Counties
Cities and Towns yesterday heard argu-
mont on a bill in regard to the sale OF
hGuor at the Atlantic Hotel, Morehcac
City, during the summer season,
Carteret county is a prohibition coun-
ty. but two years ago the Legislature
passed a bill authorizing the sale Of
liquor in the hotel during the months of
June. July, August and September, upon
the payment of county and State taxes.
The bill before the committee yester
day afternoon allowed the town of More.
Va
winch was not permitted by the bill of two
years ago. The committee fixed this
town tax at mot exceeding $75 month
ana reported the bill favorably.
Another bill accompanying this one, and
also favorably reported, was an amend
meht to charter of Morehcad giving au-
lhority to tax profossinAH. bowling alleys,
oilllard and pool tables and the like.
Inc bill restoring tho old boundary
inc between Ashe and Wilkes counties
was fayorably rcportcds. All the Repub-
ilcan residents in that section pctitioned
against the bill, while n large number OF
democrats in Ashe pctitioned in its fa-
vor. 1t appearing that this slice of
Wllkes was cat off in 1895 fer the purpose
OF making Ashc Republican county-it
oelng very closc-the committee decided
70 report in favor Of restoring the old
boundary line, which is the top OF the
Blue Ridge.
~ the meeting Of House Committee on
Propositions and Grievances yesterday af-
eeiloen communication was read from