Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-02


pany, Dayton, Ohio.
ON the table pending its passage to
be enacted.
The SPEAKER: The motion to
table has precedence over the motion
of the gentleman from Portland (Mr.
Kavancugh.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr.. Davies of Yarmouth presented
the following order:
Ordered, That Allen + White OF
WAYNE. be excused from .'ther at
tendance upon the 74th Legis .ature and
that the treasurer of State be au-
thorized to make up and pay to him
his salary and mileage forthwith. Gre
farred to the committee on leave OF
~ sence).
Mr.. Burleigh of Augusta IL IA Chair.
Unfinished business: Maia~it.- and
minority reports of the .,'J' ttee on
labor to which was ref"'''t 'll, AN
| Act relating to the mrs ~ Is ~. ma
jority reporting con ~ :" pa, NIL
nority reporting Z 1T Npt :" hass'
= Senate major, report acF q and
,ill passed to be engrossed
4 The pending question be" che &C
r. Dtance of either report
Mr.. Beals Of Auburn: Mr.. Speaker, as
one of the signers Of the minority report
7 want to say just a word in regard to
the stand have ken on the matter.
| In our State We ave large establish
ments for the packing or canning of
| sardines which are located in the coast
towns where child labor is employed to
very great extent.
| These factories start heir regular sea-
sons work about April 18th and continue
I until December. embracing practically
all Of the summer months.
1t was shown to this committee that
| children were employed in these fac
| tories from the age of seven years up
and necessarily starting so early in the
| summer he children employed must be
| t ken fro 4 school before the term ends
| il ne sp and are kept out of school
J until long after school begins in the
II, not only losing three or four months
| schooling but during the long summer
days when child Of tender years should
be out Of doors enjoying the pleasures
| of childhood they are shut up in a
place amid filth, curry and entrails and
a stencil that is almost unbearable
there to toll from early morning until
late ut night.
| -. Legislature of 1907 voted that
tt, ;. industries should be exempt from
the provisions Of the law governing not
| only the age at which these children
| can be employed, but also from the law
l xl.ox
| may be employed in one week.
| That law stands today but yet these
men who seem to think that the women
| and children of Washington county
| should be placed on the same level as
the women and children of southern
states where no restrictions in regard
| to these things exist are not satisfied.
They come here this session and ask
| that the exemption be extended to cover
| the factories where the cans or contain
| ers are manufactured. Thus placing
tin cans in the list of pershable goods
and In getting them included acquire the
| night to employ children in their manu-
facture without regard to :he other
mechanical and manufacturing estab-
lishments in the State.
This session Of the Legislature has
passed 5S-hour law for the women
| and children of our State without a
dissenting vote. that law to apply u
manufacturing and mechanical estab-
| lishments endorsed by both political
parties and heartily approved by our
| governor
Are you now in the same session go
| ing to start multiplying the law?
| Are you going to say that you did not
| mean it when you voted that the women
| and children of our State should enjoy a
shorter week of labor, ad that Wash
| ing county should be set un from the
rest OF the State in which illiteracy and
| immortality shall reign.
| For have been told by members of
| this House who come from that part of
the State that women no where in Maine
are morals as lose as they are in these
coast towns where there lars factories
are located
The Argument will be e., on the
| floor OF this House that these cans have
| to be used as sooil as n =. nat they
| cannot be made and ri'c} II lead as
| they deteriorate ana t,.sL ~he an ex-
| ira large catrl IT i.sh mes il the can
, shops have to liz night ard l.t,-. I sub
NIT to you gentlemen tia; iese shops
are running today putt"g up cans
against the coming reasons business
and that II they keep these cans from.
now until the season opens they can
keep them during the fish season.
And then if taey have to run these
shops nights let am employ men to do
the work and no keep these children
from their beds to 10 it.
There have been few cases in this
House this winter where persons have
come here asking Tor class Of private
legislation and they have been turned
down good and hard But gentlemen I