The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-01-30
VOLUME XXXVI---NO. 80.
A Portman Letter.

Rankin" the contributor of Pied
mont mas supplied a text for the letter
VI 'hc fortman correspondent. lie re-
!ers 10 tile Child Labor Bill, saving IL
Is DettcrtO let it alone until ono half
:ac a"uo"tionui privileges cnioyed nv
OF the mill management ore
extended to children in the country
That is true.
The writer has little relatives living
IN country and town. InPcdmont arc
two little boys who work or play at
pleasure-that is, they work in the
mi.. oT play with their fellows in the
school yard; but the sad fact is, they
prefer working in the mill. The mill
work is made 80 pleasant for them,
ana tho cmOlument at the end of the
aay Is 80 honorable that they prefer
oeing little men to little babes. The
parents lay no discredit on the hill
schools, which arc entertaining, and
Invaluable to children with profession
al proclivitics, but in their children
they SEQ tho work and the man out
grow the professional student and they
permit the children to work in the mill
when they please and "play" in school
when they please. The children are
remarkably manly, bright, capable.
The work in the mill gives n deem COL
oring tone of efficiency to their charac-
ter. They see by the silver pieces in
their hands on Saturday evening that
tho world considers them worth some
thing. They feel an honorable estima-
ton yelling up within them. Their
minds, by this strong self hood, is
made strong, broad, and capable of re-
cciving instruction. Attending school,
they are liberated from the littleness
of dependence upon parents; depend
ancc, even in child, makes and keeps
1t little, and it's brain faculties narrow.
They attend school with this now rela-
ton of largencss, to the world. They
have no fear of teacher; they arc euucl
to the lesson. Their minds and brains
and hands have worked before. They
learn In the manner in which they nave
worked-with manlircss. They again
return to work with brain supplied,
and brain fiber to digest what they
have learned. The character of the
boys is broadness of mind, solidity Of
understanding. This character never
comes but through independence. The
child who helps to support itself es-
teens itself factor in tho worlds pro-
gress. 1t is tho companion, and not
the surf or slave of its parents. It's pa
rents respect it because the child re-
spects itself. The usefulness in the
mind aud body of the child gives It this
vast independence which no depend
ence upon father and mother for pen
ny for slate and penny for book
can ever give. Tho child's indepenC.-
ence is not rebellion to parents but
companionship. AS tho child grows
the faculties Of the brain are enlarged
with the strength Of the body. Bust
ness is stamped upon the young man
from head to toe. Ho brushes with his
employers manifesting an ease not in
consistent with the ethics of the best
Finishing school," No man is his su-
perior, and none but the man of vice
his inferior.
This is child training Of school and
mill. None can judge best the charac-
ter of work upon child. If the work
disagrees with the child's mental and
physical organization, he will soon say
| so; If it does not, he will continue in it
and be happy. He knows and knows
best.
If the mill work disagrees with q
child, the parent is unwise to send him
to mill, but should send him to school,
and await the work till physique and
boyhood is better developed. This ar
ticle is not written to encourage peo-
pie in foolishness but to justify the
mills in philanthropy. Tho mill uses
no compulsory measure to force child
| to work; it is compulsive rather on the
other side-by the lovableness Of it's
school teachers, and the capability of
their training. The mill has the one
modern fAult of minding its own bust.
ness, which Legislators, in their anom-
alous wny OF earning salary. have
not yet learned to do.
On the contrary, let lis see the coun-
try child. A little relative of mine.
who is studiOus. delicate, and far from
schools, pines with his soul for the ed
ucatiOn he cannot get. He works as
arduOusly, as willingly rs the child in
the mill, but it is farm or domestic
work, and brings him nothing at the
end Of tho day but wcarincss. No
bright silver pieces in his hand at the
end of the week tells him that his little
life is worth something. He must re-
tire feeling that with all his might over
work toward which his heart rebels he
has not after all paid for his food nor
doubt with many .misgivings will ask
for the penny for slate or book.
a child in II section of country like
this must feel dependent, it owes the
breath of its daily life to its parents; it
can never repay them; it is humble,
fearful; thinks only of manlinesS aS