New-York tribune., 1905-01-08
VIOLATIONS INCREASE.
Nearly Doubled Under McMdchin,
lSQys Hunter.

The number of violations OF the Child Labor law
has nearly doubled in this State under Commission
er McMackn's administration said Robert
Hunter. yesterday, at the Brooklyn Consumers
League There thirty thousand violations In
the year when Mr. McMackIn took Office; the next
year there were thirty-ive thousand; the next.
forty-nine thousand; the next, hfty-four thousand
That is TO say, the violations have nearly doubled
In number under Mr. McMackins administration.
l am convinced that shall never get an en-
forcement OF the law with the present commissioner
in office"
Instead OF exposing the evils OF child labor In
New-York,' IL had been announced he was to
do, Mr.. Hunter devoted his entire ADDRESS to a re-
view OF the reasons why he is opposed to the re-
appointment OF Mr.. McMackin.
IF Mr.. McMackin is appointed" he said. the
Child Labor Committee will keep up the fight until
he is removed. Mr.. McMackn has great influence.
He has bureau OF thirty-eight inspectors who. TO
my knowledge going about soliciting indorse-
ments for him. OF course. the manufacturers are
satisfied with him. They in the position OF
criminals, who have everything to gain by nom
enforcement Of the law" Mr. Hunters address
in part:
tried do when # was organized about three years
II was waste OF s e us ge3 wheD Ore we RAJ aUo
eeeded, went 10 talk things over with Mr.. Nc
excuses most clever at exciting sympathy for him
eend who through tS all mis- career M few
because OF its defects we rectiied these. and then
again '''
we have not inspectors enough and no attorney
Well, saw Governor odeM and asked him for
@ the f9ii M o. inspectors allowed by the
more than any other state-yet the factory laws
any other State. IF Commssioner McMackin can't
enforce enforce me law somewhere with thirty eight in
od shd II T'h Se reass 1 Gov
@ @erGeiyng the jTstiGe Of this succeeded in get
em eB s 9e to s cases for the Depart
z ask in how many many cases he had been consulted The
At the same time that watching things
@ brous6 sos Of cy ny our happened to
Where he heard rumors Of the chiIdrenheSre aH
S6p5ing OF were oworhng under the
mise up tneSe cases and send the report to Com
What. send il to man who can make you
pay M iS5 for h h se Ee9 ss pS' aSS in in creating @ sym
report 10 the Governor, asking him not to reapo
man who, II not corrupt, has shown himself wofully
me i Photographs and and statistics Mr. McMackin had
work sT for 6eren aee nothing bad in canning
anIyway They Just come with their mothers and
go out work ali If they could not bring the
Shidren SIs with them. and that would work real
Yet; when our law came UP. the canning interests
asked expressly to be excluded from its provisons
tries are put under it; We still find hundreds OF
what is being done Mr.. McMackin says he can do
Raff Rssn & foS 5s IS TGTa adns
Illinois, with only eleven inspectors-less than q |
the law. yet child labor conditions there such
as 10 make conditions in New-York inde- 1
Of the eh a% Rh RaS @ onS
thirteen prosecutions Illinois. with much smaller |
number OF violations had IN the same period 62s |
tors believe II to be their duty either 70 enforce
the law or TO prosecute but with 5000 violations
missioner McMackin to see II orders had been |
obeyed.
Such facts alone would be enough but there is |
something worse. 1t is difficult to see what Mr |
chimes From 1900 to sOOc5 men are Injured yearly
by dangerous machines in this State. In one fac |
machinery in year In these years OF Mr. Nc. |
Mackins administration with the increasing num-
Of deaths and injuries. what is being done about
1t? When you go to the commissioner. what hap |
why nothing be done. 1t is because manu-
facturers know that nothing will be done under |
violate the law.
Thomas A Keith. Assistant Deputy Commits |
sioner OF Labor. who has charge OF the depart !
ment in this city. with Office No. 1O7 East |
Thirty-frst-st.. said yesterday that the Commits |
sioner Of Labor should have special counsel for |
the presentation OF violations Said he:
dron 9ne TOqbe D gba we haze W Is with foreign born cR
parents shall take the child before a notary and |
make ma % affidavit that 1t IS the required age and
the Russians Poles and Italians who seem TO have
no Idea Idea OF The, The meaning me of an oath practice
notary. and thus get the permit for the smaller |
and younger child. In Brooklyn one notary in par
and the department has appealed to District At |
torney m Clark to learn whether some action cannot
pealed to- and is heartily in accord with
|