The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-08
The Slavery
9
Of Children


| Special to The Globe. - =
ANN ARBOR, Mich. March There
has been considerable agitation recent
ly in the press on the subject of child
labor in the South and in child labor
elsewhere. Much of what has been
made public has served an excellent
purpose, for the evils of compulsory
labor in the past on children of tender
years cannot be over-estimated.
Much stress has been laid upon the
condition of things in Georgia in this
respect, and owing to the recent
large manufacturing development in
this state doubtless matters there have
reached a more. than usually bad con-
dition, but in many other states chill
dren of too tender an g are compelled
to work at difficult tasks. In this
respect few states are exempt from
criticism.
1t was recently alleged by an au-
thority that Child labor in Illinois is
increasing more rapidly than in any
other state in the Union. More chill
dren under the age limit fixed by law
are at work in sweat shops, stores
n factories in Chicago h a in New
York.
This is doubtless true of all states
in which manufacturing of the lighter
products, such as hosiery and articles
of small ware are made. The hosiery
used in the United States is mainly
the product of child labor But eve
in such states as Texas, which certain
ly would not be ranked as a manufac-
turing state, children of seven and
eight years of G when born of poor
parents usually expect to work, at least
out of school hours.
The revelations made concerning the
use of child labor in the Pennsylvania
anthracite o mines show that de-
spite the laws of the state eight and
nine years is a normal age at which
employment begins on the breakers.
This is worked by the simple method
of the child misstating his age. One OF
these children, in giving his testimony,
said: 'fWe go to work at Z in the
morning and stay until 6 in the even
ing. We sort out coa as it comes out
of the sleeves. We pick out the slate
and Stag"
In answer to- the question: Are
there many in. the breakers younger
han you?" he said. Why, sure! I'm
one of the Oldest. I'm making so cents.
Most of them is eight and nine years
old. But their papers is all right
though,%Che added carefully. The
papers says they is thirteen growing on
fourteen
Even worse than this appears to be
the situation in the glass trade In an
appeal from the Glass Bottle Blowers
union TO the governor of the state, it
Wa' stated that children six years of
age and UP are employed sixteen hours
a day., When the factory inspector
makes hts visit he calls at the office
first, which gives the managers a
chance to get the children out of the
factory. AS soon as he departs the
children are hustled back again to
work.
Endless instances of the violation of
both the law of nature and the common
law are adducable from various
sources.
AS Mr.. Riis, the well-known philan-
thropic writer, has said, "a bulwark
which protects the employer and pre-
vents the factory inspector from en-
forcing the law" In fact, children aod
parents have only to lie in order to OBJ
tain these certificates.
Even beyond the factory doors there
are coming to light proofs of the long
hours children have to work helping
their parents in their own homes. One
case is that of two little tenement
house workers of nine and eleven years
who come home from school to a mea-
ger luncheon andsthen go to work clip
ping paper bags until II p. m.
To counterfeit this evil drastic legis-
lation is contemplated in some, states.
Henry J.tGott1ob, secretary of the State
Federation of Labor of New Jersey,
says that he would personally favor a
limit Of eighteen years and declared
that more children are driven into fac
tories by the cupidity and greed of
parents than by actual need. 1t is pro-
bable that the age limit will be fixed at
sixteen in New Jersey under any cir
cumStanceS.
The legislation may be as harmful
as the abuse of child labor of too ten
der years is mischievous because it is
an actual necessity to some families
that children shall go to work as early
as practicable. Many boys are pre-
pared to leave school at the age of
fourteen unless they have to prepare
for a professional career. Therefore
1t behooves those who have in charge
the carrying through of any legisla-
ton to avoid going to any extremes.
There is more necessity for seeing the
law enforced as it stands than for
passing new laws.
4~sS