The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1909-01-21
HkGOTRNORSlNAUGURM

his inaugnEal address CONCERNING
child laboEThere should be more
sound wisdom displayed concern
ing the subject of child labor in
the mills, and the General AS
sembly will do well to thoroughly
INVESTIGATES this matter and de-
wise some method of bringing
about ajmore strict enforcement
of the law. Governor Kitchin
suggests that the Department of
Labor and Printing be given the
power to inspect the mills and
report with reference to sanitary
conditions in connection with
theinvestigation into the matter
child labor. The Governor
calls, attention to the fact that
there are exceptional cases, shaE7
ing reference to the children of
widowed mothers and disabled
fathers, upon whose labor their
sgpports depends. Such cases
aFenotnumerous and "a general
lay shonld eompel the attend
anRe af children in, school,
Mthe termsacontinue, each year.
Iepresent= child labor law,
while deficient in may respects,
has been the means of placing
hlndreds of children in school
mhoWould ntherwise,have grown
tuRm ignorance.
The Governor recommends
shorter hours and this suggestion
hOnldmeet the approval of all
concerned, parents as well as
manufacturers. Every fair-mind-
ed man and woman in the State
must admit the great injury to
small children of working in the
mills. Close confinement during
tender years retards their .physi-
c&lgrowth andoften brings them
to- an early grave. Ninety per
cent of the manufactures express
approval of the law governing
tie child labor problem enacted
By the. Legislature of 1901 and
amended by the General Assem-
by Af 1907. It is reasonable. to
presume, therefore, that the mill
,menpmany of whom declare that
it ID unproftahle to employ child
rem in the mills, will give their
aid and encouragement to an en-
foncernent of whatever law the
General Assembly may enact
bearing upon this question.
The newspapers of the State
have nearly all spoken in cempli-
mentary terms Of the new Cow
ernoE s5inaugural address, a mum
ber. of them suggesting that it is
one of the strongest and most
acceptable state papers ever
delivered in North Carolina. The
Charlotte Observer is lavish in
BiraiSe OF the address and. de
clares the. utterances contained
therein are those of a statesman.
&c ID an open secret that Mr..
K1echin. has. been charged with
mdicalism and many people
have Hooked upon his admins
Eaion with alarm. Now that
he has spoken and outlined the
p6felese that are to govern his
administration, it is refreshing
% note that even the most bitter
Opponents of his candidacy for
governor IN the primaries cypress
BSfiHaetion with the utterances
Ma-d0cunent which had been
anticipated with fear and tremb-
Eng, The people generally ex7
press the opinion that his address
was safe and sane and accept
thaSdeclaration he made before
the State Convention that he is
Neutrality-suspicious. man.
This newspaper has never con-
aideped Mr.. Kitchin as a man
whose administration would
prove detrimental to any interest
In the State. It opposed his.
nomination on accuot Of the fact
tHat afaVorite son of this section
was acandidate for the same of
flee. The administration of the
new Governor starts out under.
most favorable auspices and
every patriotic citizen of the
State should use his best endeaY-
ors To- cooperate with him in.
serving the people acceptably.
81. Kitchin IS neither lacking
IN ability or courage to.
discharge his duties in a manner
which viii bring credit to the
Site and advance the interests
OF the people IN every way. He
man who possesses the cour-
age Of his convictions. Open,
bold. and fearless he will dis
charge the duties of Chief Exc
cutive IN a manner which seems
right and proper. Hail to the
Chief 81