Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-06-11

IOIIkJhJ IVY MINK IN ~
zens for doing their economic duties
in tho lest possible shape. In tho
South there is Il population peculiar,
ly fitted to profit by them, n pop,ila.
ton which has been generally referred
to as "poor white q population OF
splendid capacities, and almost purely
OF tho old native stock, which sim
ply lacks the opportunity to develop
n degree of industrial efficiency I'm.
surpassed elsewhere on this continent,
Interest In Children.
It is II matter for congratulntion
that there Is such n steady increase
nj interest In the Southern States
In everything pertaining to- children.
This bns already markedly shown &C.
self. and / hope will still more mark
edly show itself In the future, IN
warning against the evil OF child la.
Dor In factories. The factory is a
very poor place indeed for child:
indeed, personally think the factory
n poor place for II woman--certanl
for n married woman, or for an I'm
married woman for more than yerS
few years. In any community organ
lied on really healthy lines the aver
age woman will have quite enough
to do in her own home. whether she
Is rich or poor; and nowhere disc
can she do work of such value to the
nation as whole-and by work, !
mean her Homework. her work as
housewife and mother. and not SO
called 'homc industries" AS rc
CARDS children, 1T is as essential to
look after their physical as their
mental trimming, We can not afford
to let children grow up ignorant: and
If they are sent to school they can
not while young, also work hard ont
side without detrimcnt, physical
mental. and moral There Is urgent
need for the health authorities 10 in
crease their care over the hygienic
conditions and surroundings of chill
dren of tender years, and especial.
ly to supervise those In The schools
1t is a good thing to try 10 reform
had children. to try to build up de
generate children: but it is an even
better thing to try to keen healthy
In SOUL body and mind those chill
dren who are now sound hut who
may easily grow up unsound lr no
care is taken of them. The nations
most valuable asset is the children;
for the children are the nation of the
future. All people alive 10 the ma.
TONS need should join together to
work for the moral. spiritual. and
physical welfare of the children in all
parts of our land. am glad that
there has been founded national
society OF public school hygiene, and
wish II, and MI It's branches well
in every way.
Guard Welfare of Children.
There is increasing need that the
welfare of tho children should be ef.
fectively safeguarded Ivy government
action; with the proyiso, however,
that this action shall be taken with
knowledge and i'll Il spirit OF robust
common sense; for philanthropy,
whether governmental or individual,
Is curse and not blessing whei,
marked by n spirit of foolish senti.
mentality and ignorance, Such gov
nrDmental action Is merely one In
evitaile result of the everincreasing
growth of our complex industrlalism.
Decade by decnde, 1t becomes more
and more necessary that. without sac
rificing their individual Independence,
the people Of this country shall re-
cognize in more effective form their
mutual interdepeudence, and the duty
Of Safeguarding the interest of each
In the ultimate interest of all. We
have inherited and developed n SUI
perbly self-reliant indlvidualism in
this country. I most earnestly hope
that it will not be lost, that 1t will
never he exchanged for n deadening
socialism.
increase In Accidents.
For example, the great Increase In
mechanical and manufacturing opera.
lions means n corresponding increase
in the number of accidents to the
wagc-workers employed therein, these
including both preventable and incvits
able accidents. To the ordinary
wage-worker's family such Il calamity
means grim hardship. AS the WORK
Is done for the employer, ANA there
fore ultimately for tho public, 1t is
4 bitter injustice that 1t should be
the wage-worker himself and. his wife
and children who bear the whole pen.
atty. Legislation should be had, alike
from the nation and from the States,
not only to guard against the need,
less multiplication of these accidents,
but to relieve the financial suffer.
Ing due TO them. Last winter Con.
gress passed safcty-appliance law
which marked long stride in the
right direction. But there should ba
additional legislation to secure pecu.
mary Compensation to workmen suf,
fering from accidents. and when they
are Killed, to their families, At pros.
ent both In the sphere covered Dy
National legislation, and in the sphere
covered by State legislation, the law