The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-16
PITIFUl TALES OF CHILD
LABOR EXCITE COMMISSIONERS.
Little Girls Work All Night Pittanceudge Gray Indg
Ourrage-Mincrs Side of the
ing the Close COMMISSIONS Attitude Is Defined

; by the previous Organization Of employers
! IN :hr ;,nthrarit- fields.
! Nj. WoIverton Objected 10 the reading
| because il was too remote and had no hear
ing on the issues they stood to-day.
Nj Lloyd was. however. permitted to
proceed.
He submitted fye points in evidence. as
l. The ownership by certain railroads of
extensive mining properties IN the anthra-
=. That men who are directors IN one
mining company are members Of boards Of
directors Of other railroads and mining
companies.
: Join resistance of the coal-carryins rail
roads 20 thr individual crerators building
AN independyn' road - carry their products
at r.asonahl" rates.
:. The community o: interests OF the coal
CARRYING railroads and their mining COM
iIncs.
:, Constant acquisition of additional IN
mined coal by tF.. coLl-carrying railroads
FREIGHT RATES.
THIS brought Air. Lloyd up. 10 the point
where h. wanted to show TIL, exorbitant
freight rates charged by the companies. and
= slscihc 09Iection vas promptly entered
Reading Comnanv. TWO Of m. COMMISSION.
"is had temporarily ieft the courtroom. and
Chairman sirav hesitated to make a ruling
on thu objection. ana asked Mr.. Lloyd to
At this suggestion Mr. Lloyd b-san 70
present evidence relating u the profits OF
tn" coal-carrying roads ard thc mining
companies He was instantly stopped by
Afr WClverton ana then ersuei a long col
!"Guy over th. Tut st!on whe' her the freight
rates and the profits Df the claSst Of COM
panieS could h.. properly heard by the com
mission. Chairman Gray did not think 50.
During tn" discussion Chairman Gray
made his announcement that III" commits
sion WAS assuming that the operators could
pay fair wage and that II employers can.
not pay fair wages tn-y ought TO get out OF
thu business.
Mr. Lloyd seemed TO he satisfied with this
INV. and in MS remarks To the commission
said he would GO no furt her; that the princi-
PIE thus laid down by the commission ;yolid
- welcomed by the workinsrnen of the
country. and set precedent II that pr!n-
Cip!e i carried out 10 emptoLer IN the cOun-
try could. when his profits We're low. de-
crease 4 workman's wages be!o" the stan
CHILD LABOR
Several little girls emlicyed In silk mills
Were called 10 the witness stand, and as =
result Chairman Gray plainly gave his opin-
ion of parents who semi their children 70
work ~ tender ags. The mrs; girl called
Wa only II years OLD. and she had I" go 10
work because her father ahi hesn hurt in
tho mines. She said shs worked from
a. until y. III for S. n week In answer
to Chairman Gray she said her father eH.
week. ;o which Judge Gray replied that he
should bo commended.
Annie Denks aged IL years said she
worked ct nisht from go o'clock until s:2n
in the morning. She had 10 stand up al!
night during her work; ard received s. cents
ploysf at night every Inemher of the com
mission seemed 10 be- shocked Judge Gray
appeared especially indignant He asked
HIM III the mines. The girl also told the
nUrnber Of persons in the family and finally
Judge Gray said he would like to See the
WOULD SEE FATHERS
y would like 10 see the fathers of these
10 send them to the mills hut l don't think
. father has right TO coin the flesh and
blood OF his children into money It's an
Outrage 1 would like TO see what instincts |
The chairman Of the commission spoke |
with much feeling and his views apparently !
received the approval of the other Commis |
siOuers
Mr. barrow. for the miners said IT wa. |
not aIiossther the fault Of the parents. |
paving wages enough 10 perIni; Il man to |
keep his children in school Judge Gray re-
That may be. but there are miners who
receive enough pay 10 enable them TO keep |
their children out 4 the work T. house
a small SlavOntan girl. aged T. who also |
worked all night. gave. her testimony
through a l?-year-old girl Interpreter. She
c.i:ei ) cents an hour. She was asked
whether her father owned the house she
lived in and she replied:
Chairman Gray. who was standing UP and |
leaning over TO get the girls answer. |
Strengthened up. and as he walked to his
Well. IL like to see her father"
Another ls-year-old girl said she worked
ali night in the silk mill at Dunmore for
30 cents a night.
HER STEPFATHER
Judge Gray: Does your father own his
house.
YES sir: he's my step:ather"
lie is your Stepfather? l thought So
Judge Gray here inquired a. to the law
IN Pennsylvania regarding child labor at
night one statute found which par |
tally covered the case. and the chairman
thar il seemed as If the statutes
- Pennsylvania in this part OF the State
io not seem 10 bother any one
Mr. Darrow remarked that the laws can
not enforce themselves.
After hearing all the girl witnesses the
miners put q breaker boy on the stand.
n. - u years Old and has :: l0-ysar-olti
BROTHER working IN the breaker of the Red
Ash Company AT Mount Carmel The father
IF the boys was killed in the mines and
he H-year-old brother wrote the note TO
ne company. which was signed by the
mother. stating that the younger brother
vas of legal age.
At this point 4 recess was taken.