The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-01-14

clt1ZenSllp ms EclnP truc, child
labor should be prohibited by Il wise
and conservative law. which will pro-
tect the interests of the child and not
work hardship upon the parent, nor
do injustice or injury to our manufac-
turing interests.
A few statistics on this question may
De OF interest. BY the census report
on cotton manufacture in 1880, the
total number of operatives in our cot
ton factories in the States OF the
south was put down at 1874. Of
this number 4,09S. or 2I5 per cent,
were children under lG years d. age.
In 1900 the total number Of operatives
employed In the cotton factories of the
south was 1859. or this ,unaber "a
139 were children under 10 years.
twenty-five per cent. III 20 year; we
mad an increase OF operatives in the
factories OF the south Of nearly 600 per
cent, and a p-orUriinnatc increase in
the number nf chil,!rrn employed. The
matter has been practically lcft in the
hands of tn. mill owners for ~ years,
and no progress has been made in the
care anJ projection rf the children.
In 1850 in the states outside OF the
south there were 155.S03 operatives en-
plOycd in tho cotton factories. OF
these 2i.2i3 Wcir children under lG
years of age about fifteen and one
half per cent. In 1900 the mills In the
same section employed 205.302 opera
tlvcs. or this number l5.T99 woe,
children under IG years This is aljrrnt
seven and onc-half per cent. only
THUS it viii be seen that the south mas
increased the per cent. Of child LABOR
while the States outside OF the south
have reduced II about one half, and
this Is tho statement of cold facts and
figures, and not the enthusiasm OF 1h,
scntimentalist.
The question must he met. There
IS only one way To solve it. and that
~ on the side of right ana justice and
humanity. The sooner ii is done the
better. for IL can now be managed and
Il wise and Just bill be passed If the
matter is postponed from year TO ycnr
we may regret 1t.
PARDONING BOARD.
The constitution of the state provides
that the governor "Sliil have power 10
grant rcprjcves, combinations. and
pardons in such manner, on
such terms and under such rcstrlc-
tions as he shall think prOper' He
is required to report all parlons and
combinations to the general assembly
1t is also provided that every petition
may first be referred to n "bonr Of
pardons. to be provided by tho genera.
assembly. which board shall hear all
such petitions under such rules and
regulations ns the general assembly
may provide. The governor may adopt
tne recommendations OF said board
but IN case he does not he shall sub
init his reasons to the general assem-
ply. The board of pardons has never
becn provided by the legislature and
very little good could he accomplished
ny such board. for the responsibility
Is at last on the governor. and he must
meet and bear it. There will always
be those to criticise the executive for
the use OF the pardoning power,
whether 1t be exercised In many or
tew cases. a board Of pardons would
not relieve the executive OF the resDOn-
sibility for his action, nor could such Il
board divide the responsibility, for re-
sponsibility is indivisiblc. The duties
OF such board would be only advi-
sorry, and the members would know
little about the cases. The executive
now. II he desires information about
any case. secures 1T from the solicitor
or the judge who tried the case and
who Is familiar with the facts. and then
he must act. The executive who looks
at the matter from the right view
point must realize that he has in his
power and on his conscience the life
or the liberty Of the petitioner, how
ever humble or poor he may be, and Mt
the same time the duty which he owes
20 the peace and good order Of the State
not to turn loose upon Il community
the hardened criminal who deserves
the punishment which has been i'm
posed. The executive must feel that
his action is right with the facts be-
fore him, and IL he does he will have
no upbraidings OF conscience even if
his course Is criticized by those who
have not investigated the case and
who have not upon their shoulders the
responsibility for the action which they
criticize. would rather err on the
side Of mercy, even II by so doing one
who deserves punishment Is given lib
erty. The courts and jurors some
times make mistakes, and punishment
is, not always simply for the sake OF
punishment. Hence this power is
given to the discretion OF the execu-
tive, that he may correct such errors
and extend clemency and mercy to
those who, by receiving 1t, become bet
ter citizens and better men and women
when they nre released from coniine-
ment.
NEW MANSION.
No one who has had opportunity to
look into the matter or who has
thought on the subject ut all, will
question the fact that the State Of
South Carolina should have new and
modern home for It's chief magistrate.
Ihe present mansion was built ori-
ginally for two homes, to be occupied
Ivy the professors OF the old arsenal,
which stood on one corner Of the pres
ent grounds. In addition to its incon-
Veniences and its inadaptn bility for the
home OF the governor. 1t is old and
NSA ihuSii Out VA IGPthI. Lie STOuIluS,
occupying an entire square, are very
desirable for such Il residence, and
no place better fitted or more beauti-
full In appointments could he found IN
the city of Columbia. II the general
assembly feels that the time Is op-
perfume for making an appropriation
sor this purpose. to sell this property
or to change the location would be
mistake.
If, however it is desired to do so,
the present mansion property could
be sold for a sufficient sum to build Il
new cNd modern mansion, and Il lot
could be purchased from some OF the
South Carolina college property, which
at present Is idle, with no immediate
prospect Of the State being able to
use it for any other purpose Good
business men In the city OF Columbia
q