The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-09-04
THE CHILD LABOR QUESTION

| Elsewhere on this page is published
| two communications from intelligent mill
men Of Talladega and West Point on the
subject of child labor. We publish these
letters cheerfully because we desire a
full and free discussion of the subject.
so that the statesmen who compose the
next Legislature may be informed on
all points. These gentlemen are entirely
competent to speak for the interests rep
resented by them.
| 1t Is not our purpose to discuss this
subject at length just now. The. position
| of The Advertiser is well known. We
favor law which will prohibit the work.
ing of children under II years of age in
| factories. unless circumstances in indi-
vidual cases make it necessary for the
| support of the family. There are in
stances where there is no father to work
| for the children, and there are doubt
| less other cases where one or both par
ents may be physically unable to work.
and In such cases 1t is better that the
| children shall suffer some hardships and
privations than that the entire family
SHOulu lOou dAo SlOthCSp VI
become a charge on the public. These
cases are rare, and to contend that a
sound and strong man cannot support
his family in Alabama without sending
his infants to the factory is a SANDER
on our State and people.
1t will be seen that Mr.. Lanier virtu-
ally denies that children under Il years
Of age work in the factories, except to
fill temporarily the places of older chill
dren. On the other hand Mr.. McElderry
speaks of the country family moving to
the factory town where "all the family
over s years old. and excepting the father
| and mother, go into the MILL" That is
an answer to Mr.. Lanier. 1t may be that
the latter speaks only of the conditions
existing in his own mill, of which we
know nothing. We know also. that the
conditions in Alabama are not so bad
but the writer of this has visited cotton
factories in various portions of Alabama
and knows what he is taking about He
has seen little children from to IL years
old toiling through the long days, spin
| ming and weaving all the light and joy
Of childhood into thread and cloth, and
we unhesitatingly pronounce it the most
pitiful sight we ever saw. They should
be at play or in school, or at work In
| the open air at such employment as will
strengthen and expand their mental and
| physical natures instead of REFRESHING and
dwarfing both.
On general principles The Advertiser is
not an advocate of paternal legislation
Much must be left to society and to hu-
mainly, but there must be some legis-
lation for the protection of children. The
| Constitution and the laws of Alabama
wisely fix an age below which children
shall not be confined in the school room.
which a young girl shall not be de-
bauched. These laws are intended for the
| protection of the children and for the
| good of society. 1t is absurd to say that
the law may not also limit the age at
which children may be employed in fac
| tories, and we believe the Legislature can
| be trusted to enact such laws as will not
be unjust or oppressive.
But as we said at the outset, we do
| not intend now to enter into all the pros
| and cons OF this subject. 1t will be dis
| cussed fully before the Legislature meets,
l end every detail will be brought out. We