The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-08-20
c.. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST
about CHILD LABOR.
Chattanooga Tradesman Has In
yestigated Conditions in
This State.

GsS S&@eSa
A representative Of the Chattanooga
! Tradesman has been, investigating the
child labor law of this State and says.
In so far as South Carolina is con-
cerned it will be no doubt a great sur
prise to people to learn how few chill
| dren under - years of age are employ
ed in the mills. The Tradesman's
facts were obtained this summer, when
none of the children Of mill operatives
are at school, hence. their number in
the mills is greateyat this season than
at any other. -
The following54re some Of the facts q
Lewis W. Parker, president OF the
Victor Manufacturing Company, says
that there are $50 operatives in the
mill, of whom there are 27 children
under 12 years Of age. Mr.. Parker
regrets that the number is unusually
large at this time, which is due to the
fact that the school closed July
This mill operates school nine
months in the year, paying the teachers
and the expenses Of the school gener-
ally out of its own funds.
! John A. Law, president Of the Sax
on mills, Spartanburg, says he has ss75s
people on his pay roll. OF these nine
| are children under u years cid, and
they will be put out as soon as school
begins, he says. There is free school
| in the village running eight months
in the year.
Arthur T. Smith of the Langley
+ Manufacturing Company, says that
mill has 80 employees at work, of
whom IA are under 12 years Ole. This
corporation runs school four months
Of the year and the county fire months,
making nine IN all. Mr.. Smith states
/ That every one of these children VIII
go to school on the opening.
James L. Orr, president of TIE Pieo-S
mont Manufacturing Company, says
| that there are /, 423 names on his par
roll, of which Sc are between the ages
Of 10 and 12 years. All OF these are
sweepers and iackers and are children
of small families who are dependent
upon them forIa living. There is not
one under 10 and only thirteen under
Il. There is a regular graded school,
with a principal and seven teachers,
and running ten months in the year,
and all Of. it is paid for by the COM
pany.
Ellison A.. Smyth, of the Pelzer and
Behon mills. says in the Pelzer mill
there are 2,543 operatives, Of whom
26 are underl2 years old, and in the
Belton mill there are 54I operatives,
Of whom 13 are less than u years old.
He says:
g At both Pelzer and Belton we have
a contract book, which is signed by
1 the head of every family we employ,
and in which it is agreed that AL chill
dren under IL years of age are to 60 to
the school provided by the mills every
DAY the schools are open, and children
over u are to be employed in the mill.
/ Our schools run for nine or ten months
| and will reopen On the lst OF Septem-
Der. find that during this holiday
time some OF the children under IL
years Of age do get into the mill to
workt, hough they are not wanted and
their employment forbidden, but often
| the children want to work and make
their wages. Of course there are ex-
ceptions made to our u year rule In
| individual cases, owing to the poverty
and needs of the widowed mother or
the invalid father, or in case of orr
| phans, to the condition Of want in
which the grand parents are found to
be-
J. I. Westeryelt, of the Brandon
| mills, Greenville, says there are 267
employees in the mill. Nine are males
| under l2 and three are females under
II, although they are inst few
months removed from that age. These
are more than usual on account of the
| school being closed, which is run ten
months.
Thomas F. Parker, president of the
Monaghan mills, Greenville, says
there are 33s operatives in the mill, of
| whom q are under 12 years There is
school open for nine months.
2. G. Poag, superintendent of the
Goldyille Manufacturing company,
says there are SO operatives in this
| mill, of whom eight are under u
years.
R. T. Fewell president of the
Arcade mills, Rock Hill, reports that
there are 189 operatives, of whom 20
are under II years, He declares that
there is not milla mn in the State
VINO wants to employ children undef
l2, but it is sometimes done from
kindness of heart and sympathy.
This is the record for South Caroli-
ma so far as it goes, and it shows
surprising state of affairs when one
considers the many investigations
made of conditions by Northern
writers. They have greatly exag
gerated the situation, with an object
in view, and have accepted their state
ments as truth. According to the show
ing made there is no need for any legis-
lation on the subject in this State for
the mill owners themselves do not
want to employ children under u years
Of age and they do not do SO exceps
when they believe they are doing good
to the children themselves and their
families.
Elizabeth, N. j., August IA