Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-12-07
AS TO CHILD LABOR.

AS TO CHILD LABOR.
According to Walter Wellman. a So
ciety which will be national in its
scope, has been formed for the pur-
pose of starting a crusade against the
evils of child labor. 1t is stated that
there are in this country nearly 2,000,-
900 children working for wages.
About one-ffth of all the children
in the land between the ages of 10
and 10 years are at work-driving
mules or picking coal III the anthra-
cite region of Pennsylvania. dragging
out miserable existences in the glass
factories of New Jersey, toiling un-
ceasingly in the cotton mills of the
south, shaving day and night in the
sweat shops of New York and other
large cities, deprived of play and edu-
cation and opportunity to develop ply
sically and mentally.
Now the problem is TO secure leg
islation whereby the evil a be mini
mized if not removed altogether. To
this end an organization has recently
been formed In New York City to be
known as the National Child Labor
Committee. Although the %headquar-
tiers are located at the metropolis OF
the nation it is proposed to extend
the reform movement to all parts OF
the United States, as the evil Is not
confined to any section nor to any
industry, though some states are
greater offenders than oIner owing to
the nature and diversity Of their in
dustries.
The names of many Of the most
prominent men and women In the
United States are given as being in
terested in the movement, included
among them are former President
Grover Cleveland. Cardinal Gibbons Of
Baltimore, Bishop Greer of the Epis-
copal Diocese of New York. Isaac n.
Seligman of New York. United States
Senator Tillman of South Carolina,
President Charles w. Eliot of Har-
ward. Hoke Smith, former secretary
of the interior, and member Of the
Georgia child labor committee.
Taking the figures as the census
gives them. the condition is deplor-
able enough. OF 29,2S5,922 persons
employed in all gainful occupations
in 1900, the child laborers represented
six in every hundred so engaged. In
agricultural pursuits there were 49,
1929 persons engaged, and of these
1882, PSI or 1918 per cent were chill
dren. There were l,26i,737 persons in
professional services. of which 1856,
or O.23 per cent, were children. In
domestic and personal service there
were 5.691.176 persons, of which $780,
ll3, or 1872 per cent, were children.
In trade and transportation 4~,7IS,233
were engaged, and of this number l22,-
500. or 2.56 per cent, We're children.
In the manufacturing and mechanical
industries and mining 4 per cent OF
those employed were children-that
is. out of the 7,1l2,9S7 thus engaged,
2Si,330 were boys and girls between
the ages of 10 and 10 years.
What the National Child Labor
Committee proposes is that labor prac'
IDEALLY be prohibited TO all children
under ~ years of age who cannot
read and write the English language,
that night work be prohibited for all
girls under the age of 16 or IS, and
that all children under the age of l6
except under special conditions, be al
lowed 10 do only a limited amount OF
night work, and to see that all legis
lation along these lines is adequately
enforced. The national committee
will not take the initiative in secur
ing state legislation. It's purpose is
to see that the child labor laws are
enforced where there are such laws
and that proper laws are framed where
there are none, but it shall do these
things as far as possible by coop
Grating with state and local commit
tees, school authorities and all Other
agencies that are working for the bet
terment of children. Prosecutions
will be brought as far as practicable
No doubt the money earned b,
many of these children is essential &c
the support of families. Then. again
the ayerice of some employers is Sc
great that they are willing to prosper