The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-12
K CHILD B
Cotton Mil owrers should be Re-
strained by stringent Laws.
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune.
The determination OF the great corpora
ton which controls the manufacture OF cot
ton duck 10 close the mills al New Hart
ford. Conn. and move the plant 20 some
Southern State should awake the philan-
thropists OF the South 10 renewed Efforts
TO secure restriction OF child labor IN their
States. The New Hartford mills are among
the best known in the cotton duck business.
and employ about 200 persons. These have
been tod that the mills will close on Sept
l. and it is said that though the business
has been prosperous the great outside cor
poration now conducting il objects 10 the
Connecticut law forbidding the employment
of children under fourteen years Of age.
and expects 10 increase its profits by oper-
ating where no such restrictive laws are in
force and where an abundance Of cheap
child labor can be secured.
Such a step as this on the part OF the
manufacturers is a complete refutation or
all the rgument made by the New Eng
land owners of Southern cotton mills
against legislation TO protect children
They have almost uniformly admitted that
child labor was an evil. and promised TO
do their best OF their own accord 10 abOl-
ish IL. They did not want hard and fast
laws, however. FOR IL was sometimes neces-
sary 10 employ children. There were fam
lilies so poor that II was sometimes a mat
ter OF charity TO let the children do light
work. Some OF the best adult employees
were set upon securing places for their
children. and unless the mills hired them
they would move 10 another mill where the
standard was lower. and so the wOuld-be
philanthropist would merely lose his adult
help without saving the children from Ia
Dor. No enlightened mill owner wanted
TO employ children-they were a source OF
loss rather than proht-but so long as
Georgia. for instance, allowed child labor.
it would not do for Alabama 10 pass re-
s~trictive laws which would drive the work
ers across the border, for the mill popu-
laton was migratory. and the demand Tor
workers so great that mills habitually paid
the moving expenses or employees hlred
from a distance. All these have
been made with the utmost seriousness, and
TO them Is added what Is by many cOnsid-
cred the real objection on the part Of the
manufacturers To legal safeguards for
children. This is the fear that measures
restricting the labor Of children in fac
general oppressive labor legislation. Espe-
cially is the opening OF the door 10 labor
agitators dreaded. and the charge is freely
made that the present campaign against
child labor in the South is secretly inspired
by the agents of the labor unions.
Now comes this report that one OF the
great cotton manufacturing concerns is
preparing TO go South TO utilize the cheap
labor Of children. II that report is well
founded. il is, as the Hartford COurant.
which first published the story. says. "a
most discouraging and discreditable sign
of the times and Of the greed of the hun
CRY dollar" 1t shows that all the fire talk
Of the philanthrOpic manufacturers who
employ a few children for their own good
and furnish schools for them. so that they
are really better off than If they were left
free. amounts 10 nothing. Doubtless some
of these manufacturers are perfectly sin
cere, and If left 10 themselves would re-
duce the evils Of child labor TO a minimum
or even employ a few children under con-
ditiOns distinctly beneficial. But il is clear
that laws must be made for those who
would abuse their liberty. not those who
would use II properly; and If Northern
mills are to be moved for the sake OF child
Z labor. clearly the abuse OF liberty has
; reached a dangerous stage.
l Possibly this southwark tendency may
' for a time make the work OF reformers
5 more difficult, because local greed viii be
? awakened and legislatures viii be infiu-
I enced by objections 10 laws which might
r prevent the establishment OF mills. IL
child labor is the attraction 10 capital, liz
Will be argued, no prohibition should be
e enforced until the capital has been secured
p and prosperity established on a firm foun-
{ datiOn. Ii is not TO be believed. however,
that the humanity Of the South can be ST.
fenced by that plea, or that the lawmakers
Of the South are ready 10 sell their own
flesh and blood-for the cotton mill oper-
\ atiVes are almost exclusively native whites.
The cotton manufacturing industry there
Is bound TO grow, without any such conces-
= sion to the greed OF outside mill owners.
= Even If the temptation should be strength
ened efforts TO touch the conscience Of the
1 now Indifferent and save the children from
the fate which threatens them. Child la
cor, which might perhaps have been COM
paratively harmless here and there under
exceptional conditions. becomes absolutely
intolerable when il is made a matter of
g systematic exploitation and a source of call
culated gain TO rapaCiQuS emDlOVers.