The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-03-29

Labor BILL which was introduced
BY Senator Franklin Of Madill, that
gentleman the other day delivered
the following address on behalf of
the bill:
Mr. President. I desire to answer
some of the arguments made against
certain features of this bill and be
fore | conclude submit for your con.
sidoration facts that are ndispuu-
able.
Oklahoma with her vast and vari.
ed trophies won on many fields OF
human activity, should not lag be-
hind the other states of the Union
in moral reforms. She went into
the Union leading over half of the
old states in wealth and population.
Let her not be pIgmy in worthy
endeayors.
This bill affects a class OF people
who are unable to maintain a lobby
here. 1t will touch that dependent
part of the human family who will
soon be the fathers and mothers Of
another generation. speak of the
childhood of this great state.
1t is all right for a person to i'm
prove the stock of cattle and horses
and not permit them to work until
they have reached an age of maturi-
~, but when we talk of limiting the
hours of labor of young. tender hui
man being, some one Is ready to
protest. The dumb animal, in some
respects, is placed superior over n
human being. All, some will tell
YOU that we will keep from the linn
its of this state the industrial enter
prises if We pass such stringent
laws for the protection of the youths
of our country. If that is true, the
price would be greater than the gain.
/ am not willing to give the blood,
sinew and character of the young
manhood and womanhoOd of our
state for all the proffered reward of
greedy commercialism. Some will
say wait until this state is filled
with factories and then enact the
law. | say let us enact the law
while there are not so many as
would make it almost impossible to Sc
cure the Enactment of such law. If
the law is good for great number
| say it would be lame logic that
would say that it would not be good
for a few. The burden upon the man
ufacturer, If a burden, would be
commensurate with the number of
laborers employed. The facts are.
thousands would be benefited by the
law if it should be enacted at this
time. Most of the other states have
such law. We would only be fol-
lowing in the wake of a grander civ
ilization to enact wholesome legisla-
tion along the line of the proposed
bill.
1t has been said that there is no
good law that is not based upon
the divine law. What was the atti-
tude of the humble Nazarene-one
of the greatest lawgivers of all ages
towards childhood? He called
them to himself, but, if you remem-
Der, he drove the money changers
from the temple. How often do we
hear the expression, You will drive
capital away from your state?" |
say let it go, If We must give in eX-
change the very life and honor OF
our state
Is it an opportune time to enact
this law? Is it in advance of its
time. Go into the mines, work
shops, bottling works, packing hous
es, canning factories, the telegraph
and telephone offices, the cotton
factories, laundry shops and many
other places, in this state, that l
could mention, and look upon the
frail bodies-human beings-many
times exposed TO danger or surround
ed by filth. See the messengers of
tender years carrying messages into
districts inhabited by persons OF
questionable character. See them
as they reach the age of maturity
unequipped with an education for
the sterner battles of life, impaired
in health, and, as a natural conse-
quence OF such environments, linn
tied to a dangerous extent in conf
dence of their fellow beings and as
to the higher ideals of life. They,
many times, realizing their condition,
become living engines of hatred to-
wards society. Protect them and not
so many will fill our jails and aims
houses. 1t will be expensive TO our
state If we do not protect them while
young, | not only speak for hui