The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-02-06

= | hc OppOuChGo hiC IullI O"uCI w II
t do these officials say that they don
= want children working in their mill
and yet turn around and fight the bill
In reply to questions from Mr.. Webb
: Mr.. German declared that in Massa
: chusetts there is law against thi
kind Of labor. There are factory in
spectors to keep out the children 0
Immature age.
In answer to questions from mil
presidents, he declared that he did no
know that the New England mills al
low children of INDECENT parents &c
work in the mills anyway, but this bill
provides the samo thing for the South
Carolina mills.
Mr.. Jno. 9. Carey. president of
Inc Lockhart mills was then presented
by Col. Orr. Hc began by saying that
the operatives, owners of mills and
Legislators arc of tho same kIth and
kin. The mill owners have at heart
the Interests Of not only their opcra-
tlvcs, but Of the entire State. The
operatives work in the prospect of GER
tain reward. If the mill operatives are
so much in favor of this bill, why are
they not here to appeal for it? Where
are the gray headed fathers, the weep
ing mothers to declare the cruelty of
the cotton mill owners?
He was asked if tho mills pay opcr-
atives who are learning tie bu,inoss
lie replied that they do. Re gave orc
instance not to show the inhumanity
OF parents to children driven from
homo, but 10 instance the generosity
OF mill presidents" In regard to Mr..
Germans visit to New Eng land mlIls,
Mr.. Carey charged pointedly that 1t is
a difficult matter for Southern mill
! president to visit a president of an
| Eastern mill, or to visit tho mill itself.
lie intimated that 1t is wclnigh i'm
| possible for an operative to visit those
mills.
MIR. Carey was asked if the wages
arc as high in the South rs in Now
England. lie replied that this is not
n question at issue, but If wages arc
not as high it is because the cost of
living Is much lower in the South.
His own salary would hardly pay the
rent OF the house Of New England
mill president.
lie continued that every cotton mill
resident in the South tries to outdo
| AAA' HSiS 1Dol III ciIoTluH NlldG Cuu nc
done TO benefit his help. School houses
and churches are built. The mill pres.
idcnts are teaching the operatives to
say " our mills" etc., to feel a propri-
etary interest in the mills in which they
work. In New England the help Is of
foreign birth, and they care nothing
for the property or Of the persons of
the mills. We want that infection
kept out Of here.
He invited the Kings Daughters to
visit his mill, to come in disguise and
work there if they want to and then if
there be found anything wrong let
them make it known, He takes a CEN
sus every three months and he finds
moreEignoramuscs among the grown
people than among the children. lie
roasted the articles OF a woman CORE
spondent, who described conditions in
mill in Alabama. lie declared state
mcnts therein as utterly prcpostcrous
and untrue. There is no cruelty such
as slapping children's faces.
Mr.. Ellis G. Graydon, of Greenwood,
! by invitation, addressed the committee.
lie stated that he is here representing
nobody, having in the question only
such interest as every citizen should
have. Very little has been said upon
the real issue-is this measure advis-
ablc2 The question before this COM
mlttee is, lis it good thing to axe
a child work in cotton mill or any,
where else where it requires him to
dclvc GG hours a week?" which is cqul-
valent to II hours a day by Mr. Gray
! don's calculation, for the custom IS to
make up through the week for the
half-hoiday OH Saturday, 80 that the
timc actually spent at work is l3 hours
a day for five days in the week.
A farmer would not plow a colt for
13 hours day for tho beast is physi-
cally unable to stand it. Then why
not apply this rule TO children in cotton
mills. 1t makes them prcmaturely old
and decrepit, fiat chcstcd, narrow
shouldered, wan and weak. In Green
wood the operatives arc az good as
can be found in any other mil. They
do not complain Of i'll treatment That
is not the question. The question is:
els it good for the children?n This
question is not to be settled upon SEN
timent, but upon facts. 10 get proof
that this is good bin, it is necessary
to go no further than to the testimony
of Mr.. Smyth and the others. They
say that they do not want the children
to work in their mills. If it is not
good for them why not pass law pro
hibiting il?
There may be cases of individual
hardshlps caused by this bill, although
there arc provisions seeking to cxcmp
such cases. Suppose it does press
down hardly upon some people, the
question IS, "What is the greatest goot
, for the greatest number Of peoplc?'
} What is good for these mills is good fo
the mills Of the entire State. The au
thorities Of the mills have been puttini
the thing off from year to year, ant
3 why delay this Legislation? He hat
2 talked with many operatives, honest
. law abiding peaceablc people. He ha,
t yet to find one man OF them who on
8 poses this bill. The Textile Workers
: union, which has the interest Of III
[ | ODcratiyeS at heart ia in Puynr nf III;