The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-12-02

in the decade. Taking these figures as
children employed as wage-earners in
the United States. These figures are
far too small, as all who are familiar
with the subject know that frauds OF
all kinds are resorted to to prevent
an accurate official count. The in
crease in number in the various states
Is from so per cent. to II per cent.
The South has $4,000 child laborers
employed in her mills, run mostly by
Eastern capital; but the South Is not
the greatest malefactor in this respect
Pennsylvania alone has twice as many
children working In her mills and
mines as the entire South. She has
In her mines alone $4,000 children en-
ployed while in her mills are 1900
little girls wearing their young lives
away, toiling, many Of them, not from
sunrise to sunset, but from dark until
daylight, twelve long hours for a mere
pittance, and If poor, tired nature as
serts herself and the child Is in
considerate as to sleep the water-cure
is administered by a dash In the face
The child is not learning a useful trade.
He Is just the cheapest part Of the
great machine, who If he wears out or
is ground up in the cogs Of the machine
is replaced with no expense to capital,
as many others are ready to take his
place. and he is carted off to the cor
poration grave yeard, and is at rest for
the first time in his little life. One
cap1cin of industry said that Pennsyl-
vania has the lowest age limit, hence
her, great prosperity. Prosperity
bought at the cost Of the lives of little
children Is purchased at too great a
secrifice. Gold coined from the flesh
and blood of little children is too dear.
Every child who enters the industri-
al field cuts down the wages Of men.
These children work for from cents
up, the average being 40 cents. Little
children working twelve hours for 10
cents, and we are sending missionaries
to the heather and the financiers are
demanding protection from pauper la
Dor. The captains Of industry" in
order to hide the real issue, "protec-
ton for hides" while they are skim
ming the substituting child labor.
Much has been said concerning race
suicide" Of the: potential babies, the
might, could, would, or should-be ba-
bies. President Eliot can very safely
exploit these potential babies, who are
not" for they are not able to inter-
fere with the vested rights Of capital,
they cannot augment the number born
into servitude in the white child slave
~, and In agitating this subject he
will not offend capital and thus 1eo-
pardize his salary. 1t behooves the
nation to protect the children she has,
to prevent the murder OF. the -innocents
now living before she wastes any, en-
.ergy on those who ara not So
The United States has captured the
markets Of the world because of her
intelligent labor. How long will la
Dor be intelligent with 2, 900, 900 chill
dren in Workshop. factory, mines and
mills? ]. -.x.@... ! - s.f-,..}i3e -.
Martin Luther said; "The state is
q cherishing mother." Women, moth
ers, unfortunately, are not q part. Of
the state. They can: only pray and
petition while the corporations prey
on the petitioner. You fathers must
be both fathers and mothers In this In
stance and you should accept no com
promise, but demand m age limit Of
sixteen years With IN educational
Qualincatton ~. b.