Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-05-11
SENATORS ON CHILD LABOR
Men Who Worked Hard in Early Life
Oppose Measure.
SENATOR NELSON'S EXPERIENCE
Worked ms Plowboy, Blacksmith, /,
Painter and Clerk--BiII Amended
by Senate--PensiOns for
Nebraskans.
CFrom a staff correspondentl

WASHINGTON. d. c., May 1O.-Cspecial)
The discussion of the bill to regulate the
employment of child labor in the District
of Columbia occupied the entire time Of
the senate on Wednesday and it brought
out many interesting facts concerning the
early life of the members of the upper
house Of congress. II was noticeable. too.
that the advocates Of the measure are SEN
ators who as a rule may be said to have
been born TO the purple. Senator Lodge
who Is recognized as one Of the best edu-
Gated men in the senate was particularly
strenuous In his advocacy of a law to
prevent a boy from earning his own sup
port before reaching the age of IA. But
there are senators who have been through
the rustling stage and they were the ad-
vocates Of the opportunity for youngster
to start early in life to carve out a career.
Senator Nelson of Minneapolis told of his
early struggles: He said:
81 speak from my own experience, Mr..
President From the time I was II years
old I was obliged to work for my living.
When / was l2 years old I walked behind
pow and yoke of cattle and held the
plow, and | want to say to senators 1t was
the proudest moment of my life, when I
was able to guide that plow and drive
those oxen. I have always felt that what
ever success I have had in life is owing
to the fact that from the time was a
little boy / was obliged 20 work for my
living; and have always felt that the best
part of my education was the education
that taught me how to work and labor and
earn my own living In my younger days
Senator Beveridge tried to pin him down
to an admission that all his early work for
a living was performed in the open air, but
the sturdy Norwegian added: Il worked
IN blacksmith shop. ! worked in a paint
shop. I worked in a store. In other words
! boxed the compass when 1 was boy
in the way of employment"
Mr.. TeIIcrg Early Experiences.
Senator Teller of Colorado, who was
born on a farm in western New York, and
who did all sorts of farm work before he
reached his teens while supporting the
general provisions Of the bill thought that
the boys of this generation should not he
deprived of the opportunities. which were
enjoyed by the youngsters of half a CEN
tury ago. And the senator knows some
thing of those opportunities, for when he
entered the senate upon the admission OF
Colorado in 1876 he had as colleagues five
other boys" who had worked with i'm
in the harvest fields OF the valley of he
| Genesee river before he had ever heard OF
the United States senate.
Senator Piles Of Washington, said - sst
the greater portion of his life had been
spent on the plains and among the noun
talns of the west, where men have had to
make their way in the world and he in
sisted that the boy of - or Il should not
be deprived of the opportunity to earn
few dollars for himself during the vacation
| and before and after school.
The bill as originally drawn would pre-
I vent any boy in the District of Columbia
under the age of "A. from carrying news
| paper route on a winter morning, nor would
! he be permitted TO deliver evening news
! papers after sundown. II was designed to
keep children of tender ages out of factories
| and workshops, but like many other meas
ures of an altrustic nature II would &c
/ much farther than it's sponsors originally
| intended and would doubtless result in great
! hardship to many worthy families. But
/ numerous amendments were adopted be-
! fore the bill came to a final vote. 1t Is
/ probable that still other amendments VIII
! be Incorporated before 1t passes the house
1 and that some months will elapse before
| the law can be fully tested in the District
! OF Columbia 1t is admitted to be the mos1
! drastic measure of the kind upon the stat
utes of any state or territory Of the union
!