The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-03-10
HEARING
ON CHILD
LABOR BILL.

At the rising OF the house today there
was a hearing on the act In amendment
OF the factory inspection law, which Is
entitled IAN act In amendment OF chapter
IS OF the general laws" before the house
committee on special legislation.
The measure provides that no child
under 13 years SHAH be permitted to work
I'm any factory or mercantile establish
ment. in the state, and no child under
l6 years OF age shall be employed or per-
mltted or suffered 10 work In any fac-
tory or manufacturing or mercantile es-
tablishment between the hours or $50
O'Clock I'm the afternoon and 6:SO in the
forenoon. excepting In mercantile es-
adjustments for the 10 days preceding
Christmas. The bill further provides
that no child under 16 years OF age shall
be employed or suffered 70 work In any
factory or manufacturing OF mercantile
establishment in this state. unless said
child shall present a certificate from the
school committee or given with It's au-
thority, stating the child has completed
l3 years OF age and Is able TO write and
read the English language.
The bill further provides for penalties
and for the appointment OF a CHIEF ana
two assistant factory inspectors one OF
whom shall be a woman TO be appointed
by the governor with the advice and con-
sent OF the senate.
The hearing was held I'm the large room
on the top floor of the state house ana IL
was attended by "a large number or the
prominent women OF the state and many
representatives OF the women's clubs VINO
have made deep study OF the problem
OF child labor and its attendant evils:
Many OF them were In favor of the bill
and said so at some length, giving Inter
esting statistics and citing matters that
had come under their observation.
Mrs. Wheeler the social secretary az
Shepard's, told of the children and others
that were employed I'm the big department
stores and stated that she had found thai
I'm many cases the proprietors would not
| commence to keep open until 1890 at night
10 DAYS before Christmas unless some OF
the others did. She thought four days was
enough 10 keep the young people on theil
! feet for so many hours on stretch.
| Gilbert II. Whittemore. truant officer o
| the Providence schools, who spoke In tho
course Of the hearing. said this new Law
would not work any hardship 10 the city
manufacturers who have been obeying the
law. and then told OF some OF the abuses
possible under the old law for factory in
! spection.
! He said that a man could put up an ole
! Junk shop and set four children at worl
! cutting rags as many hours a day as hC
/ chose so long as he didn't interfere will
school hours and the law couldn't toucf
| him, as It referred to places employing
| Ave or more women and children.
Continuing. he said that Providence
had an excessive school population be
cause the state really offers n bount,
! for paupers TO come here with large
| families Of children by the liberal child
| labor law. He said tnat Ia years should
be the limit. but rather than have any
! hitch In putting this law through HI
would do all ne could TO favor IL.
| lie then told instances of agents meet
| ing immigrants nt the docks i'm New Yorl
and persuading them TO come to Rhode
| Island where they could put their chill
! dren at work as soon, as they are 1.
! years old, instead OF going to Massachu
| setts, where they will have to attend
| school until the age Of Ia years Their,
/ have been as many as hundred ca ses
he affirmed. where foreigners living II
| this city have gone over the line anC
secured children OF 13 years and afte
securing school permits here put them I,
work in the mills and out of this transac
! tion the father and the local man Sc
cured $40 apiece. and the boy. after losInl
his schooling, gets nothing but his bar,
| keep.