The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-02-25
Evidences Of Civilization

n lCd lOi tut NulluISu Is Tie
title of little booklet by Nina Price,
and published by Frank Vierth, Cedar
Rapids, Ia, which has found its way
to this Office. If you want to know
something further of the results of
modern civilization" and its meth
DDS, this little book will tell YOU 1t
tells in a brief way the story OF the
crushing of child-life in the great fac
tories.
Women may say that they arc not
interested in politics, but every wo-
man, every mother as she cudjles her
own darlings to her breast and
breathes prayer for their security is
morally bound to do whatever may
be in her power to stop this modern
child-slavery-a thing that is worse
than ever was negro slavery. The
little book contains but a mere ink
ling OF the entire truth, but II con-
tains enough to convince any woman
who reads it that women every where
should unite in determination to stop
the working to death of mere babes
in factories fer the enrichment Of a
few monsters misnamed men. Here
are few extracts taken at random:
Almost every one of the 700 textile
mills In the south has it's batch OF lit
tie victims under twelve years Of age,
working from IL to IL hours day."
Il spoke to mite OF a girl who
was scarcely more than toddliIg in
FAINT. Her soft baby hair was covered
with the threads she had laid on her
head as she worked; her little sun
bonnet had fallen back on her neck.
She did not know her age, nor did
her elder sister whom she was help
ing. A girl of eight told me they
were five and seven and worked all
day long,
II went that night to a mill under
northern management, and there at
1890 l talked to children who did not
know their ages, working from p.
m. to 6 a. m. amid the racket and
roar OF the machinery which did not
cease for one moment during the
night to give the operatives breath
ing, eating or resting space"
"Hideous accidents are the order of
the day. In one midtown in the
south a doctor told a friend that he
had personally amputated over one
hundred baby fingers mangled in the
cruel machinery. He dared not speak
OF 1t. he said. for the mill manage
ment preferred doctors VINO could
keep their mouths shut" ~
1.-The same sad story of child sIay-
cry is true throughout the land,
wherever the big machines have been
inaugurated. In no part of the south
can conditions be worse than III some
parts of New eJrsey and Chicago
"The little velvet cutters arc the
most pitifuI examples of chilli labor in
all this country" says the Coming
Nation. "A few short weeks as a
velvet cutter forever stamps all child
ish beauty from the little victims
face and form. The lime causes the
hair to grow harsh and brittle, to
break of. and sometimes it IL wholly
destroyed. The eyebrows and eye
lashes suffer the same fate. The con-
slant inhaling OF the burning dust
thickeus and distorts the membranes
VI WIG AAooSA anu lOoC. uC CycS sul-
fer in a like manner. The feet and
legs swell until all semblance of child
ish grace and beauty is gone, and the
little wreck is horrible caricature OF
childhood and humanity"
The author says the average person
rs little affected by these sad little
life stories, they seem so faint and
far away so grotesquely unreal.
To the notion Of the writer, if there
is such thing as original sin in this
universe, 1t Is the bringing Of limo
cent, helpless children into life to meet
such fate as the author dezcii5es.
We would like to ask Brother Roose-
welt how he would like TO see his chill
dren Obliged to take their places be-
side these little toilers We'd like to
have him be compelled to see his
children there for few weeks and
then ask him II he thought there was
prosperity enough TO go around, or
he thought there was an over
production OF prosperity or OF chill
lren.
Women readers to whose eyes
his may come are requested 10 send
Tor dozen copies OF the little book |
lit Is only 8 centsl and distribute |
hem among Your women friends,
snpa.{alI.s un,au.. tAxm. .......