Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-01
Eiuures on Child Labor.

Just now when there is so much dis
cussion. both IN Congress and in our
own State as we'll as others. on the i'm
portant subject of child labor the pub
LEGATION of bulletin on the subject by
the census bureau is especially inter-
esting and valuable. The total num-
Der Of breadwinners in the country
between the ages of 10 and Is years of
age according to the 1900 census was
l,75O17S. OF course there are more
now, but these are the latest figures
available We must remember also
that there were doubtless lots of young
breadwinners who escaped the census
takers. Breadwinners are defined as
those earning money regularly by Ia
Dor, contributing to the family support
or appreciably assisting in mechanical
or agricultural industry.
The bulletin calls attention to an
erroneous impression held by the pub
lie, that this total number of bread
winners is the total number of chill
dren working in factory. mine and
sweat shop The fact is that about
two-thirds Of all the child breadwin-
ners-1 054.446 to be exact-are agri-
cultural laborers. This is an occupa-
ton not open to most of the obJec-
tions ordinarily urged against child
labor. The bulletin aptly remarks:
"The work of the child on the farm
is usually not injurious to health or
morals and does not necessarily in
terfere with the opportunities for
schooling"
The 6SS. 2O7 children employed in
pursuits not connected with agricM-
ture and transportation, in manu-
featuring and mechanical pursuits and
in domestic and personal service.
Next in Importance to agricultural la
Dor comes domestic service, or the
occupation of servants and walters
and mattresses. in which 138.065 chill
dren were employed. most of them
being girls.
The bulletin points out that the ex-
| tent of the evils of child labor de-
ponds partly upon the age of the child
and partly upon the character of the
occupation in which the child is en-
| ployed. About one-third of the chill
drcn employed in gainful occupations
were Il years of age and more than
| one half were IA or Is years. The
number under Il was 790,623 or 49, pei
cent. of the total. More breadwinners
are found in foreign families than In
native The opportunity to secure
employment and the laxity of laws
compelling public school attendance
are important factors in the matter.
The cotton mills of the South and
East furnish employment to children
to greater extent than any othe,
manufacturing or mechanical indus
try. the total number of mill opera
tives between 10 and Is years Of age
being 44,421. they forming Is per cent
of the total number of persons over II
years Of age engaged in that occupa'
ton. In the North about one cottor
mill operative in every 10 is to 1;
years of age; in the South the proper
ton is about three to every TO- State
laws are responsible for the difference
Thirty-seven states have passed law!
regulating the employment of children
in mines, with the result that in 190'
the number of children from 10 to l;
so employed was but Ia per cent. o
the total number gainfully employed
OF this number 24.105 were boys ant
100 were girls.
The illiteracy of the young bread