The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-12-12


the fiercest competition the world ever
knew. The prevention is much easier
than the cure, and whenever legisla-
tion is proposed which will seriously
af1ect a states industry sufficient
political influence is usually exerted to
prevent its nactment, no matter how
repulsive it's methods may be to
society.
1t was perfectly in accord with the
commercial spirit OF the day for in
dustries, because Of keen competitive
conditions ever confronting them, to
supplant working men with working
women, and later to invade the school
room. taking therefrom mere babes and
forcing them into the Industrial world
at work but recently performed by a
woman wage Garner.
Effects of Machinery.
The introduction of new machinery
came with such rapidity during the
past half century, that the human side
Of industrial life has been sadly and
almost shamefully neglected. It did
not take the owner Of the new and
improved tools of production very long
to understand that the necessity for
the artisan was being minimized; that
the machine was doing the skilled
work, and the factory operative was a
much cheaper laborer:
Then with the decrease in the cost
of production brought about by an
increased machinery output, with an
additional cheaper labor cost, competi-
ton became keener still, and it was
found that woman operator could
do the work equally as well as man
at a much less cost, so inroads were
made upon the home, and the woman
wage Garner became factor in our
industrial life. This cheaper cost in
production seemed only to ennbitter
competition, and it was soon discov-
cred that child could tend a. machine
as readily as a woman, and at lower
wage scale.
Woman Wage Earnsr.
The old law Of self preservation
compelled the 1aborer to resist every
reduced wage scale, following every
decrease in the cost Of production.
The national government sought to
protect him with tariff against the
cheap products Of other countries. It
then placed restrictions upon the i'm
migration Of Chinese and Japanese
coolies whose competition was becom-
ing a serious menace to American
workingmen. But no valid measure
could be enacted to protect him
against the competition Of woman. He
did not expect to prohibit her from
insistent that she receive the Same
wage as for doing the same amount Of
work. Legislation along this line
would have been an interference. with
her contractural rights. With her
then he must contend.
Child Labor Problem.
With child labor, however, the
organic law Of our states was found to
be broad enough to restrict and even
prohibit it's employment under certain
conditions. In New England Compel
tfon In the cotton mills and textile
works had forced the manufacturers
to the employment Of children. With
the enactment Of child labor laws in
those states, these industries were
forced to move nearer the source Of
the raw material, in the south, where
little, if any, attention is being paid to
any phase Of the labor problem.
But there is both a moral and eco
nomic side to the child labor evi1. All
society recognizes the first, while labor
contends against both. The stuntei
and emaciated youth, and the prema-
ture old man are the fruits of society's
negligence because Of its fear Of regu-
lating the conduct of industry in it's
relations with labor.
In Older States.
States old in manufacturing were
compelled to take legislative action
against child labor to prevent the
degeneracy Of their masses. States new
in industry, where there is marked
class distinction, such as in some of
the southern states, seem to care little
for either the social or physical we'll
being of their working classes. while
| states like Minnesota, who prides her
self in the strength of her men and
| women, even in the absence Of crying
! necessity, has sought not only to re-
| strict the employment. of children in
industry, but has provided for their
| mental and physical development by
establishing a public school system
and the enactment Of a compulsory
educational law, second to that Of no
| state in the union.
Minnesota's Precautions. f..
Minnesota has done more than this.
Before commercialism spread it's wings
! over this progressive commonwealth
she observed it's demoralizing influence
upon the home, which in the older
states was robbing that sacred refuge
Of life' Of its beauty and charm by
utilizing its fairest fiower-woman--to
feed the wheels Of Industry; and this
too, with no regard for her health or
strength. So the state resolved that her
duty was plain; that so far as her
organic law would permit every pro
lection in this respect would be given
/ to the working woman In her new
activity.
| Wise Laws Enacted,
A law providing for seats in rooms
where women are employed, and per-
! mitting such use thereof by them as
maybe necessary for the preservation
| of