The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-02-10
Dhs Wlesscngrr.
A FALLACIoUs ARGUMENT.

n EALLhSIOOS aEfoCSiIASA>
There has been a great deal said IN
discussing the question Of child LABOR
i'm the cotton mills OF the south about
operatives in southern mills being paid
lower wages than persons in northern
mills doing the same work It has been
argued thai the fact OF children work
ing in our mills keeps h rates OF
wages lower than they otherwise would
he: that children are employed for low
wages where were they kept out OF
the mills men would do the work at
mems wages. For this reason, 1t Is ar
gued. the mill owners wish to keep the
children in the mills. To show that
there is no foundation for the argument
we give below a table which we lave
taken the pains to secure, showing the
schedule of wages for certain class OF
work in the cotton mills of Fall River
and at Delgado mill of this city. The
first figures represent the Delgado
price, per week:
Slubber tenders, 124 spindles $500
Fall River $500 to $40.
Fine speeder tenders, 252 spindles
s7.5O-FalI River $7.42 to 7.75.
Card grinders s9.O0-Fall River 1915.
Drawing tenders s6.0O-Fal1 River
1915.
Card shippers s6.0O-Fall River $500.
Picker room men s6.OO-Fall River
$500.
Warp s%pinners, 1,024 spindles $500
Fall River 1928.
Welt spinners, $50 spindles $6.00-Fall
River $3.50.
D tenders 81 .5O-Fan River $3.50 to
$50.
Wrapper tenders $7.5O-Fall River 800.
D~rawing-in hands $6.6O-Fall River
500.
Section hands Q~oomfixers) 5000
Fall River $10.50.
Weavers, according to the number OF
looms run and the Individual skill of the
weaver $500 to 1O.5O-Fall River s7.75
to s10.75-
The above, which are given as a fair
comparison of the wages paid in a state
where they have a very strict child
labor law and in this state, show that
there is very little difference in the
earning capacity of the mill operatives
For several of the kinds of work above
set out the North Carolina mill pays
the higher wages. In all the others o u
mills rate is the same or a very little
below that of the Fall River mills.
The figures for the North Carolina
mill here quoted, we take it, are about
the average of all the mills in the state
These figures show most conclusivel!
that this North Carolina. mill is no
taking advantage of the less stringen'
child labor law in this state than thu
one in force in Massachusetts and Il
forcing men to work at children's wage
and, therefore, destroying the opportu'
nifty to men and women to secure worl
in our factories.
We have some other statistics which
We here give showing that the EN-
ployes of his North Carolina mill
really receive higher wages than d.
those of Fall River, when the question
of expense of living is taken into con
sideration. AT our mill house rent il
from 81 to So per month, at Fall Rive;
from $40 to SIS. There they pay Sc tos
per ton for coal, (the only fuel obtain
able). Here wood is secured at $2.5
per cord. Our winters are much milder
therefore, there is much less expense
for fuel and heavy clothing.
Further more, there is hardly a cotto1
mill of any size in this state wher'
the children of the mill village can no
secure free schooling for a longer tern
a year han the state provides fol
the children in the rural districts.
The figures showing the wages pait
at Fall River are secured from TIL
Fibre and Fabric of Boston, which give!
them as a compilation from the pay
rolls of the Fall River mills made b,
The Fall River News. So they mus
be correct. The figures as to the NortI
Carolina mill, we nave from such {
source hat there can be no mistake a.
to their accuracy.