The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-02-02
DAILY PAPERS TAKE Up /:
CHILD LABOR CAMPAIGN
Work 1naugurated by Union la
Dor Is Handsomely Endorsed
By Daiies. =,
Minneapolis Journal Is One Of
the Strongest Supporters
In Crusade.


the Strongest Supporters
In Crusade.
Organized labor inaugurated the fight
against child labor. It was instru-
mental in calling the attention Of the
public to the great Industrial evil re-
sulting from the employment Of chill
dren in our great factories.
Lately number of welcome factors
have entered the crusade against this
great evil, and one Of our strongest
allies is the Minneapolis Journal,
which comments as follows editorially:
Better laws In seven states, five
bills for restrictive legislation in con-
gress-this In the record Of the fight
against child labor in the year 1906.
THE vitality Of the anti child labor
movement is shown by the introduce
ton during December OF the Beverage
and Lodge child labof bills in the
senate and by the bills for a children's
bureau in the department Of COM
merce and labor. For the first time
the congress Of the United States Is
legislating for the children of the ma
ton.
THE latest bulletin Of the bureau Of
labor shows total Of 1,750.Q000 chill
dren Of both sexes between the ages
OF 10 and Is years employed. But
this includes more than a million Of
children. employed in agriculture, an
employment that tnterferes the least
with their health and their opportuni-
ties for schooling. The next highest
was those used in domestic service as
walters, mattresses, messengers. etc.
The cotton mills furnished employment
to children in greater eEtent than any
otner manufacturing or mechanical in
dustry. The needle trades absorbed
the energies Of large number Of chill
dren. and the mines took another large
block from the legitimate pursuits Of
childhood, play and education. The
employment Of children in mines and
quarries forms in popular opinion an
especially Objectionable phase of the
child labor problem. This is due to
the arduous and dangerous nature Of
the work to which children are set in
the mines. Many of them are en-
ployed, 1t is true, in the work of pre-
pairing the coal above ground after It
mas bene mined, but too many are en-
ployed In the mines themselves as door
tenders, drivers Of cars and in other
ways
The attempts Of the states to ston
child labor has been neither vigorous
nor un1form in their application. Some
OF the states, as Georgia., are very lax
In their ideas on this subject. Others
are more advanced. The disposition
heretofore to consider It entirely a
state question has resulted In congress
remaining quiescent though it has been
apparent for some years that the evil
could not be successfully. attacked by
the states unless the moved together.
which there seemed no probability Of
their doing. The Beveridge bill. which
has been received with enthusiasm in
some places and with ridicule in others
attempts to reach the problem through
the power OF congress over Interstate
commerce. 1t seeks to prohibit the
carrying Of the products Of chnd labor
over interstate railroads and provides
that the transportation companies shall
obtain an affidavit with each shipment
declaring whether child labor has an
tered into Its production.
This move, combined with the fact
That the anti-child labor committees
already know the location of the most
he1nous offenders against good morals
IN this regard, would make the Bever.
1dge law a mighty weapon when IN.
telligently handled. A few typical case,
IN tne mining and and textile manu-
featuring centers would go long way
toward breaking up the whole system.
The Importance of stopping child
labor while there is yet time Is annar-
ent from the complaints that come
from older countries Of the ravagoe
OF the system with them. After tha
Boer war, when the English took I'M IN
earnest the reorganization Of their
army, 1t was found that the lack a.
proper recruits was due to child labor
and to the inferior housing Of thu
middle and lower classes, These two
conditions had so affected the phvsioua
~ Tue rising generation that the ma
tlonal defense Itself was menaced.
America has not reached that stapa
ana there Is no reason why it sho,,ld
De reached If the problem is srannled
now and grappled firmly. Nor is there
any economic condition pend,nr ~
this country which justif1es the general
employment Of children In mines and
factories. 1t can be wiped out and tho
economic present receive no hurt whilo
the economic future will be vastly
benefited. The morals Of the popula-
ton 10 also to be considered. We can.
not continue too expect tall, stronr.
normal American citizens If we berin
by stunning the youth Of the ]and
eowing their backs and breaking their
spirit with unnatural and unnecessary
tasks"
PANAMA. Jan. 8o.-Despatchea ra-
ceived here from San Salvador todsv
coupled with reports brought to ri.