The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-01-01

Under the heading of "sationai


thorfty and Child Labor" q recent
issue Of the New York Journal OF Com
merce has a very strong editorial IL
which II takes ground against the two
bills now pending in the senate one
introduced BY Senator Lodge AMI the
other BY Senator BeFeridge. which
have for their object the regulation ut
child labor in mills and factor.c~ n
the various states by bringing them
under the supervision Of the natIUu.i
government through thar clause Of tie
federal constitution which gives con-
gress control Of interstate commerce.
We are glad 70 see that paper =:
such high standing and such narion..
reputation Is The Journal 0f Com
merce take strong ground against TIE
passage BY congress OF any such laws
That paper says there must be I:-i.t
somewhere 10 the authority OF con
Gress TO interfere with the jurisdlc-
tion of states over the rights and in
terests Of their own people under the
power TO regulate commerce among
the several states
The article then goes on - cite the
provisions Of these two bills anc t.
show wherein they are a fia-raur mi
unwarranted stretch OF rhe power
granted 10 congress 10 regulate COM
merce between the states
We wish We had space here u siye
the editorial IN full. but it is too lon-.
However We will give our readers the
following extract from it, which We
think should be carefully read by those
advocates of suppression of child labor
in the mills of the south who are 50
bent on carrying their point that they
are willing. in order TO do SO. TO under
mine the very foundations on which is
built the American union Of states and
government Some Of the men who
urge the passa ge of one or the other CT
both Of these bills would be mortified
were you to tell them that they were
extremists among the advocates of The
abIogation OF all states rights; ,till
we cannot see what else they can Ge
called
The Journal OF Commerce closes its
article on this subject with the fol-
lowing:
a more fragrant case OF Interfering
with the internal affairs Of a state IL
the euise IF regulating commerce could
hardly be conceived. If child labor is
to be regulated by law it is a matter
SO plainly within the Jurisdiction OF
the several states that the bare intro /
ductiOn Of such bills in congress is evil
dence Of the extent to which the pa
ternal interference OF the National
government has already become a ia
miliar idea. This proposal, however.
is so extraordinary that the senate has
adopted resolution offered by Senator
SpOOner directing the juriciary COM
mittee to report upon the COnStitu
tionality of such q measure.
There has been some agita ton of late
on this child labor question, OCcaSiOned |
chiefly by reports Of the employment of
children in the cotton factories of the
south. Not long ago a woman interest |
ed in the matter made an investigation
for the National Civic Federation and
q report was published in its Re
view" showing that conditions in that
respect We're much better than they
were in New England not many years
ago, both in regard to hours. sanitary
regulations and provision for the edu-
cation and welfare Of the children.
There appeared to be no abuses calling !
for any interferenceS more drastic than
that of public opinion. SO far as that
operates it should have effect within
the states concerned, and their own
people may be trusted TO attend tD
their own business 50 far as the health. !
education and care of both children
and grown persons are concerned in /
their daily employment. If there is
any state pride or regard for state
rights left, such National legislation as
that proposed will be resented not only !
~ the south. but All over the country.
Let us have something left Of state jul
viz