The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1903-11-04

W. NASA --AS wv
paramount issue should be the best
interests Of the commonwealth and its
citizenship. This being true, child
labor should be prohibited by a 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 u manufac-
turing interests.
A few statistics on this question may
be Of interest. By the census report
on cotton manufacture in 1880, the
total number Of operatives in u cot
ton factories in the States Of the
this number 4,09S. or 24.5 per cent,
were children under Is years of age
In 1900 the total number Of operatives
employed in the cotton factories Of the
south was 1859. Of this number a.
459 were children under 16 years
Twenty-Five per cent! In 20 years we
had an increase Of operatives in the
factories Of he south of nearly 600 per
cent, and a proportionate increase In
the number Of children employed. The
matter has been practically left in the
hands of the mill owners for 20 years,
and no progress has been made in the
care and protection Of the children.
In 1880 in the States outside Of the
south there were 1885, 1903 operatives en-
pioyed in the cotton factories. OF
these M,243 were children under 16
years of age-about fifteen and one-
half per cent. In 1900 the mills in the
same section employed 205, 302 opera
tiyes. OF this number 1888 were
children under is years. This is about
seven and one-half per cent. only.
Thus it will be seen that the south has
increased the per cent. Of child labor,
while the States outside of the south
have reduced it about one-half, and
this is the statement Of cold facts and
figures, and not the enthusiasm Of the
s-entimentaliSt.
The question must be met. There
is only one way to solve it, and that
is on the side Of right and justice and
humanity. The sooner it is done the
better, for it a now be managed and
a wise and Just bill be passed. If the
matter is postponed from year to year
we may regret it..
-. PARDoNING BOARD.
The constitution Of the State provides
that the governor shall have power to
grant reprieves, communications, and
pardonS- . in such manner, on
such terms, and under such restric-
tons as he shall think proper" He
is required to report all pardons and
combinations to the general assembly.
1t is lse]provided that every petition
may first be referred to a board Of
pardons, to be provided by the general
assembly, which board shah hear all
such petitions under such rules and
regulations as the. general assembly
may provide. The governor may adopt
the recommendations Of said board,
but In case he does not he shall sub
nit his reasons to the general assem-
bly," The board OF pardons has never
been provided by the legislature and
very: little good could be accomplished
by 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 p~ardoning power,
whether 1t be exercised in many or
few cases. A board OF pardons would
not relieve the executive Of the respon-
sibility for his action, nor could such q
board divide the responsibility, for re-
sponsibility is indivisible. The duties
OF such g. board would be only advi-
sorry. and the members would know
little about the cases. The executive
low, If he desires information about
any case, secures it from the solicitor
OF 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 at
the same time the duty which he owes
to the peace and good order of the State
not to turn loose upon a 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 If he does he will have
no upbraidings of conscience ever if
his course is. criticized by those who
have not investigated the cas and
who have not upon their shoulders the
responsibility for the action which they
criticize. ] would rather err o. the
side Of mercy, even If by 50 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 it, become bet
ter citizens and better men and wome
when they are released from confne-
ment. r->:,
NEW MANSION.
No one who has had opportunity to
look into the matter or who has
thought o. the subject at all, will
question the fact that the State Of
South Carolina should have a new and
modern home for its chief magistrate.
The present mansion was built ORR
gilally for two homes, to be occupied
by the professors Of the old arsenal,
which stood on n orner of the pres
emit grounds. In addition to it's incon-
veniences and it's inadaptability for the
home Of the governor, it is old and
very much out Of repair. The grounds,
occupying an entire square, are very
desirable for such a residence, and
no place better fitted or more beauti-
full in appointments could be found in
the city of Columbia. If the general
assembly feels that the time is op-
perfume for making an appropriation
for this purpose, to sell this property
OF to change the location would be a
mistake. -.>...-.
If. however. it is desired to do so,
the present mansion property could
be sold for a sufficient sum to build a
new and modern mansion, and a 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