Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-12-02
The Protection of the Young.

The spirit of modern civilized leg
islation for the protection or the
voung against cruelty, avarice and
Injustice Is well analysed and de-
fined by Henry van Dyke in cur
rent magazine article as holding the
narental right of control In harmony
with the child's right to mental
moral and physical life and growth'
and recognizing the injustice OF deal
ing alike, legally, with young ana
old criminals. These he says, were
the purposes with which no less imam
ten of the states enacted speciai
statutes in 1908. The laws thus en-
acted he interprets as evidence oi
the worlds growing sense of Justice
House bill So, presented by Mr.
Fits of Brattleboro to the vermont
legislature, is in line with the nrst
o,ause of Mr.. van Dykes definition.
It provides that no enid uhuer
twelve wears old shall be employed
in any mill, factory or workshop or
to carry messages for any corpora
tion or company and that no chiid
under fifteen years old shall be thus
employed during any part OF the
term when the public schools OF the
town where he lives are in session IL
also proyides, through amendment Oh
nresent statutes that no enid under
sixteen shall be thus employed UNI
less he has attended public, or prl-
vate or parochial school, twenty-siX
weeks during the current year ana
has deposited with the owner or SUI
nerintendent of the mill, factory or
workshop where he finds employment
a certificate of such attendance
signed by teacher, superintendent Oh
schools or member of school board III
tbe town where he is employed "A
fine of fifty dollars is imposed LOT
violation of the provisions OF this
act, upon mill owners or superih-
tendents who thus employ children
and also upon parents or guardians
who allow such employment.
But in spite of the beneficent pup
lie sentiment shown by all this iesls-
lation and proposed legislation, the
facts connected with child labor con-
ditions in this country are far from
encouraging. DR.. Samuel Lindsay
secretary of the national child LABOR
commission, now investigating, re-
norts that between two and three
million children whose ages range
from ten to fifteen years, are now
employed at gainful occupations IN
the United States. About 300,ooo Oh
these are in factories and mechanl-
cal pursuits and their number Is m
creasing from year to year. BESIDES
losing their schooling and overtaXlns
their bodies these children must
meet the evils of dangerous occupa-
tions and associations, long hours
and unsanitary surroundings. sec
retary Lindsay urges action pelore
the evil becomes too great for con-
troll through the lowering or our
standards of life. The parent, he
saws. is back of nearly all OF the
causes that force children INTO the
field of labor
Vermont will wisely do her part IN
This great effort for the good of these
little victims of injustice. To enact
and enforce such legislation is not
only Justice. but it is a wise and safe
policy for society in behalf of Its own
interests. The future Of the com
,,,,,nitv in which we of to-day shall
spend our old age rests largely with
the character of its citizens, now
children. 1t will be better for us,
then, as we'll as for them, If they are
now given the advantages of health
full surroundings, practical education
and wholesome moral influences.