The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-13
A CHILD LABOR LAW
Manufacturers and Commit
tee Agree on Bill.
A Compromise Measure That Prohibits Chill
dren Under Twelve From Working in
the Mills.

The debate was animated, but went on
in a far better humor than at the last
joint meeting. The question was heard
on both sides, Senator Parker explaining
his views on the matter at length, and
urging that a bill be passed. Senator
/ Gillian read his bill on the subject ex-
planned his views and then read new
bill which he had drawn.
| The matter was finally left to joint
conference of subcommittee from the
joint committee consisting of Senators
Allison, Walker and Beasley, Represen-
tatives Kicks, Parker, Whitaker, of Gull
ford and DOckery. From the mill men
the committee selected consisted OF
Messrs. Thomas H. Battle, of Rocky
Mount; d. Y Cooper, of Henderson;
| William Erwin of Durham; w. c.
| Heath of Monroe; T. S. Baker of Kings
| Mountain: Eugene Holt, of Burlington;
J. M Odell of Concord. and DR.. j. II.
| McAden, of Charlotte.
| This committee met at once and the
various features of the substitute bill
drawn by Senator Gillian were discussed
| The first section was agreed on at once.
| There was a long debate over the second
section concerning G6 hours to be a week 5
work, and this was finally amended by
exempting from it's provisions the par
ties named. The third section Of the sub
stitute bill, saying that no child under
| fourteen should work at night between
| the hours of s p. m. and a. m. was Wig
orously objected to by the mill men. Trim
cipally on the ground that it would keep
1 81 L..
| thus close up the mills at night. Finally
| this section was entirely stricken out
and the penalty section was agreed to
with q change which requires parents 10
furnish a written ccrtiticata of the age
of the children There was also con-
| test as to whether the bill should be
come effective July ]. 1900 or January l,
1904 and the latter date was adopted
The bill as finally agreed on is as fol-
| lows:
The General Assembly OF North Carolina
do enact:
| Section L. That no child under twelve
years OF age shall be employed in any
| factory or manufacturing establishment
in the State,
Sec 2. That not exceeding sixty-six
| hours shall constitute a weeks work Ia
| all factories and manufacturing cstab-
| lishments of this State, and no person
| shall be required or allowed to work in
| such factories or establishment for lon
| ger period than sixty-siX hours in one
week, provided that the section shall not
| apply to engineers, firenaan. machinist,
superintendent, overseers, section or yard
| hands, office men, watchmen, or persons
enga ged in repairing braa< downs.
Sec 3. All person or persons standing
in loco parent. is hiring: their ?children
| shall furnish to the employer a statement
| in writing of the age Of such children.
| Any such parent or person acting as PAL =
cnt who shall misstate the age of such
child or children shall be guilty Of mis-
demeanor Any mill owner, IT operator,
or person employing labor for any manu-
featuring establishment who shall know
ingly violate any section Of this act snail
be guilty of a mis- lcmeano: and upon
conviction shall be fined not exceeding
$780,
| Sec. 5. This act shall be in force and
| effect after January list, 1904
| There were present at the committee
meeting yesterday in addition to the cot
ton mill men already named, Messrs. ID.
| b. Coftrane of Goldsboro. g. Cone, of
Greensboro; Ed Smith, # Charlotte; *.
j. Davis. of Goldsboro, S. Bryant, Of
Randleman; M. Miller. of Statesville,
| and Mr.. Chisolm.
| Representative Parker. OF Wayne,
opened the proceedings By reading bis
| bill on child labor. AS he finished Rep
resentative Kicks arose and said that he
stated for the cotton mall men present
| that at a meeting leld they had agreed
not to oppose legislation on the ques-
| ton, but asked that q committee be APP
pointed to confer with a committee they
would name, in order to settle on bill
| that would be agreeable to all parties,
| the basis of this to be that no child un-
| der twelve would be allowed to work in
the mills under any consideration, six
! ty-six hours to be a weeks work.
Representative Parker said that he
would second such a melton after there
had been some presentation of the views
of gentlemen who had offered bills on
the subject, Messrs. Gillian, Durham.
| Dockery and himself Senator Beasley
said that he was glad to hear the state
ment made by Mr.. Kicks as that IL was
not desired to do anything IHoL NouAu M
jure the manufacturers, and he would be
glad to have their aid in making SUIT
able law.
Representative Parker spoke on the
merits of his bill, prefaeing his remarks
with this statement:
Il wish to say that there seems 10 nave
been an impression created during our
last meeting that the cotton mill oper-
atives at Goldsboro were more III neeu
of q child labor law for their protection
than other towns. l wish to correct tha'
impression. The mills in Goldsporo are
modern in construction. They DO not
work any children under twelve II they
know it. The mill cottages are as com
Portable as any in the State. and am
not advocating this law because OF any
violations at Goldsboro. but Tor the IN
provement and advancement Oh the cltl-
bens of the whole State. "oulu pe lol
the law if there had never peeh MN III
Goldsboro."
Continuing Mr.. Parker MADE an aoie
argument, showing the necessity VI law
to regulate child labor. he ala not 'ninA
any child under twelve shouiu oe III
mill, unless to help widowed mother
or totally disabled father no cnilo -