The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-12-09
$4,000 CHILD
LABORERS
IN SOUTH

Washington, Dec. 9.-The second annual
meeting OF the national child labor com
mittee began here at the New Willard
hotel yesterday. A number OF well-knowr
publicsts interested IN securing legislation
governing child labor by the national and
state governments are attending the
meeting
The secretary Of the navy. Charles ].
Bonaparte. presided over the initial ses
sion yesterday afternoon and last night
Felix Adler. the chairman OF the national
committee, introduced the speakers.
These included John Graham Brooks
Of Cambridge. Mass. Mrs Florence Kelly.
secretary OF the National Consumers
league, and owen r. Lovejoy, assistant
spoke on Child Labor in the Glass IN
dustry."
Isaac n, Seligman OF New York. chair
man Of the finance committee, reported
on the money that had been spent
DIR. Lindsay reviewed the progress OF
the child labor movement during the past
year as indicated by the legislation enact
compared with 1904. Out of the 80 legs-
tive assemblies which met I'm 1895 he
figures that l2 passed child labor laws.
REDUCING WAGE SCALE.
DIR. McKelway, after stating that 81 per
cent OF the children employed In manu-
featuring Industries I'm she south were 10
be found In the four cotton growing. cot
ton manufacturing states OF North Caro-
lima. South Carolina, Georgia and Ala
at is a rude awakening that has come
TO our people that the abolition Of negro
slavery marked the beginning of white
child slavery, that our petit industry (cot-
tom Is not different IN the south from
what II was for n hundred years In Old
and New England, an industry distin-
guished for long hours and low wages and
cursed by tho employment Of children on
"a larger scale and Of tenderer years than
any other industry in the world.
I'm this year OF the 2Dth century, there
are 90 1000 children IN southern cotton mills
from six TO 16 years Of age toiling u hours
a day or 12 hours a night, and reducing
the wage scale 20 what is necessary for
the support OF n child instead of what Will
support a family or manhood wages.
Conditions are Just now at their worst
from the increasing demand for south
ern goods the tempting profits OF their
manufacture and the pressing need for
more labor To meet the sudden and trem.
endous expansion OF the industry"
10000 IN MINES.
At the afternoon session addresses were
made by Felix Adler OF New York, chair
man OF the national committee. on THE
Menace OF Child Labor" by Samuel Nc
Cune Lindsay the secretary, on "The
Progress and outlook OF the Movement
Against Child Labor" and by A. j. Nc
fSefway5- - BIT Of e2slft4f4ette,-A.- e77-the
assistant secretary. on Child Labor in
the Cotton Industry OF the Southern
States" +"
Dr. Alder said that there are I'm this
country between 100000 and 2000.0 900 child
laborers. The evil. he contended, was not
only widespread. but steadily increasing.
There were he stated, about 1900 chill
dron working about the mines, about 1000
In the glass industry. and the number In
the Southern Textile mills has increased
within n few years from 2io0 10 about
60, ,000
The activity OF the national committee,
ccol ding TO Secretary Lindsay, at this
specini- time is due to the desire OF tho
committee to promote the passage of n
child labor till for the District OF Colum-
bia.
President Roosevelt. he said. has recon-
mended In strong terms a model child la
Dor law for the district. In order that
congress might set a worthy example t.
the states I'm which Il has no power 20
legislate on this subject