New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-08
PROTEST TO Mr.. HIGGINS.
Child Labor Committee against Re
oDpointment of Dir. McUackin.

Thu YORK Child Labor Committee represent
ed nv Mornay Williams. DIR. Ernst j. Lederie ana
Robert Hunter at hearing yesterday before Gov
ernor-eIect Higgins protested against the reap
nointpenr of Commissioner McMackn OF the Blu
reau of Labor on the ground that his inefhciency
was such as practically TO nulfy the present laws
for the protection of working children. MI Hunter
chairman Of the New-York committee, produced
photographs of children five. six and seven years
old working i'm the factories of the state
lie said that there We're hundreds OF children
under the legal age at wOrk in all portions or the
State and that special agents of the Child LABOR
Committee had gathered information which went
to prove that the Bureau of Labor of this state
was making little effort enforce the provisions OF
the law a special inquiry made recently by the
committee into important upstate industry
showed that the factory inspector was unknown IN
some of the factories. and that IN none was ne
feared.
In ono establishment where a lot Of tiny children
were found at work the inspector had gone away
remarkng that children were deuced hard 10
count" He had ISSUED orders and the foreman
said that he did not dare 10 DO so.
child four years OLD was found in one place
in another one five. and in third. child six
years old was compelled to work until p. m In
one factory alone. which in the busy season WORKS
until > and 8 o'clock in the morning, the man in
charge OF the shed estimated the children under
fourteen st work In fragrant violation o. me law
10 number least three hundred
Several conferences have been held with Com
missioner McNackin and at his suggestion the
committee early in this year obtained for him
more inspectors and attorney 20 prosecute viola
lions of the law the present commissioner having
said that the District Attorneys were usually too
busy to give proper attention to the cases placed
in their hands. e., -.
Since his appointment last April the special at
torney assigned 10 this work has been consulted
only once in a case involving child labor, and has
not had one such placed in his hands Tor
prosecution. 1t is well known that during TINS
time there have Unquestionably been numerous
violations of the law. 80. NH,
In the commissioners report for 1902 children
were found employed I'm violation OF the law IN
26O7 factories but only five firms employing these
children illegally prosecuted OF these one
es,aped conviction. while sentence was suspended
In the of another.
The committee believe that the child labor laws
are not the only not enforced by the present
commissioner With the exception O. the bureau
OF Statistics which is ably conducted. the other
provisions of the Child Labor law are not being
better enforced than the Child Labor Law itself, II
declares. The delegation asserted that in view OF
the record of the present commissioner there was
every reason against his reappointment and none
in his favor.
Edward T. Devine and J. W Sullivan were also
present. representing the national child labor com
mittee. back up the representation made by the
elect the absolute necessity of having at the head
OF the labor department a commissioner who was
in thorough sympathy with the spirit Of the Child
ton OF children and factory employees