New-York tribune., 1905-01-08

lower the standard OF womanhood among the
working classes. The environment of the factory
life is the the girl OF fourteen 1t is
the girl OF sixteen and the effect Is not be-
leved TO be conducive a higher standard OF
womanhcod While there is not likely be a
change Of the child labor law sixteen years this
session OF the legislature II is almost certain thas
in a few years the age VIII be raised. for girls at
least making the age for boys fourteen and for
girls sixteen.
There are three factors in Connecticut whica
make 1t difficult for children under fourteen 20
evade the law. They public sentiment,
ganized labor and the State Board of Education.
Throughout Connecticut the people Will be found
10 be proud OF their school system. though In
OF the country districts there is still much room
for Improvement There is general feeling. how
ever that nIlterate children an extravagancs
which pulls heavily upon the purses Of the tax
payers for such children not sef-supPOrtns
after they grow to maturity. and the towns are
obliged to provide for them. The motive Of the
labor union, which it's leaders acknowledge IS for
self-preservation Is generally accepted justify
ing the To the union child labor means. of
course the lowering OF wages, With the constant
introduction Of machinery into fields OF manual
labor, children and more in demand. and
| the number employed IS ever increasing
In parts OF the State where the factories not
uniopizsd inspectors OF factories have In
stances vhere the wife and children who
barely over fourteen years of age work 70 support
the family, while the father unable 70 obtain work.
/ remains idle performs the meniaI work at home.
This reversal OF the order OF nature is Of the
/ evils OF the factory system Children become old
before their time. and also independent OF parental
| control
ONE MILL FINED.
recent case OF prosecution for the Illegal use of
child labor in the Rossie Velvet niiI at Green
manville in the town OF Stoninston. The child was
/ Lillian WeImer who lived in Mystic with her
parents. According TO he reports that reached
Henry o. Nichols assistant factory inspector OF
Norwich and W. A. simmons. of PlainheId the girl
| had been taken out OF school by her parents ant
ordered to go TO work in the Rossie Velvet milL
While she worked at the mil the Httle girl con-
| tributed all she earned to the support OF her
parents. The girl taken from the mill ami
placed in school, while her father brought be-
fore the StoningtOn court and fined $50. The Rosss
Velvet Mil Company also fined.
No OF the States Institutions takes as PROM
inent part IN the enforcement OF the child labor
laws as the State Board OF Education and It's local
boards In the cities of the State there J-uant
officers and as the registration OF children ~
school age is complete. the absentees readily
found and officers detailed to look up
In the country districts there is strict
observance OF the law. but whenever case IS
ported to the State Board Of Education OF the
State agents looks it up and there IS usually
further trouble that particular quarter. Charles
d. Hine secretary of the Connecticut State Board
of Education, in speaking OF child labor said.
Connecticut has a strong la against child l4kOr,
and there Is little chance evade with the pres
ent surveillance of the Board of Education The
manufacturers enter into the spirit OF the law
have their almost undivided support The
greatest trouble in those textile Industries
where the French Canadian and Polish people arc
employed. They sometimes fasify the ages OF their
children in order that they may get labor certii-
Gates for them from the Board OF Education. AS
many OF these chiIdren are foreign born. there IS
no way Of ascsrtaiEinS from the records when they
were born. There Is no doubt bit that there ara
children working in the textile industries in Con
f~rrN h.
who. By reason Of their parents false swearing
obtain certificates.
We do not have a great deal OF difficulty With
the better class Of farmers. but are OBLIGED to
watch the foreigners who buy little farms IN sons
thnly settled regions and in order to keep expeneJ
down TO the minimum. put their little children %
work
CHILDREN KEPT IGNORANT
A school teacher in Norwich said:
My school is made up principally OF children OF
foreign parsptage. who WILL II possible evade the
law. Recently many Russians have come into the
vicinity. The children know scarcely a word os
English Consequently. when child twelve years
old to the United States he has a very i'm
tied education when he leaves school at fourteen
years 10 enter factory, a part OF the first year
has been spent in learning English and al his
rectatons have necessarily been Eith primary chill
dren'
1t Is 20 meet this sort OF cases that a iaw was
enacted which gives local school ds The power
TO keep children IL school Ill the alta grade.
matter what their age.
That a great many % The boys who leave school
the law allows sadly dehclSnt
education Is shown in this uo.e from New-Haven
school yea her. no - d.
Il know OF boy Who Is assisting his mother IN
keeping little store in a nice aeiehboraood. The
o.he' day the boy pr nted gn. AID g. ayed 3
window. Homsde Pies
There are frequent easei Of ,hld las Or yneer the
legal age. which hard reach with the oc
the law. Giles Potter. a State agent. tells OF
case where child under thirteen years OF age was
living IN a family and taklrg care OF two younger
children for board. and perhaps some other sishs
comI IensatiOn She nos offending school, and
II forced attend return 70 her parents.
where there sickness and a home not suitable
for her, The trUant officer who fo9nd this cas9
asked Mr. Potter what 10 60. ard the agent said
Persons who VIII take a child OF her for ser
vices and will send her TO school are not suit
able persons 70 have control OF the child. and an
other hons should Be provided for her. To allow
such a child 70 work in family for hsr hvin<