New-York tribune., 1903-02-16
ALMOST MOB DISTURBER
His TuLgar Words 4rouse Child
Labor Meeting at Cooper Union.

Two thousand men and women who attended
the regular weekly meeting of the Peoples IN
stitute, which he'd last night in Cooper
Unon nearly mobbed man who put vulgar
question to the Rev Edgar Gardner Murphy. OF
Alabama. after he finished address on Child
Labor as d National Problem
The Rev. Mr.. Murphy was the principal
speaker of the evening. At the close of his
address he asked the audience to put to him as
many questions as they chose and he would
answer them.
A tall clean shaven and we'll dressed young
man got up at the back end of the hall and
shouted:
'Mr Murphy, want TO ask you question" >"
Go right ahead" the speaker replied
Are YOU the Rev. Mr.. Murphy began the
ouestioner in a deliberate tone, who six years
ago sent a letter under your own signature 10
all the papers throughout the country stating
that all the women of Alabama under under
forty years old
The words that followed stunned the audience
at first Everybody in the hall had been listen
ing with close attention, and it not until
after the man had finished speaking that the
audience realized what he said and what he
meant
Charles Sprague Smith, who presided dropped
his glasses from the platform, and for several
moments was speechess and remained standing
with mouth wide open, great was his aston
ishment William III. Maxwell Superintendent
of Schools who also spoke child labor. gasped
in amazement Hundreds of the women in the
hall fairly jumped to their feet with cried of
indignation. Men cried Shame and rushed
toward the man. Some crowded about him
with threatening aspect and blows appeared i'm
mlnent when the police led the questioner from
the hall.
Before this happened Mr.. Smith found his
voice, and asked the man to leave. No sooner
had he said this when the Rev. Mr.. Murphy.
shaking with rage, made the declaration that he
knew not of the existence of the letter re-
ferred to.
When quiet restored a in the audi
ence suggested that all would vote in favor OF
supporting the committee child labor and do
all In their power to influence the legislature to
pass laws that will be submitted to that body
for the protection of children. The audience
cheered this to the echo, and pledged their sup
port by rising vote.
THE development of modern machinery is
making market for children" said the
Rev. Mr.. Murphy. in his address. Il am not
opposed to machinery nor do suppose you are
but l viii tell you thing. have got TO
look out for machinery as you watch the auto
mobile. while you avail yourself of il. for the
protection of yourselves. Modern machinery is
so nearly human force that ii requires little
watching and little care. IL is nearly human
that 1t almost be treated human. IL Is
so near to being intelligent that ii almost
be rated as intelligent. A great danger lies in
modern machinery. Child labor is due to the
fact that everybody is i'm too much of hurry
to get rich. I'm not talking against getting rich.
but against this being in too much of n hurry
TO get rich. The fault of child labor is not
wholly ON the side of corporations IL. Is in
many cases on the side of the parents i have
found In some places men tand mighty healthy
ones) hiring their children and living on
the revenue from their tender hands.
Ayax .xran Iyel1 10
would make an effort to have passed In Albany
a bill which would bring about system or get
ting at the real ages of children. He said he
had found thousands of children In factories
whose names were not on the payrolls