Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-12-12
CHILD LABOR EVIL.
URGENT DEMAND FOR STRINGENT
LAWS REGARDING 1T.

The Fight In Great Britain In Behalf
of ChiIdren-Need of Legislation In
This Country to Check the Growth
of the PerniciouS system.
In recent discussion Of the child
labor problem Hon. IIoke Smith, for
mer secretary OF the interior, said
In 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
100000. Unless legislation prevents
the increase il the next ten years it
will be even greater. What are we
going to do about it: A1c We II wait
or act? It TOOK in Eu@i;a;id t..let.-
quarters of Il century Of tightHIg bi ti.e
friends Of the children before IcgI9la-
ton was secured to fairly protect them
from the factories, tie lu.Nes and the
Workshops The aDIest statesmen OF
Great Britain Ill the early part of the
iast century : -,an the fight. They were
told then IilJt tie Industries Of Great
Britain would be ruined. and chat Ger
many aud France would Ulitstrip her.
He same Kind 0f arguments are made
in most Of o}.' states today. 1t took
long time then for tie friends of the
young to overcome the influence and
power Of those Who We're using chill
lren. 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 q per-
manent injury 70 the physical condi-
ton 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
requirements of the army as IN those
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 a re-
port made a few years back In New
Jersey by the inspectors Of factories
and workshops it Is stated that the
average child becomes delicate fany.
ignorant, and that at the age al thr
teen the face has q little oti, worn
expression The children c;.n no long
er play. They do not enio% il. They Go
not care for school OF training All
their energy and vitality have been
sapped.
But we need not 60 to the records
and reports for information. Turn to
your own children. See what is need
pd to train them. suppose they We're
to be confined long hours in dark walls
and close rooms. WitloNt leadership,
without instruction, without direction,
at mouotonous work NhtI would I2p-
pen to them? Thin; Of ALI your loving
care and tr8illin4 by q" ocst teachers
in the best schools ;,l.zs ;.l that is
done to strengthen tl4en TlHn think
Of that all taken away nNd FUt your
own children in such places as these
child labo.eys I'LL L.. the president
be az X ind rs lie ma4 and want TO
state that so far Us my observation
goes the large ma aiority Of tie men at
the head OF cotton Hiils in luE section
Grc Kind and heIPtGi - Cen children
ana TO theil. employees hl8 III spite
Of that fact you VIII lind ignorant and
pal.id faces, detected co"&senances,
appearance which indicates sickness
and the lowest vitality
The same New Jersey report to
which referred declares thai GO per
<ccnt of the children twelve years Of
age hAd not heard Of tie 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 carly
Years are worked in Your ncighDor-
hood and you will find the effect upon
their Young lives