Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-09-22
CHILD LABOR EVIL.
URGENT DEMAND FOR STRINGENT
LAWS REGARDING IT.

URGENT DEMAND FOR STRINGENT
LAWS REGARDING IT.
The Fight In Great Britain In Behalf
Of Children-Need of Legislation In
This Country to- Check the Growth
Of the PerniciOus System.
In recent discussion Of the child
labor problem Hon. Hoke Smith, for
Mer secretary OF the interior, said:
I'm 1890 the census report showed US
that there were employed in our stores
children between the ages OF ten and
fifteen to the number OF more than
10000. Unless legisla ton prevents
the increase In the next ten years it
will be even greater What are we
going to do about it? Are we to wait
or act? 1t took in England three
friends Of the children before legiSla-
ton was secured to fairly protect them
from the factories, the mines and the
workshops. The ablest statesmen Of
Great Britain in the early part Of the
last century began the fight. They were
told then that the industries OF Great
Britain would be ruined, and that Ger
many and France would outstrip her.
The same kind Of arguments are made
In most Of our states today. 1t took
a long time then for the friends Of the
young to overcome the influence and
power Of those who We're using chill
dren. and the willingness to let them
work, the Willingness not Of masters
but Of idle aud brutal fathers. All dur
ing that history reports to the English
parliament are filled with records Of
shame and suffering and misery. Be
fore her commissions the ablest doctors
Of Great Britain testified that to such
an extent had the use Of children in
factories and mills gone that per-
manent injury to the physical condi-
tion Of mankind was threatened
"A report Of the French war depart
ment has shown that In those sections
Of France where child labor exists the
recruiting officers find not more than
half as many men who can meet the
sections where child labor does not
exist. If we come to our own country
we have ample evidence Of the in
furious effect Of child labor In Il re-
port lii;ltie q few years back IN New
Jersey by the inspectors OF factories
aud Workshops it is stated that the
average child becomes Gt'.ieate. leany.
teen the lact. l13ai 4 ,.;5,e. ois Ven
expression TIC children eau 30 rag.
er play. i'hey i.e not eniog it II : tto
not care Cor school o. t!ainis. .All
their enersg aHd vitality have been
sappeG
But we need net so 10 the records
and reports fer information. Turn to
your own children. See what is. peed-
ed to train them. Suppose they were
to be confined long hours in dark walls
and close rooms, without leadership.
without instruction, without direction.
at monotonous work What would Tap
pen to them? Think of all your loving
care and training by the best teachers
In the best schools and all that is
done to strengthen them Then think
Of that all taken away. and put your
own children in such places as these
child laborers fill. Let the president
be as kind as he may--and | want to
state that so far as my observation
goes the large majority OF the men at
the head Of cotton mills in my section
are kind and helpful to their children
and to their employees-but in spite
of that fact you will find ignorant and
palld faces. detected c0nntenances,
appearance which indicates sickness
and tie lowest vitality.
"The same New Jersey report to
which | referred declares that GO per
cent Of the children twelve years Of
age had not heard Of the United States
or of Europe and 50 per cent Of them
had never heard Of the Revolutionary
war If you wish information. seek the
places where children In their early
years are worked i'll your neighbor-
hood and you will find the effect upon
their young lives"