Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-05-23

oOto hCb a6ieheN SOihS
.ure designed to affect child
labor. There are two before the pres
ent congress. One of them is so weak
that the president decided against it
sat once and declared that he should
veto it if the opportunity were given
ITO him. 81
Until recent years it was held by
many persons in and out of congress
that the general government could leg
islate for the whole country. in the
matter ofathe regulation Of child labor.
1t is now the opinion of the leading
lawyers of the senate that congress has
no power to enact law regulating
child labor In all the states. Senator
Beveridge. who has been the eloquent
advocate of this reform ever since he
went to the. upper house. does not
agree with the majority in this belief.
but he has been obliged to yield to su
perior numbers.
AS the matter now stands, child labor
Legislation by congress is supposed to
apply only to the District of Columbia
and is designed to serve as standard
for state legislation. At the present
time a restrictive measure is not es-
specially needed in the District on ac-
count of the absence of mills, factories
and other large industrial establish
ments. Both the president and Sena-
tor Beveridge have been anxious to
have some measures passed which
would furnish good example for state
legislatures to copy. and for that rea-
son they are actively opposed to the
Phouse bill placing the prohibitive age
limit at twelve in the District of Co
lumbia This is the measure which the
president declares shall never become
operative with his consent.
y
In nine southern states the age limit
for working children is twelve years.
{ In thirty FIVE other states the limit is
fourteen years President Roosevelt is
not willing to follow the example of
the minority states in this matter and
does not hesitate to affirm that it would
be a disgracefui backward step.
y The other measure. which is regarded
by the advocates of restrictive legisla-
ton as a model, provides that no child
under fourteen years of age shall be
employed in any factory, workshop
mercantile establishment. business of
flee, telegraph office, hotel, apart
ment house. theater. bowling alley oil
in the distribution or transmission oi
UltSSdStS. IL uiSO lLdt no SuCi
child shall be employed in any work
performed for wages or other compen
J sation, to whomsoever payable, during
the hours when the public schools oil
the District are in session or before the
hour of o'clock a. m. or after
O'Clock p. IN.
1t is>further provided that no child
fsunder sixteen years OF age shall be en-
ployed In any of the establishments
named in the foregoing unless the en-
ployer shall have secured age anC
school certificates from the school au.
thorities. These certificates must stat,
that the child i'm question is at leas
stipulated amount of schooling. TIL
school certificate must show the abilit,
of the child to read and write sfmpl
sentences in English. that the child i
normally developed. is in sound healtl
and is able to perform the work re
quired and, in addition. has attende,
the public school for not less than IL
days during the school year previous t
arriving at the age OF fourteen.
Punishment by a fine of not NOR
than $50 is provided for persons EN-
ploying children under sixteen year
of age contrary to these restrictions .
similar fine is provided for the parents
Lesser punishments are provided TO
violation of the minor restrictions TIL
senate bill authorizes the employment
of special inspectors to make the roun