The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-07-13


and what are the arguments in its IA
VOr?
1t proposes to restore the order of ma
ture-establshed everywhere by the GOD
of nature-a law to which all brute crea-
ton conforms. that the parent shall sup
port the tender-aged offspring and not
the tender-aged offspring support the pa
rent To allow idle. dissipated. unnatn-
raj parents to live in ease at the eX-
pense Of little children of tender age is
to reverse the order of nature and set
at naught the law of God. Who objects
to the Houston BILL and upon what
grounds?
The associated cotton mills, through its
republican representative, j. +. Hanson,
appears before the Georgia Legislature
and at the very outset exposes the weak
ness of his cause by abusing his oppo-
nents. In effect he classed the advocates
Of the bill under the three heads of fools,
fanatics and demagogues. This was a
fine display of insolence made by a re-
publican to the democratic legislat ure
of Georgia,
In whose behalf did Hanson appear? In
that of capital? Oh, no. associated cap
ital never asks anything for itself
Wearing the old hypocritical mask
which protected capital has worn for a
hundred years. Hanson came up here to
speak in behalf of labor, Hanson would
have done right in Calling fools if we
were capable OF believing that in fighting
the Houston bill the motive Of the assoc
Away with the silly subterfuge, Han
son was here in the interest of dividends.
not children. and he ought to have been
brave enough and honest enough to say
It,
What objections are made by Hanson
to the Houston bill?
He says 1T would be class legislation.
MY God! Think of that! The associated
factory owners send Hanson here to i'm
plore the legislature Of Georgia not TO
be guilty of class 1ppiS19 tfOnf
or all the impudence that ever I sa w
in all my life this caps the climax. It not
only beats Bobtail, who beat the devil,
but takes the rag off the bush, and the
bush UP by the root.
And yet Hanson. the handsome Han
son. the wealthy Hanson the republican
mill owner Hanson. dares to exhibit an
unblushing front to the Georgia legisla-
In favor Of the helpless children Of Geor-
gia, on the ground that such law would
be class legislation! Confound his infer
nal impudence!
If our farmers and wage earners are
In such pitiahle plight may Il not
be on account Of this very protective
system which the manufacturers have
for hundred years been building up?
a system under which the American
manufacturer will now sell his products
10 foreign people cheaper than our home
folks can get them: system under
which competition has been destroyed
by the trust; a system under which the
cost or living on every farm and In
every wage earner's hut depends abSo-
lutely upon the greedy demands OF the
managers Of the despotic trusts?
My own convictions are clear. 1 repeat
what I have SO often said in years gone
by-that this building up Of one mans
Industry al the expense of another IS
a crime against humanity. and a menace
to the true prosperity of the republic.
Believing that the protective system
has brought us to this pass. 7 would, II
could. reform the entire situation. as
moving every tariff duty save those
on luxurles. and establishing free trade.
But while 7 admit the hardship OF tho
farm life. I deny that 1t is, or ever can
mill Even when children under twelve
work on the farm they can only labor
for a part Of the year AS a rule the
child works in the spring. summer and
fall. There are healthy. expansive sur
roundings. There IS much rest and recre-
alton. The weather and the crop condi-
tons do not admit OF constant drudgery-
Where are your great and good men
whose tender years were spent In the
factory? Where are they? II life at
the loom is so good a thing for the boy
OF ten and eleven and twelve. where are
some Of the ripened products? If your
tree OF child labor be so good a tree.
show me some OF the fruits. You cannot
It,
look to the farm. Look upon that tree
and gaze upon It's fruit Who built up
Atlanta and made II the pride OF the
south? Boys who had shaved In the
thousand times no. The men who have
crowned themselves kings Of success and
have made Atlanta's name synonym
OF pluck and strength and victory. dranlS
in the health and the inspiration and
the courage which made them great at
the pure fountain Of farm life. Instance
also Henry Clay, Ben Hill. Andrew
Jackson. what would have become OF
Alex stephens had he been plac az ten
wears. In the poisoned atmosphere OF a
Major Hanson said that reformers had
failed. in his time Assuming that ne
must be some sixty or seventy years old'
7 must remind the major that In those
years the despised reformer has almost
changed the face of the world. If 1t be
true that our economic conditions are
so bad that we cannot rescue both the
young and the old, but must sacrihce one
to save the other, would say. save
the young.
In the horrible Passage OF the Beresina,
when the wreck Of the grand army or
Napoleon was madly crowding the bridge
to escape the Russian and CosSac OK
horses. camp followers and demoralized
soldiers are desperately struggling for
footing on the bridge. a mother was seen
crowded off the bridge. sinking into the
arms. held on high was her babe. and
after she could no longer speak, those
motherly arms, holding aloft her infant
to the last, made mute appeal, Save my
childw Let me die II must, but save
NV child" Noble humanity speaks every
where In the same language.
If. indeed. we have come TO such n
pass as Hanson says. and cannot rescue
both the mother and the child, I am
quite certain that every true-hearted
mother would do as the diving mother at
the Beresina did-hold up her babe in her
sinking arms. and make the heart thrill
a her CRY .,SnVn my childN'