The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-30
OPPOSED CHILD LABOR
KINGs's DAUGHTERS DELEGATES
TO INQUIRE INTO THE LAWS.
EACH IN HER OWN STATE
THEN REPORT RESULT OF HER
INVESTIGATION AT NEXT
CONFERENCE.

The Question Brought Up by Mrs.
Hampton Perry, who Read Paper
on Child Labor-Gave No statistics
but Made Strong Plea for Little
Ones-Mrs. Davis Told of Her Trip
Across Continent Last Spring.
Morning Sessions to Last From 10
O'Clock Until 1,3O-DeIegates VIII
This Afternoon.
The session of the interstate confer
ence of the Kings Daughters and Sons
was opened last night with devotional
services, conducted by Mrs. F. T.
Washington of London Bridge, Va.
The first business was the announce
ment that the Auditing Committee will
meet at the Sunday school room this
morning at 945 o'clock. Mrs. F. S.
Smith furnished the musical part of
the programme by singing Fear Not
Ye, o Israel" (Buck).
Reports of state secretaries were
called for and those of West Virginia,
read by Mrs. M. L. B. Reed, and of
Texas, read by Mrs. ]. M. Wendelkin,
were made. Mrs. Isabella Charles
Davis was called on for an account of
trip that she had made in the spring
from her New York home to the Pa
cific coast and back.
She responded gracefully, and gave
bright, humorous and interesting ac-
count of her journey, it's incidents,and
h. 0f o L
in the different states that she visited
In particular she referred to as 1.-The
funniest experience that she had on
the trip" her experience in Atlanta
when she was mistaken by a reporter
of one of the papers for Mrs. Jefferson
Davis, was interviewed and written up
as that lady.
Miss Madge Reid interrupted her at
this point by saying, And it was the
greatest compliment Georgia could pay
you," a statement to which Mrs Davis
gracefully acquiesced.
In her statement as showing the
growth of the society and the excellent
work that it has done and is doing
here, Mrs. Davis stated that at the
conventions in 1901 nine states and two
provinces-Georgia, Tennessee, Texas,
Mississippi, North Carolina, Virginia,
West Virginia, Michigan, California
North), British Columbia and New
Brunswick, with a total of 1872 circles
containing 5,S07 members had used for
various purposes $S1, ,451.51. OF this
amount, California led, with the ex-
penditure of $27,2OO.O4, Virginia came
next, with over $4,000, and Georgia
showed the expenditure of Sc, 6,969S1.
In addition to these sums, Tennessee,
Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia and North
Carolina still have on hand, to be de-
voted to special purposes, $S,606.96. At
the same convention reports showed
that ten circles in addition to their
other work had given to the poor 1,759
garments, and had made 4,977 visits to
the poor and sick. Mrs. Davis was fol-
lowed by Mrs. Hampton Perry of
Charleston, who spoke on "The Child
Labor Question"
After explaining that, through some
misunderstanding, the fact that she
was expected to speak on this subject
was not made known to her until after
she had left home for Savannah, and
that therefore she had not brought any
statistics and would be able to give
only a few notes, jotted down hur-
riedly in the afternoon, Mrs. Hampton
Perry said:
when we think of the many hours
that poor little children are kept toll
ing III DHG HllllS-CHlluI6n SO SIDdll
that ours of the same age are enjoy
ing endless play through the livelong
day-when We look at the little fingers
helping among machinery when those
of our children are guarded from even
pins and needles-when we think of
the little minds tied down to one field
of thought instead of being led into
the paths of knowledge through the
medium of Gods gifts, the green trees,
the wonderful earth, the starry skies,
our hearts bleed and our better nature
pleads for one to arise and lead a
crusade against the evil
Some one says, suppose the employ
ment of children in mills is forbidden
is 1t worse for them to be mewed up
in factory, where, at least, they are
warm and safe from bad companions,
or to be left alone to work out their
own damnation in the gutter and
squalor and dirt, while their parents
are at work.
The question is doubtful Neverthe-
less, work heart and soul to get the
little ones freed; don't let them be tied
down to drudgery before they have had
the freedom from care which, for the
few early years of life is the natural
right of humanity-then work harder
still for the formation and maintenance
of play grounds, kindergartens and
schools. We must do all in our power
by speech and influence to induce mill
owners to realize the necessity of aban-
doning the use of child labor.
From UtiIitarian Point of View.
From a utilitarian point of view, the
child is father of the man, and If the
child is stunted physically and men
tally by work unsuited to his years,
and by lack of air and teaching then
the succeeding generations will lack
vigor. If the child can be taught how
to work-how to employ opportunity
how to think, aye-how to play
while he Is little he certainly will be
a better hand-worth more to his en-
ployer at IL or IA than one who from
infancy has been at work-made to do
mechanically what was required.
"In England education is compul-
sorry and child labor forbidden by law;
the one is the correlative of the other.
In many European countries the same
law exists. At the North there has
been much legislation on the subject,
and the need for such legislation Is
gradually being felt in the South. On
account of this, bills TO prohibit child
labor have been introduced in various
states. Miss Ashley has done much
in Alabama. In South Carolina efforts
have been made. though without sue
cess, to pass such bills. but we are
still working hard and hope before
long to be rewarded.
"As ] said before all my papers are
at home, and therefore / will not at
tempt to give any statistics: had
been informed In time that a paper
was expected OF me. / would have
taken pains TO communicate with the