The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-12
Evfh FRYE nuCxs.

Acucutiy Aa cuufcu uR in Mhiue pass cd rssolutionss..praying'' for the pass age Of the Beveridge chiid4abor bill and sent copy of same to Senator Frye of that State Now Frye is one or the old time Nsw England Republi- cans and if any one might be expected to view with leniency or approval an extsnsaons Of Federal power 1t would be him. but he evidently bucks" at the Beyeridge proposition. In his let ter to the minister who sent him the copy Of the church resolutions he
 do not believe that there is Sem ator who is not in favor of the pre-, vention of the employment of child labor in indoor pursuits. A resoiutloh In this regard lwithout the enoorsS> ment of the Beveridge child-lapor piii' would receive support here as unani. nous as yours was in your church. But
 he Beveridge bill is opposed by very large number of Senators on the grouno that 1t Is unconstitutional ana could not practically be enfofcedi ai,o ,baa anink X ss a matter that the States should con- troll
 ,4The agitation of this question in Con- gross will do very much good Tn cali ,si. s ssrbsrie tss sssenspn fop, of rabor d5 not think however, that there is a possi- biiify of the bills being enacted Into law at this short session Of congress.
 The Senator put the matter as diplo- matically as he could, but 1t is plain that he does not believe in either the constitutionality or. the .propriety of the Beveridge plan, The opinion expressed in his letter that the agitation in Con- gress would help to stir the States to action is doubtless correct. State laws to suppress and prevent certain forms of child labor are right and proper. but even then there is danger of going too far. Children of even tender years can work on the farms at any kind of outdoor and open air labor without injury to their health. Cruel and over- exacting parents may work them un- reasonably hard, and may deprive them of proper recreation and school privi- leges. but the work out-doors or about the house within reasonable and hu- mane limits is not hurtful. It is the confinement and long hours. the un- wholesome air and the killing monet- ony of mill and factory work that is hurtful.
 The truth Is that the Beveridge bill has started up a sort of fad all over the country in favor of Legislation against ehiId-Iabor, and the drastic ar" guments used may actually work up sentiment injurious to any State iegis- iation on the subject Arguments are used which are not fair or just and The Brooklyn Eagle calls attention some of them, saying: Church char table, literary and other organizations in a certain community are appealed to somewhat in this way: Your Con- Rressman is opposed to the child-labor bIll. Please pass resolutions In favor of 1t and then urge him to accede to your wishes Immediately all the ten- der- hearted folk in this Congressman constituency begin to think--if they don't actually say: The brute! TO think that a Representative. of ours should approve the ill-treatent of in- nocent little children!' And the chances are that in some nook or corner Of his district church or woman's club or a library board passes resolutions condemning him and urging him to change his mind The trouble is that far too many of these good people as- sume that oposltion to the bill means approval of child-labor abuses
 The action of the House Judiciary e,orr,,ttee A few days ago is plain proof that the Senator from Maine is correct in his intimation that the Beveriase bill cannot become a law. Let the matter go to the States, where it prop erly belongs. and let the real frlends of the children stop the agitation in favor of Federal interference, The States can and should correct the evil and we believe they will do so If let alone. ,..