The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-26
THE CHILD IN THE MILLS.
Tots of Georgia in a Bad Way-What
Is Due to Childhood.

Though the growth of public sentiment
in favor of child labor legislation in Geor-
gia has been steady and sincere, it is not
yet, it seems, sufficiently strong to pro-
vide effective state regulation. This the
writer ascribes to the rapid growth Of the
cotton mill industry.
The majority OF the people in the state
are as yet unacquainted with it's evil eff
fects upon the hundreds of children drawn
in the last decade into mill life. There
are undenably good results from the
steady employment of a large body Of ou-
population at fair wages VINO hitherto mad
been barely self-supporting, and this inn
sincere people to the ultimate injury to
the child and to the state from existing
conditions. The mills of Georgia are de-
pendent for their labor upon poor white
people, who were, a rule, tenants on
farms. Children are brought to the mills
by their parents because the work is light
er, the pay is better and they have setter
opportunities for improvement and enjoy
ment than on the farms.
In the discussion of the subject before
the legisla ture of November 1902, when
the bill TO provide an age limit of twelve
ing for the support of disabled parents,
when the age limit of ten years is valid.
Gus arguments were advanced pro and
con. Said one speaker Oh the successful
side:
I'm all this discussion there has not
been any petition from the laborers them
selves asking that these laws be passed.
and it is safe to assert that a vote by the
feat the measure. The agitation for such
laws always comes from representatives of
do not know what dangerous elements
they are dealing with when they give
any kind af support to these agitators.
Their efforts lead inevitably to paternal-
ism and socialism. This legislature should
stop and think before it. takes from these
mill children the option of work and
forces them into idleness and vagrancy
upon the streets Is the state ready to
increase the school tax largely. and by
law compel the attendance at school CT
all poor children? Is the state ready for
COMPULSORY education of botlv whites and
blacks? can not believe that any body of
sensible men, looking at every side of the
question feel that Georgia is ready
for either compulsory ed.ieation or labor
domination"
From this it may be seen that. between
the fear of increasing .lle poverty of those
already poor, the dread of paternal legis-
lation and labor unionsln and .he desire
for such profit as comes from the employ
Georgia mill cfild is L nard one. 1t is
true that there are At the better mills
ameliorating circumstances. and for chill
dren of thrifty and self-denyinfs parents
mill school and good public schools afford
educational advantages that VIII be en-
braced. But there are hundreds of little
ones for whom all these opportunities are
as nothing-children of 3hiftless. drunken
or ignorant parents The law gives them
no protection, the state offers them educa-
ton in vain, and the public sentiment
which should come to their relief is di-
verified by mass of reasoning which has
enough Of truth in it to make it effective
for producing false conceptions and per-
petuating cruel wrong to these helpless
ones That their number is growing rela-
lively, though not actually. less. tnroug h
the slow years, Is SINAI sa az T.
due to Childhood should ere long be vouch-
safed to our people, ought to be the pray
situation in its true nght.-From Char
tiles.