New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-01
CHILD LABOR LAWS IN EFFECT.
President Roosevelt Sends Congratulations
on Their Excellence.

Three child labor laws Of far reaching impor-
Finch measures. prepared by the Child Labor Com
mittee and passed last winter by the legislature
in response to the appeal Of settlements churches
medical societies and phiIanthropic organizations
throughout the State
A large share in ths enforcement of the new
laws devolve= upon the Health Department of this
city. All employment certificates issued TO
children by this department, and the most imPcr-
tant changes in the laws relate TO the conditions
under which these are granted. Or. Ernst J. Led
erie Commissioner Of Health. explained the new
features as follows:
The new laws do not affect the age at which
children may begin to work They merely require
child has reached the required age. fourteen years
OF of some other religious record or Of passport
must Be- filed when app alton Is made hitherto
regarding the child 5 age and the result has been
merely 70 put premium on perjury; rms more
and Connecticut and will undoubtedly serve its
purpose here equally well
AN IMPORTANT CHANGE
Another important change in the law is it, s1-
boys. together with ali children employed In 6usi-
houses The law has applied hitherto only to fac
tories and stores. and thousands OF cniIdren ~
begin work with no questions asked by the authori-
ties to their age or schooling. THIS mas bess
especially unfortunate in thu case o. telegraph ano
messenger boys, whose occupation subjects them
10 The most serious moral tsrnPts tions; or
require certificates If all CHILDREN they employ
under the age Of sixteen. and they must see % II
that such children DO not work longer tnan nine
sanitary inspectors of this department. and we shall
81 once send our men into the various other es'a D
law. But in order 20 do this work efficiently ad-
ditional inspectors are needed and have there
fore asked for an appropriation for 1874 sufficient
T. allow the appointment Of ten nercantile "
spectors. who will give their entire time 10 TINS
We hope that With the intelligent corporation
end for which It designed
According to the secretary Of the child labor
committee Frederick 5. Hall. New-York has now
the best laws this subject in the United States
a few other States he explained have single
features I'm their laws which better-the Illinois
eight hour limitation TO childrens work. for exam
pie or the Massachusetts administrative system.
b. which children receive their working papers
from the school authorities in each locality. But
taken a whole the law in neither OF these States
is as near the ideal as the New-York Law. We are
constantly receiving inquiries from organizations in
other States where attempts are being made 70
improve their laws as well as numerous letters
from prominent citizens Of our cwn State. congratu-
lating our committee upon what has been accom-
plished 7 have letters Of this character from
Commissioner De Forest, from Jacob a. Riis. and
only few days ago I received the following letter
from President Roosevelt;
Oyster Bay. \. y. September Is, 19.5.
rnitfee No 10 Fifth-avs New-York
MN PeaF FaSL F t Ha he Bsvs IN g2
State. child labor laws which I believe can BE- en-
laws shall not be left Idle on the statute books
their passage. and l wish you zodspeed IL your
efforts complete the great service you have
THEODORE Roosevelt
INVITED To REPORT VIOLATIONS.
John williams. State Factory Inspector was seen
in Albany last week. and was questioned regarding
the duties Of the Department Of Labor fl enforcing
the laws. He stated that the changes made
last winter remedy defects 70 which his department
had frequently called attention in its reports Most
OF these changes relate to the conditions upon
which employment certif Gates are issued chill
dren by the local boards Of health. About twenty
thousand children in the State fourteen or fifteen
years OF receive these certificates each year,
but it is expected that this number Will now be
considerably reduced.
Thirty thousand posters have been printed. Civ
ing the revised law in full and our inspectors will
see that these are placed in every factory in the
State. Inspectors Will also call the attention Of all
proprietors to the new clause. which allows chill
dren fourteen and fifteen years OF age to he
where children a-e employed operate more than
this each day and 1t will therefore. ne necessary
children may come later be- dismissed earlier.
Ice given Il longer noon recess. The law il a hul-
name one when you consider that children are not
accustomed TO the long hours which regular factor
work involves. Their school life keeps them In
doors only five hours d day. and TO exchange this
suddenly Tor hours in d factory. with overtime
1t intervals places on them a strain which they
cannot bear without injury. 7 regard the fiat pro-
hibiriOn Of overtime the most nport ant change
which comes within our province TO enforce.
In all Of this. however the department needs
the hearty cooperation Of the community. Our
thirty-seven inspectors cannot begin to cover the
State with sufficient tnorOughuess discover all
Violations especially those relating to hours OF
work and therefore welcome information from
individuals who know Of cases where the Law is not
observed.
1T would be well for the manufacturers Of the
State to understand that it Is our intention to en-
force the amended Law vigorously. Il after due
notice. they disregard It's provisions. shall
D. satisfied with dismissal the children llle-
EaIlv employed. but snail instruct inspectors
prosecute all violations. This department IL I've
quentlL blamed for not enforcing the Child Labor
law fin department stores but inspection Of these
establishments IS outside OF our province II be
longs 70 the health authorities in each city. who
are authorized both 70 make inspections and 10
prosecute all persons found violating the law. A
firm in Brooklyn prosecuted last week by one
our deputies and fined $40 employing seven
children under the legal age-fOurteen years-and
other cases Of the same character awaiting
trial there