The Washington herald., 1907-01-14
DEGREES CHILDLABOR
DR.. Peters Prefers Race Sui
eide to Degeneracy.
WORLD, HE SAYS, SCoRNs IT
Preacher CPIticIses United states
senate, and Says IL Laws for Sup
pressiOI Of the Traffic Violate Cen
stItutiOn, IL should BE Amended.
Practice Graduates Children In sin.

New York. Jan. 13-Dr. Madison c.
Peters, in the prelude to his sermon to-
day in the Majestic Theater. said:
In the name Of Him who said suffer
the little children to come unto Me-, Ihfl
my voice in behalf Of the children in the
fires of factory. the inferno Of the mill.
and the sweatshop, and ask can they
become civilized men and women when
every right is denied them that the
Golfers Of a privileged few may beget
gold, coined from the blood and bone OF
innocence?
a few days ago one Of the misrepre-
sentatives Of the people. speaking in the
capitalists club, once known as the United
States Senate, declared that child labor
laws are unconstitutional By all that
we hold dear. by the memories of the
past. we answer, this abominable thing
must stop.
Brings Worlds scOrn.
This traffic in innocence, which is
calling down upon our country the scOrn
and ridicule of the world. must end. even
if We have to change the Constitution
Of the United States The world with
withering scorn justly points its finger
and exclaims; You emancipated the black
slaves, but you have rveted your iron
chains upon the tender limbsS Of your
white children
Mem You who glory in the past, and
look forward with high hopes to the
future. I appeal TO you for the honor Of
your manhood to raise a concerted voice
which shall be heard ringing from the
Atlantic to the Pacific in denunciation Of
this crime OF the century. this robbery
Of the sacred rights of childhood, which
is undermining the foundations Of our
national nfe VIII you women, who
would lay down your very lives that
your little dimpled darlings might live
will You stand unmoyed and silently look
upoa the slaughter or these innocents?
The corporations tell US child labor is
necessary 70 commerce II commerce is
90 be built on the blood and bone OF
children, better that commerce fail, better
to down the civilization that allows il.
better to return 20 the primeval barbara
ties Of the savage, again 10 roam the
forest and the wilds and have our chill
dren as nature intended-not stunted by
slavery.
Rather Race Suicide.
''The chains OF this commercial serf-
dom must be broken II We mean to have
a future worthy Of the past We dare
not distCrt the material Of which nation
hood is built. In the mines and the fac
tories Of our laad, both North and South
boys and girls Of tender years are work
ing from ten 10 fifteen hours a day, until
the little limbs faE 20 support the frai
bodies These boys and girls are stunteC
IN both mind and body, their ideas are
perverted. without education. without am
conception Of right living; yet these boyl
and girls are TO be the future progenitori
OF the race. What sort Of fathers anC
mothers viii they make? What kind Of Z
progeny will be theirs?
Il vie with any man in loving regar,
for Theodore Roosevelt, the foremost MAJ
in all the world. but ] say. ten THOUSAND
times ten thousand, race suicide Tathe
than race Of degeneTates- But wha
care the trusts about degeneration? Wha
care they about the future Of the race. 81
long as child slavery. combined vii
~ NJ AnA AAA'AA s-t7st ~.iNA--
ment and adds TO their watered stocks
once. when the child was put TO work
the learning Of a trade OF some usefu
avocation was the object in view, bu
/ for the child slave there is no goal-lt i
/ simply child slavery
Creates Sin and Anarchy.
"Our economic conditions are responsi
bic for this crying evil The scale O
wages has not kept pace with the marcl
/ of modern necessity. IN our cities ant
manufacturing centeTs rents have in
creased almost twofold within the las
decade; provisions, cornered by the cor
/ porationS have become correspondent
high: life has become a bitter contest 10
/ the poor, and many parents are actuall,
driven 10 sell their little ones int
abasing, life-destroying slavery. Ever
aid has to be called in to make a living
until the children. as soon as out Of arms
/ are pressed into service as bread-winners
and parents little realize, until too late
that such a policy is penny wisdom an
pound folly. The dollar or two a wee
which the little hands bring into tn
/ family Golfer are a miserable barter 10
1 the blessing of an education and IN
/ deprivation of the finer sensibilities @
/ humanity which are often lost in tn
/ factory and the mill.
When young girls work with hardene
! sin-grimed men, is it any wonder that i
I after years. when they graduate from tn
I factory, the mill. or the sweatshoP, W
find them on the streets? The boys groI
| hardened to crime. Little wonder tina
they war upon society. Has not societ
made war upon them b. denying theT
/ the opportunities and blessings Of civiliZa
| ton and progress? Let severe laws b
put upon our statute books and rigidl
enforced. and let there also be uniformit
in the laws as applicable to all States.
| nnrc1nrnr Ia IANN1E urpT