The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-09

SCOPE of its usefulness as the needs of
the State manifest themselves. | trans
NIT herewith the report of the Commits
sioner of Agriculture and commend the
same to your careful consideration.
concur in the recommendations therein
made.
THE CORPORATION COMMISSION.
This Commission is doing work of far
more value to the State than is generally
understood and its beneficial results
would be greatly enlarged if the people
in the State understood that all COM
plants made to the Commission in refer
eEce to any matter in regard to trans
portation whether of persons or of prop
erty will receive a prompt and careful
investigation. If those who are disposed
to complain about the Corporation Com
mission would complain to it much good
would be done During the past year
the passenger rate was made the same
on the branch lines of the Southern, At
lantic Coast Line and the Seaboard Air
Line Railroads as heretofore existed on
the main lines. This reduction in itself
amounts to a considerable sum to the
travelling public. The reports accom-
panying this message set out in detail
the work of the Commission for the past
two years.
CHILD LABOR IN FACTORIES.
! call the attention of your honorable
body to the recommendations contained
in the report of the Commissioner OF
Labor and Printing and commend them to
your careful consideration. The time ap-
pears to be ripe in this State for some
legislation in behalf of the children VINO
are working in textile and furniture rae
tories Most of the States of the Union
and many foreign countries have long
since passed laws prohibiting the working
of children under certain ages in facto-
ries of the character named. 1t has
heretofore been deemed inadvsable to
legislate upon this subject here. The
State owes a duty to her children. The
controversy, if there be any, between
capital and labor has nothing to do with
this question. In a high sense the State
is guardian to the children. A child
in this State can be taken by the courts
from the care of a parent who is mani
testify ard grossly unfit to have charge
OF it, The right of the State to do this
is founded on the duty of the State to
perpetuate itself by the care of those
zenship. This right being conceded it
becomes the duty of the State to protect
small children against labor which tends
to dwarf them physically, mentally or
morally. csInnot be denied, think,
that work in the factories named by young
children is, to say fine least of it, dan
gerous to their health and calculated to
make of them weak men and women. I,
therefore n
honorable body the passage of law alb
solutely prohibiting the employment in
such factories of any child under the age
of twelve years. This law ought also to
provide that no child under the age of
fourteen shall work in any such factory
at night, and after 1905 no child who can
not read and write should be permitted
to work in any such factory under the
age of fourteen years / do not think
that any exception should be made in the
law passed. am aware that many peo-
pie insist that there are dependent wild
ows and invalid fathers who need the
labor of children under the suggested age
limit, but the community owes something
TO such widows and invalid fathers, and
it ought not to suffer any child under
twelve years of age to be required to
support its parents. There is great ne
cessity for the development of our indus
tries. / am glad to see them increase
in number and grow in prosperity, but
there is no such imperative necessity for
the creation and accumulation of wealth
as to justify us in the sacrifice of child
life to secure it. Indeed the the State
will grow richer by preserving the health
and developing the minds and hearts of
these children than it can possibly grow
by the creation of any values which their
puny arms can win. For the sake of hu-
manity, therefore. and in the name of
the children of the State it becomes your
high privilege to secure them against
the ceaseless wear of mind and body
necessary in the performance day after
day and week after week indoors of
labor, which not hard in itself, becomes
painful to children by its unceasing reg
ularity.
FEWER HOURS OF. LABOR.
The regulation of the hours of labor
presents a different question and one
which is worthy of discussion and DELHI
Grafton on your part. Through the edu-
cation which has come to our people by
treason of the inquiries and answers
gathered for several years past by our
NOuiih4oSlOHSI OI LABOR and Printing
there has been a steady lessening in
most of our manufacturing plants of the
hours OF labor. Some of the cotton fac
tories. are now working only ten hours
per day, some few work twelve. while
most of them work for only eleven. Not
all of the manufacturers are opposed TO
ten hour law. and not all of the labor
ing men are in favor of it. Much of the
work done in factories is work for which
the operative is paid by the piece. MANY
of these operatives prefer more hours
but probably most of the operatives in
all the factories prefer fewer hours. From
the best information which l can obtain
reasonable lessening of hours will not
decrease the output for the manufactur-
er and will not lessen the wages of the
operative. Certainly if equal results can
be attained by fewer! hours of labor every
one ought to be in favor of lessening the
hours, for by doing so the operatives
have more time for outdoor exercise for
study. for reflection and for social duty.
all OF which are essential to the fullest
development The right of the State to
T0QflatQ he .Nf Iok Co. .