The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-11
THE CHILD LABOR LAW.
CHILD LABOR IN FACTORIES.

hearing before the Committee on Manu-
features and Mining on the proposed
child labor legislation. This question is
an important one and it had been hoped
and believed that the manufac turers
would come to Raleigh, not to antagonize
any legislation, but to cooperate in Sc
curing a wise and conservative law. The
man who stands against such Legislation
is standing against the spirit of the age
in which he lives, he has his face turned
to the past, and is opposing a movement
necessary to save the seed corn of oui
future industrial progress and develop
ment. They would be wise to recognize
the changed conditions and to use their
influence toward securing such wise leg
islation as would prevent the possibility
OF a demand for radical enactments.
Two years ago many Of the mill own
ers signed an agreement not to employ
children under twelve years of age in
the mills. Most of them except wher
imposed upon by parents who wished t.
put their children to work younger, kept
the agreement. The Labor Commissioner
says that all did not keep the agree
n,cnt. All did not sign it.
In the current report of the Labor
Commissioner, there are a number of let
tcrs touching upon compulsory attend
ance and upon mill problems that re-
late to child labor. Quite a number OF
mill men advocate compulsory educa F.
ton. Others favor laws against child
labor. There is no letter that seems tc
cover the true situation better than the
following written by A. c. Miller, pro-
lrietor of Belmont Cotton Mills, OF
Shelby:
II am opposed, from many points of
view, to working children under twelve
years of age in any cotton mill. l have
only five in my mill under twelve years
of age. L don't want any. 1t is cruel to
work child under twelve. After an
experience of twelve years in the mill
business, l truthfully affirm this. These
children ought and must go to school.
How can they, when the mills give them
employment? 1 say enact a law which
will prohibit the employing of child la
Dor. / could say much more on this ir,
portant subject if necessary AS for
working these poor little children at
night, this is a sin, and these poor, help
less children ought to be protected by
the enactment of law which must and
can be enforced for their protection"
Other letters are quite as strong. Mr..
R. B. Miller, OF Shelby, another success
full cotton mill owner, writes:
There are many things that would
improve the condition of wage-earners.
Night work. especially for children un-
der sixteen years. should be abolished.
The system and custom of mills running
a few months in prosperous times and
then disseminating at any time that suits
their interest, demoralizes the mill bust
ness and works an injury to operatives
A uniform reduction of hours of labor
to not more than eleven hours would be
helpful. Most OF the mills voluntarily
agreed to this, but some less scrupulous
disregarded or violated the agreement.
school term, should not be employed, and
20 child under ten should be allowed in
the mills
Mr.. w. T Shaw, president of the We'll
don Manufacturing Company. writes:
II believe that no child under twelve
hours Of labor, however light, and UP
+C hn rppIlir.I n
attend public schools every day, such
school as is accessible"
Mr.. J. H. Moore, president of the
Moore Cotton Mills, at Liledown,
writes:
Il do not believe a compulsory educa-
tion law would be wise. 1t is not con-
slstent with the spirit of American indie
pcndence. The parent has an Inherent
right to control his household, and a
compulsory education law would be n
infringement on this right. l am in IA
vor of a law prohibiting children under
twelve years old from working in mills,
and think it would be better for the
mills if the operative age was fixed at
fourteen: also, think that idle loafers
around cotton mills should be prohibit
Cd and that no child under fourteen who
can not read and write should be EN-
pIoyed in mills without having attended
school four months during the year"
Mr.. w. II. Turrentine, secretary ard
treasurer of Hiawatha Manufacturing
Company at Gibsonville, writes:
II am clearly OF the opinion that there
should be a law prohibiting children I'M
der twelve years Of age working in
mills We certainly lose by employing
such help, but We arc compelled to do
It to keep the older ones. There should
be a law prohibiting mills employing
children of school age while the free
school is running"
Mr. Eugene Cross, of the Arlington
Cotton Mills, Gastonia. says they should
not be allowed to work at night if they
work in the day.
Mr.. John c. Leslie, secretary of the
Wiscassett Mills. Albemarle, writes
I'VE do not employ children under
twelve years old in the mills
Mr.. w. T. Spaugh, secretary treasurer
OF Salem Iron Works, writes:
eve think up to the age of twelve or
i