The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-02-20
Will the South Fail
In It's Highest Trust?


der years employed in the North and
South Carolina cotton factories. The
Journal has read about them in the
report of A. ]. McKelwsy, secretary
for the southern states of the National
Child Labor Organizaa4on.
The report, illustrated by pictures
OF many of the little ones who are COM
PEELED to work day and night at some
sordid task and in a confinement that
blunts their souls and Weakens their
bodies, should appeal to the big
heart of the south and induce a pow
erful protest against the continuance
OF the outrage-therA is no other fit
ting word.
There are, of course, conditions in
the great centers of population of the
north and east and west, in New York,
Buffalo. Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia,
Cleveland, Cincinnati-why mention
all of them ?-worse, perchance, than
those existing in the CaroIinas or
anywhere else in the South. There
are. the sweat shop denominations OF
the great centeTs of population: the
practical slavery of miserable thous-
ands who labor for a pittance in the
fetid atmosphere of illkept tenements
the property of high and mighty and
much respected men, who draw their
rentals and in some way satisfy their
souls; there are the mine-blackened
children Of unhealthy toll; there are
the disTegarded whines OF starving
youth and desOlate old age, all within
the environment of those who seek to
teach charity to the south But what
of that? Does their sin make ours
any the less heinous? Should we not
even feel grateful to be told our
faults, no matter whence the lesson
may come? We have a.cOnscience.
broad, deep, appealing it tells us to
acknowledge our fault and to amend
it. It is true that not one of her
accusers dared to cast a stone at the
sinful woman; but she was told to
go and sin no more"
The southern states have been in
the vanguard of the redemptive forces
or the nation. They have waged
consistent and largely successful war
| against the evils of gambling and in
temperance which some of their
neighbors still refuse 10 take part in.
They have exercised mercy, and in
dulged in an expense even beyond
their means in treating with the
greatest problem which has so long
confronted them. And Will they con-
sent to tarTy on the road to a more
complete virtue; will they confess
/ that they must still be taught TO cher
| ish their children, the helpless little
ones, their future hope, the scions on
| whose shoulders must rest the vast
responsibilities inherited from those
| iIlustrious sires who were the chief
| founders of the American republic?
The idea seems preposterous. It is
such a reflection upon the patriotism
and philanthropy of the Great North
State and the Palmetto State that one
is inclined to deny the story told by
the camera and declare a lie the stu
pid, piteous faces and emaciated bod
les of the children depicted as work
ers in their factories One of these
states, Mr.. McKelway declares, has
no inspection of factories, and in the
other the ineffective system is better
known by the breach than the observ-
anee." Is it possible that official aU-
thoFity may connive with selfish in
terest to annul the true sentiment of
, the people and perpetuate a condi-
ton repugnant to popular feeling?
Let US learn this lesson: In the
matter of child labor not only the Car
olinas but the entire south must act
now as it has always done in a great
emergency. 1t must take firm stand,
a resoIute and absolute position Its
children must be removed from de-
structive environment; they must be
educated mentally to understand the
immense responsibility which they
will be called upon TO assume and
trained physically so that they may
have the Yirility to perform it.