The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-09-11
NEW VIEW OF CHILD LABOR
The Mill Presidents OurIt to
Secure Uniform Laws on Pa
triOtiC Grounds,

Secure Uniform Laws on Pa
triOtiC Grounds.
Charleston Ncws and Courier.
Mr.. Edwin Lehman Johnson, of
Memphis, Tenn, II WILDLY known con-
sulting specialist in cotton seed, its
products, manufacture and uses, is
spending few days III The citv, regis
tered ut the Charleston Hotel. Mr..
johnson has devoted the best years of
his life to the study and pursuit of this
calling and by close attention TO busi-
ness, coupled with great deal of nat.
ural ability, he has established ma
tional reputation in his particular line
vi work. Mr.. Johnson has many
friends in South Carolina, having re-
sided at ono time in this State. AT
present he is a member of the Mem
phis Cotton Exchange and promncnt-
ly identified with the financial, COM
mercial and industrial circles of tho
Tennessee metropolis.
When seen at the Charleston Hotel
by reporter for The News and Cou.
rlor, Mr.. Johnson was asked for an cx-
preston of lis views on tho child Ia
q
some time bcon one Of The paramount
issues of the day both North and South
but particularly in tho Southern
StatOS.
"I cannot clam any special knowl-
edge of child or other labor in the
mills, my experience having been ax-
clusively with the labor in the allied
industry of cotton seed manufactures ~
sad the TCnncssccan. "The require.
mcnts in this latter calling arc 80 Sc
vorc that none but ablc-bodiGd men
can meet them, and have never secl
children III cotton seed mills any
where"
"Thc child labor question, how
over" he continued, " is an economic
ono of great concern TO the South ant
about which every Southcrner ough
to have fixed opinions based OH patri
otic grounds. We will do well TO for
get all Northern criticism on this mat
ter. Such criticism unhappily tends Il
forco us in sclf-dcfenco to dcprccla It
tho real evil and it's magnitude. The
right point OF view is that wo ought il
the South to bend every energy to-
ward cultivating force, stamina ant
character IN our whito population, fo
wo arc all advocates of white suprcm
acy; and at tho rate tho negroes ar,
advancing and should advance, W,
must raise up and rouse up our weaker
whito brethren IN order to keep VI
with tho pace. The day of the 'poo
white trash has passed. Wo do no
want and must not have any sucl
class in the future.
"Therc is absolutely nothing in co I
ton mill work that Weakens or abuse
healthy minds and sound bodies.
is as dignifcd as any Other labor. ,Ths
children can be employed at 1t at q
ia proof that 1T is not a tax upon cithc
mind or body. But IN this very fac
turks the danger. Except in rar
cases a child ought neither to be con
PEELED nor allowed to earn it's ow
livelihood, still less be required to SUI
; port its elders. The years of chilt
hood ought to be devoted to the dc
, vclopment of both body and mint
1t requires no argument to show that
race of men and women whose ontil
, childhood has been spent in workin
in cotton mills or any other mills wi
be an inferior raco, both physical
) and mentally. We cannot afford
have any such race in the South. TT
= public interest requires that our whi
| children should obtain even q bett
/ education than the children of IL
: North. They must quit tho cottc
3 mills and go TO school.
"Thc negro child in Georgia, Sou
1 Carolina and other Southern States
y making far moro of school privileg
y than the white child. No cotton m
. employs negro children or tenn,
6 them away from tho institutions
c learning. Our cotton mills are
:. scrvodly the most popular of all c
l manufactures. They have been
/ vored above all othors in public cor
donce and public support. Southe
y mill owners should show somo app
t citation of this and carefully gu,
II against the very just rcproach u
l. will be cast upon them if their INF
l. ence upon Southern life shall bo