Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-08-18

| to share in this disgraceful competl-
tion Of wages,-pitiful as the wages
are-with human life. Children of
six, seven and eight years of age are
worked in these mills, in large num-
bers, from 5:45 In the morning to $3.50
at night, and their pay ranges from
ten to thirty cents day. Labor
unions are not permitted to exist
much less to interfere to mitigate this
shocking barbarity, while the mill
owners control the Legislatures of the
States to the extent of preventing any
repressive laws on the subject.
The State Of Alabama, as an induce
ment to Northern capital to come there,
and at the demand of q Massachusetts,
investment company, has repealed its
statute which prohibited the employ
ment of children under twelve for
more than eight hours day. The
manager of the Gainesville mills went
before the Legislature of Georgia in
opposition to any laws to protect chill
dren of tender years from the rapacity
of capital, and he said: Have no
class legislation. but throw the doors
wide open and invite this Northern
capital to come here and give them the
assurance Of protection, and when
you do that, protect them. 1t is
wrong that is almost a crime to throw
an impeachment In the way Of this
great development. One of the great
reasons for bringing this capital to
Georgia, from Boston and New York,
is that we have no unfriendly legisla-
ton against it; we are absolutely op-
posed to it, opposed to any sort of
legislation on labor; at this time there
is no use for it. 1t can do nothing
but harm. Keep your hands off," And
they did keep their hands Off
In South Carolina committee
made up of five mill owners went be-
fore the Legislature for the same pur-
pose, and one of them was a member
Of the United States Industrial Com
mission. One of this committee tes-
titled that in his mill 80 per cent of
the operatives were less than IL years
old, and another admitted that 20 per
cent were under that age. Yet this
committee said: 1--WE deprecate any
legislation upon the question as un-
necessary, but if any legislation be
enacted, the age limit should be fixed
at ten years, and minors under twelve
should not work after ten at night"
This inhumanity of Northern wealth
not only does grievous physical
wrong to the white children of the
South, but 1t is surely forcing upon
them a settled condition of illiteracy
At the Fulton mills, in Atlanta there
are 1,400 operatives. More than one
!, quarter of these are under twelve. AL
applicants for work must sign con
tract relieving the company from al
= liability for injuries and requiring
, the signer to give two weeks notice
= before leaving his employment or for
I felt weeks pay, although the com
, pany may discharge any one withou
/. notice. Ninety per cent of these con
tracts are signed with the Y mark.
4 Necessarily children who must worl
p II hours day have no time and II,
a spirit to learn to write.
p The letter Of Bishop Gambler, O
|. Georgia, to the Legislature of hi
{ State protesting against this barbar
2 ism Of wealth, this use of capita
!. which reaps a profit from children
lives but refuses to recognize tn
=. slightest correlntve responsibility 10
a their humane treatment, contains TIL
q eloquent and touching appeal:
1--WE cannot afford to allow lttl
a children to become the victims G
s greed whether II be the greed G
II thriftless parents or the greed q
O thrifty employers which demands tn
sacrifice
v Ancient idolany reached its deel
:. est debasement when 1t sent littl
a children through the fire to Molocl
~ and modern coyetousness, which
4, idolatry, descends 20 It's lowest lev,
~. when IL sacrifices little children I
IL Mammon Manufacturing enterprise
n. secured at such price come too dea
IN Poverty Is preferable to wealth ol
l. tanned on such terms, The State {
10 Georgia cannot afford to permit 4
N children TO be sacrificed for any mi
:, terial consideration whatsoever. l r
10 vor protecting the young life Of Il
n. commonwealth against all the peri
az with which a heartless industrlalls
.. threatens II. We protect the birds