Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-10-29

have neither the ability nor the know
ledge necessary to protect and guide
their own children to the most useful
lives. Many of these parents. indeed.
rely upon their children not only to
support themselves. but to add to the
family income. perhaps even to the ex-
tent of allowing the parents freedom
from such necessity. Not always is
it the fault Of the parents that chill
dren are at work. Frequently. when
the parents are able and willing to
support the family. the young boy or
girl becomes impatient, perhaps feel
ing that his life in school is uninterest-
ing and improbable. and insists upon
joining the army of wage -earners,
thus acquiring his complete or partial
economic independence.
The census of 1900 took no account
of children under ten years of age, but
private Investigations show that con-
siderable number of children are at
work, some of them in mills and fac
tories. although there the number is
unquestionably few. Many are gain
ing their living in the street trades of
our large cities as newsboys. match
pedlers and boOt-black:, and many
n1ore-probably the largest number o.
these young children SO employed-are
in tenement work rooms and sweat
shops. Investigation has shown among
TIE children of the poor in New York
that infants of four or five years are
frequently kept at work hours at a
time and even far into the night help
ing their mothers and sisters make ar
tifcial flowers, Christmas novelties
garments and similar articles.
Here in Maine recent improvements
illcga! for any child under fou"tee,
years Of age to be employed At an.
time, except in the canning factories
This exemption is. I believe, a most un
fortunate one, and until it is taKel
out of the Maine law it will stand as
u discredit to our State. 1t is claimed
that this provision does not result il
abuse, that very Young children are no
employed in canning factories, and
that those who are employed work OIL.
when school is not in session and suf-
Ter no injury. l have seen 4 large
number of children eight or nine year.
Of age at work in our sardine can,
nerieS. | have seen one child as yCunl
as five lacking sardneS and working
as many hours as any of the o!lc.
packers
1T is obvious that children employed
in the factory can have no opportunity
10 continue their school life, and un-
Fortunately the vast majority Of then
enter upon their employment with yer!
little mental training.
'"rhc most noticeable defect of tho
child labor law as it exists in the Stat
Of Maine at the present time is that j
permits children of fourteen To go t,
work, even though they may De abso
liltely illitcrate. No educational tes
whatever is required. Maine an
ithode Island are the only states i.
New England which thus leave ope.
the gateway for an illitcrate citizen
ship in the future. Figures publ!shc,
by the United States Census Bureau
showing that there were in 1890 1858 ii
Iteratc children between the ages O
10 ard Ii years in the State Of Maine
ought to be recognized as all a!arnin.
indication of the drift of our peCpl,
away from the old-time standards 0.
universal llteracy.
Not alone is the child laborer de
prived of literacy education. Hi.
training for the duties OF citizenship
likely to be as certainly neglected. l
has been shown that large prnpor
ton Of the tramps infeStlng cur cuun
try have been workers in their child
hood. and that they are, in part
least, the legitimate product Of chill,
K. Dor. The association of boys an,
girls Of tender years with adult work
crs in mills and factories often is un
fortunate from the moral point Of view
l have No. intention Of saying that fac
tory workers. young or old, are essen
italy immoral. but undoubtedly it i
true that among the operatives tner,
are maty whose moral standards ar,
low. and unfortunately the contact o.
the young with these people is almos
certain to- result in lowering thei.
standards
Il have said enough to show tina,
child labor is indeed a menace. 1t is /:
menace to the individual in that it dc
prives him of health, of education ant
of opportunity for development. 1t is !;
menace to the nation because it tend.
to cultivate d race inferior in body an,
mind, and, in part at least, inimiual tc
existing social conditions. 1t is inuee,
a menace to society in it's effects upoi
the family, breaking up as it does the
relations which should exist betWcei
the parent and his children. The State
must absolutely prohibit the labor O
children of immature years, and 1t
must restrict in the greatest possibl,
degree the labor of those older chill
Cren who. though they may perhaps
De allowed to work. yet must De pro-
tected frcm excessive toll and insult
able occupations.
The problem of child labor reduced
TO its last analysis is an educational
problem, and negative action which
should merely keep the children ont OF
the factories and other injurious en-
cannot be sufficient. 1t must