The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-06-29
COMER'S RECORD
 ON CHILD LABOR
His Organs Proof as to 1900 and Dr. Edga
 Gardner Murphy's Statement as to 1903.

bor law at all. and so I signed the in- adequate measure which resulted from the conference with much hesitation and only as last resort.
 l need not go into all the details as to the attitude of the various conferees Two of the issues will suffice. In the pill proposed by the chiid Labor Com. child under the age of IA years shall be employed at labor in or about any factory unless such child attends school for at least twelve weeks of each year, six weeks of said schooling to be con secutive." We offered this proposal in order to reduce somewhat the propor- tion of illiteracy among our operatives We thought 1t would work no serious hardship on the mills and that 1t would help to prevent idle and selfish par ents from shutting out their children the State. This propOsaI was vigorous Iy opposed and at length defeated by Mir. Conner and his associates.
 There was also a proposal in our suggested bill that no child under the age of I6 shall be employed at ia bor or shsll be detained in any factory a. m.s The The object Of this 1T proposal o1% I and under from being put to labor in the cotton mills at night It has al- ways seemed to me that there ought to be no question among humane men as to the wisdom and appropriateness of such legislation as this. Whatever differences men may have on the sub ject of child labor by daylight, hu- suggest that factory labor ought no: to be imposed upon our children after nightfalt. Although MR. Conner and his associates earnestly insisted that dren at night they refused to allow this prohibition to go into the bill. They forced us to cut down the age limit for night work to those under thirfeenj and thus our factories in Alabama are still permitted under our law to put night work upon their children of thirteen years and upward. Our best factories are not availing themselves of this permission. but the very ex- istence of such license Is in my Judg- ment disgrace to the stato and an in- jury to our best interests.
 Humane child labor legislac don is not injurious to our industrial develop mnt. It not only strengthens the mor- al credit and the money value of our industrial securities in every good mar ket. but it protects the future efficiency of our operatives. The industrial state which throws the burden of sustained employment upon the immature burns its candle at both ends
 I wish to say in closing. that the utmost personal courtesy obtained be- tween tho conferees in the discussion at The ErchanEe. and that I have no personal antmus whatever against any of my opponents. I am too sick man to take any active part for the pres SnL IT. IeIeFSnC0 10 any or Jn0 puDl4C questions at issue in the State. For the next two or three months will be ab- gent from Alabama. at Bad Nauheim, Germany. in an effort to find further relief for the disorder of the heart with which have been afflicted The mails will necessarily be slow; but l will gladly attempt to tnswer any questions ss to matters of fact that may arise.
 Mir. Conner has seemed to me the most bitter ODDonent of child labor IegiaIatIOn that I have ever known, but if he now favors such legislation and now approves the correction and reinforcement of the present law would appreciate and value such an attitude. I repeat that l have written this letter with no personal feeling and only in answer to direct inquiry Under such circumstances I feel that evasion would be wholly unworthy Of the subject and equ1liy unwelcome to all the parties concerned.
 Very sincerely yours,
 Edgar Gardner Murphy.