The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-01-25
COLONEL BRYANT
MAKES REPORT
State Commissioner of La
Dor Tells the Governor the
Child Labor Law Is Well
Kept
VERY FEW VIOLATIONS OF IT
4 YEARS TRIAL HAS DEMON
sTRATED IT'S EFFECTIVENESS
IN CORRECTING THE EVILS
THAT FORMERLY PREVAILED.

IN CORRECTING THE EVILS
THAT FORMERLY PREVAILED.
Colonel Lewis T. Bryant in his second
annual report as commissioner of labor
expresses the belief that New Jersey was
never SO free from child labor as it is to-
day. Although true that the law drawn
by former Assistant Attorney General
John L. Swayze went into effect previ-
Gus to the time of the report of last year,
Colonel Bryant says that it had then
months) that its provisions We're scarcely
understood throughout the State. A
years trial. he adds. has demonstrated
the effectiveness of the act in improving
factory conditions and minimizing the
abuses resulting from the employment OF
young children in factories. In COM
menting upon the work of the year un-
der this act the report says
The child labor sections We're materi-
ally altered and to certain extent the
burden of proof is placed upon the man
ufacturer. The age limit within which
employment of minors is allowed is still
fourteen, but in order for employers to
secure the protection of employing chill
dren under affidavits they are now re-
quired in addition to the affidavit of the
parents or custodian to procure for ma
tive-born children transcript of the
record Of the church or parish in which
by an officer having by law the author
ity to keep records Of birth in the state,
county, town or city in which the child
was born; if no such birth record can be
obtained and the child was baptized.
then a certified copy of the baptisnal
rectrd of the church or parish in which
such baptism took place, duly certified
| as true copy, must accompany the af-
fdavit. For foreign-born children, in adj
dition to the AFFIDAVIT, a copy of the pass
port under which the child is admitted
to this country must be attached. In
order for the manufacturer to secure full
protection from the affidavits above de-
scribed, a correct copy of the affidavit
and all papers, certificates and passports
relating to such employment. must be
mailed, postage prepaid, to the depart
ment Of labor within twenty -four hours
after the time Of employment. The law
imposes a penalty of $50 for each of
Tense against manufacturers employing
children under the required age limit
and also stipulates the same fine for pa
| rents who permit thSls children to work
under II years of age.
IF any changes were made in the fac
tory act | would suggest that the fine for
parents be altered so that there would be
maximum and minimum amount stated
which would range, say from $40 TO $50,
and fixed at the discretion Of the court.
| 1t has been found that the collection of
the fine specified has been almost impos-
sible, as in most cases there would be
great difficulty in securing the amount if
!
| Judgment was granted The commissioner
| has power to issue permits for the EN-
| ployment of children upon production of
evidence of the child's age satisfactory to
administer this provision in conserva-
| tive manner yet we recognize the fact
that every child above the age of four
| teen years should have the privilege of
securing employment in the factories of
the State. The department has had fire.
quent occasion to avail itself Of the pro-
vision of the law permitting the dis
| charge Of a child after a failure to fur
nish proof Of age upon demand.
1.-THE provision Of the act requiring
manufacturers to file the affdavits to-
gether with proofs of age is daily re
ceiving more careful attention on the
part of the employers. This result has
been attained by persistent efforts and
the practice has been instrumental in bet
tering the child labor conditions, not only
through the number Of discharges which
have been directly ordered by the depart
ment on account of improper affidavits,
but the manufacturers demand for the
affidavit and proofs Of age has been CON
ducive in preventing the employment of
many children who would otherwise have
gone to work in factories. AS an evi-
dence Of the volume Of clerical work
TO CURE AC0LD IN O NEDAY
Take LAXATIVE BRodo ouil Inc Tablets
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