The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-02-06
THE QUESTION
OF CHILD LABOR,

The committee on commerce an
manufactures in the House of Repre-
sentatives held special meeting t
hoar discussion Of the child labor ques
tion. The bill before tho committc
provides that within one year aftor it
passage children under ton years O
ago are prohibited from working in
cotton mill; after one year tho ag
limit shall be olevon years, and afto
tho second year the ago limit shall b.
twelve years.
Tho first speaker was Chas. II. Ger
man, Of Aiken County, cotton mil
operative, who declared that this is
humane and just measure and no jus
reason against it has lover been urged
He stated that the opposition declares
that the bill will drive labor away from
the mills. He differed with them. Il
is customary to employ children az
spinners and spoilers. He said that
children Of q very tender age are being
employed in the mills. Members oil
thls committee had seen children un,
der 10 years Of age at work in the
CRANKY mill in this city. He conceded
that tho mill authorities arc doing a
great deal to provide schools for the
mlll children, but it is like putting food
IN front of hungry man and then not
allowing him to cat. 1t is untrue that
the population coming in brings ill;t-
orRcy, for many children raised in cot.
ton mill towns in this state cannot
read their names.
ue had been told by somc mill Off
cials that they would accept tho child
labor law if it becomes general law
and iS made to apply to every mill in
the State. There have been some
manufacturers who have not taken
much interest in this bill. He had
boon told that the manufacturers in
Georgia had agreed OH law in that
State. 1t is detrimental TO the health
as we'll az the education Of the children
to keep them at work in the mills at
untlmely hours.
X. q. Smyth, president of the Pelzer
mills, followed. He stated that there
is no law in Georgia, North Carolina
or Alabama on this subject. In the
Piedmont section the authorities had
for a8 years boen trying to stamp
out Oh Id labor in mills while the
King's Daughters and other humani-
tarians had but lately taken up the
matter. Ho showed how ,he older mills
are trying to provide schools. He
styled the bill as class legislation" )"
1t brands the cotton mill employees as
inhuman and protects the child from
lta parents when they move to town,
but let's them do whatever they please
if they stay on the farms.
Mr. Smyth continued that there is
no way to prove child's age. If the
law should put an age limit 1t would be
hard to prove that children below that
age wore working in the mills. He has
a similar rule at the Pelzer mill, and he
feels sure that 1T is violated, yet he
cannot prove that the children at
work come below the age limit.
Ho read q letter from a distinguish
ed Northern physician in which it was
declared that the children arc better
of in the mills than idle. This article
declared that the Southern cotton mill
superintendents do not want their chill
dren, and that but limited number
are employed, and that those sweepcrs
really are not overtaxed by their work.
The article urged an extension Of the
public school system, and ultimately
compulsory education. These chill
dren, idle, without parental restraint,
would be worse off than at work in the
mills.
The speaker continued that the mem
bers Of tho committee are from a Sec
ton Of the State where there are nc
mills; the Governor Of the State, the
Speaker Of the House, the newspaper
articles urging this bill are written by
people inspired by sentiment which
is overdrawn and not from knowledge
Of conditions. Then there are labor
agitators who are working for the bill
Mr.. Henry Is. Richardson asked If if
hurts child's health to work in mill
Mr.. Smyth replied that it might hurt
them under 10 years Of age, but II
would not hurt a cblld Of II years
But better for them 10 be at work thar
to be running around growing up to be
vagrants and forming vicious habits.
Mr.. Webb asked if this bill woult
affect Pelzer. Mr.. Smyth replied tina
it would not, yet he would regret to SCI
1t passed, it 10 vicious legislation.
Mr.. Webb asked further if Mr.
Smyth has not regulation on thi
very subject. Mr.. Smyth answered
that he has, but he is powerlcss to en-
force it. There are 300 children OF
the streets Of Pelzer now. lie can dis
miss families from his service for NJ
complying with his rule to rcquir
children to go to school, but he canno
force them to comply and to go I
school.
The speaker then discussed the sui
.ject OF compulsory education, an
ulged that, if this bill be passed, tn
compulsory education bill be passc
with II. He gave history of legOls
ton in Massachusetts against the labt
OF children. The limit there is tc
years. Why ohould the age in tn
State be IA years, for the children i
the South are really more precociou
The cotton mill industry is young
this State, yet the bill proposes to p'
this State on basis with Norlhel
,xh NO ,nIrotr,t 10 Irf