The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1904-04-29
CHILD LABOR EVIL.
URGENT DEMAND FOR STRINGENT
LAWS REGARDING IT.
The Fight In .rcat Britain In Behalf
of Children-Need of Legislation In
This Country to Check the Growth
of the PcrnicIoux system.


This Country to Check the Growth
of the PcrmicIoux System
In recent discussion of the child
labor problem Hon. Hoke Smith, for
mer secretary of the interior, said:
In 1880 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
100000. Unless legislation 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
quarters of Il century of lighting by the
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
i'll most of our states today. 1t took
Il 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 and 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 Il per-
manent injury to the physical condi-
ton of mankind was threatened.
"A report Of the French war depart
ment has shown that i'll those sections
of France where child labor exists the
recruiting officers find not more than
half as many men who can meet the
requirements Of the army as in those
sections where child labor docs not
exist. If we come to our own country
we have ample evidence of the in
furious effect of child labor. In a re-
port made few years back in New
Jersey by the inspectors of factories
and workshops it is stated that the
average child becomes delicate, puny,
ignorant, and that at the age of thir-
teen the face has a little, old. worn
expression The children can no long
err play. They do not enjoy it. They do
not care for school or training. All
their energy and vitality have been
Slapped.
But we need not go to the records
and reports for information. Turn to
your own children. See what is need
ed to train them. Suppose they We're
to be confined long hours in dark walls
and close rooms, without leadership,
without instruction, without direction,
at monotonous work. What would hap
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 l 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
palllu ldceS. ueJcctcu couulcuaAScS,
appearance which indicates sickness
and the lowest vitality.
1.-The same New Jersey report to
which referred declares that 60 per
cent of the children twelve years of
age had not heard of the United States
or Of Europe and % 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 in your neighbor-
hood and you will find the effect upon
their young lives