New-York tribune., 1909-06-14
CHILD LABOR HOLDS OWN.
SOutherner Denies Decrease IN HIS
Part of Country.

Buffalo. June lathe session Of the national con-
ference of charities and correction here this even
ing was in charge Of the committee on childreh-
During the evening A. J. McKelway, OF Atlanta
eAcratar of the national child labor committee FOR
the Southern states attacked the institution OF
child labor in the South He denied that fewer
children are being employed in the South saying
in part;
.t "s t1 the raciaf degeneracy, perpetual pow
erty growth of ilteraCy. the distlntegrauon % "
family tho increase Of crime. the lowering OF tIo
wage scale and the swelling army OF the ""e''
ployed- , ,..,,,-,r. y, N. South Is ex-
tensiye along the Gulf Coast The wages to-aa5 o5
are below the STANDARD Of AmeTicah hrdrhF rom
Baltimore During the summer season they are en-
Of Naryiand The communities where they are
employed testify to the ptful plight in which me
workers often find themselves Their children are
numerous. and from eight years old and upward
employed in shucidns the oysters 2lied Upon upon
cars after having been run through sIeaIl
heated chamber out Of one f9tce OF lS9 nands s al
years old apparently. From the peculiar condi-
lions OF their employment they have absolutely
The cigar Industry in Tampa. Key West, and TO
a lesser degree in Richmond, Petersburg and Dan
te ears increased In two Years from few
-, ,Srs tban a thousand Formerly only Spanish
and Cuban children were employed. but nov d
great number OF the native white people OF Florloa
have moved to TAMPA that their children may
learn this trade. The inevitable erect VIII o
lowering Of the wage scale In what IS now hislI-
The students OF the Cnlld laDoT pToDlelli
the cotton mill has ALWAYS been cursed Win cIlLu
and its natural accomplishments Of long hours
and low wages on account Of non-entorcenle1t T
laws themselves defective Southern cot'on nuns
are conspicuous for the employment or cllldteIIl-
Hundreds OF them have been photographed AZ W"r <
within tho last year and thew arc but typical OF
tons 81 th0tlsa nds Of them working from ten 70
twelve hours A day. OF night The evil Is 700 great
10 be concealed and the children are 700
10 be hidden There Is no possible excuse lo' sum
wholesale abuse u childhood
Delegates 20 the conference occupied the pulpl'S
In all the leading churches Of the city to-day
The conference sermon was preached at the star
Theatre by RABBIT stephen s. Wise, Of New YORK
city. He said:
Even II charity be only an experiment. let " a. a.
least be honestly and fairly tried Mess We 90
this Ne are PLAYING at play. instead OF deaIhs
seriously with serious things ,.. -
Social workers not so much 10 mitigate "
sv{I con saouenceS Of that which is. as they are
10 avert that which Is inevitably attended oE evlt
consequences. Charity must be more than tle
safeguard of democracy. No safeguard can oe
devised which will insure democracy aSalnst tie
evils Of its decadence. The permanence OF stunt
ed half starved eufeebed. degraded masses means
the passing OF democracy.
Without naming him RABBI Wise condemned Nj
Carnecie's library charity
ITO call A man who has crushed his enemies sin
gIy and in groups public benefactor Is a he
said he. I'VE need justice more than We need
libraries.
This evening J. b Montgomery. OF Cold~ater'
Mich presided AZ a meeting devoted 10 the discus
sion of methods Of aud private charitable In
stit1ItonS and other child saving agencies. and the
helm they give in laying a worthy foundation for
society.