The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-18
CHILD LABOR IN FACTORIES.
A Reply to the Article by Rev. \. y.
MckelWay.

|
A Reply to the Article by Rev. \. y.
McKelway.
To the Editor:--I notice in your is
sue of the 18th. inst Rev. McKelWay
IS in RALEIGH lobbying for the So
| called "Chld Labor Bili' lately intro
duced in the legislature, and that he
stated Senators OVerman and simmons
We're in favor of it as well as several
| of the congressman from this State.
| 1t seems he did not however mention
the names of the particular Congress-
men who favor this bill. It appears
| also from your paper that the Rev.
McKelWay himself framed the bill that
was introduced, as you quote him as
| saying: MY idea in framing this bill.
| etc" Mr.. EdmondS the able editor OF
| the Manufacturers Record of Bal
tlmore, and an authority on Southern
statistics, has something TO say of Rev.
MckelWay and his statistics which he
Gently.
1t is bat fair to say that the Rev.
McKelway. after the publication OF
Mr. Edmond'S criticism wrote him he
was not responsible for the figures
sivei, yet he was using them and did
not discover that he was not respon~
| Slble for them until called to account
| manufacturers Record is known as a
true friend to the South and her best
interests. ON paper has done more
| towards building up her waste places
and putting her in the front ranks or
prosperity and progress than has the
| paper edited by the gifted and able
Mr. Edmonds.
Now in regard to the bill reported
in your issue of the 18th. inst. | wish
f! to say in my humble opinion 1t Is It
gross insult to every parent whose
| child labors for its daily bread in the
| lotion factories of North Carolina and
| TO every president, manager or stock
holder of a mill. 1t virtually accuses
| or presuppoSeS them to be liars and
| perjurers and takes the management
| of their property out of their hands
| and puts it IN the hands OF the county
| superintendent of education and otn-
ers who know about as much con-
corning the needs or best interest Of
| a factory as billy goat knows about
| fishing.
| Now sir. why should this agitation
| against the cotton mills of North car
DINA come up with the meeting OIL
every legislature, and why are the
cotton mills made the special target?
| If the people desire 1t why are no
petitions circulated among them?
| nave yet to hear of one. When they
| desired legislation reducing the Whls-
| key traffic they were not slow to make
| their desire known by countless petit
| tons and memorials TO the legislature.
| How long is this agitation and Stir
! to continue. and who feels safe TO in
! vest or to continue in business under
existing conditions? / notice in to-
/ days paper Rev. McKelWay says II this
! bill is passed he will not stir the mat
ter any further under four years. put
| if it fails then something is to happen
h /.
ukaSe we may have four years or
outlines but after that time the drag
on is to be Embossed for another season
ana no mortal man can say what VIII
! then happen. We were told two years
ago that the act then passed was TO
! end the matter This act though
| wholly unjust inaSmuch as ii diScriln-
| mates against the cotton manufactur-
| ing industry in favor of all others was
| accepted by the mill men of the State
/ as a final settlement of the matter.
! Now comes a bill more drastic more
discriminating and more insulting than
| [ suppose was ever dreamed OF by the
! legislature of two years ago.
If Sir Compulsory Education is
| good for the operatives of mills why
/ is it not good for children who follow
| other occupations? Why count all the
children who work in the fields and
| other places in the South to swell his
| tale OF lnufOef anu ldCh oI
against the Southern people as Mr.. Ed
monds shows Rev McKelway has done
| in his noted statistics of the cotton fac
| tories of the South, and then leave
out nine-tenthS of them when 1t
comes to reaping the benefits of COM
ulsory education if there be any bene-
| fit to be derived therefrom? In short
why does not Rev. McKelWay urge
compulsory education for the whole
State if he is so solicitous for the well
| fare and education of the children OF
! North Carolina? Why include in his
statistics all the children and vet in
| his zeal for their health and educa-
ton. only desire to take care of one
tenth and leave the nine-tenths out in
! the cold to grow UP in ignorance, and
SILVER in the cold fields in the winter
and roast under the solar rays OF
June July and August? He seems to
desire to revise the order of true good
ness and care, as set forth in the beau
tiful parable of the ninety and nine
who were safely housed while the one
was lost in the mountains. 1t was
| published in papers in and out of the
State far and near before the con-
vening of the present legislature that
a bill for compulsory education for
| the whole State would be introduced
| Now nothing is said about it and 1T IS
safe to say if one is introduced 1t
will meet with a quick and sure death
as it ought. The reason is very APP
parent TO ever ythinking man. Then
sir, / say either have a law covering
the whole State or no law at all, dis
elimination will not do. In conclusion
sir. permit me to say I consider 1t q
sad day for North Carolina when the
emissaries of Northern fanaticism,
| prejudice and envy are allowed to
come here and frame bills" to be
enacted into laws for the government
of the people of this great and free
| State. A glance at the history of the
past forty-five years will reveal little
comfort and pleasure to those who
wish TO magnify. the good feeling the
Northern people as majority have
shown towards their Southern fellow
countrymen. We have been a badly
treated people and the farce bells and
measures to cut down our representa-
/ ton in Congress now being forged
Iopd eotta,1 ready n mt through in the