The newspaper., 1907-10-11

These children look pale and weary, from the end
less onntony and rudgery of their lives In the SPIN
ming where they work, the air Is iuii vi uus'
and lint from the cotton, and they are contlhuaiiy
brea hing poisonous dust into their lungs "aA-
ing them very susceptible to the dread disease co,'
sumption and pneumonia. In room OF this klndl III
a southern city, was found, by a woman VINO was III
vestigating one hundred and sixty hands employer
and one hundred Of that number were children many
to ten years OF age, ana All Oh tnem
too young to be out of school.
Bad as these spinning are, the rooms where
bags are made such used for -four sugar etc.
are still they white clay to stihen these
bags, which is very easily scattered from the meshes
of the course material used filing the air with clouds
of fine, white dust, through which one can scarcey
see and of tis is drawn into the lungs con-
tinuully. These bags stretched and turned over
high above the heads of the boys VINO
do the work. making it hard for them one ai'er
another they throw the bags the Frame stretch
and them, then slip them off again. at almost
frantic speed boy turning from three Thousand 10
six thousand a day.
In a mill OF this kind. employed three children,
seven, nine and twelve years OF age, whose united
earnings amounted to 30 cts day, with which they
supported an invalid mother Another little one OF
"helplng" her mother. Think of such little
waits, confined in the impure atmosphere OF the cot
ton mill.
The great coal breakers of Pennsylvania employ a
great number Of boys, and could visit one OF them
today. would find scores of boys not more than
nine years old with bruised and bleeding
fingers. picking slate and stone from the COAL az It
rushes with almost deafeniDg noise through the
chutes.
This work is fraught with danger for the little fe-
lows and many of them crippled for life. Some
times il caught in the rushing black volume.
which quickly engulfs him and his troubles over
No heeds however, for he Ia only 'breaker boy
Here too. the dust very Injurious for they breathe
the fine particles OF coal until their ungr are as black
the coal Boys work in the mines too. where
they exposed to all the dangers OF those deep,
dark pits where they breathe foul air and clouds of
coal dust, and where they the sunlight or
breathe the pure air. What chance have they 10
grow develop either mentally, morally or physi-
cally?
In the glass factories conditions equally bad.
The children nhae particles OF glass which acer-
the lungs And here they exposed to greatest
and ngnin coolest draughts. until they fall an
easy victim the dread pneumonia And So ON
down n long and shameful list, that | have barely
touched upon.
In some places however. conditions improving
and the manufacturers using their influence To
keep the children In school. for they finding that
the trained and Intelligent labor is much pro-
ftabe than the unskled labor of the small children.
So unconcously perhaps the employers doing
much to stop tn labor Of the small children. And
let II hope thnt the people viii be awakened To the
ireer ,d the great army Of child slaves in boDdnse
every where.
Poor little mites with their minds and bodies
dwarfed and old beyond their years. Their bitter
CRIES aud hopeless hearts mock when speak
proudly of our Land Of Liberty.