Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-04


cational test for all children under l6
years of age.
''J'he passage Of law creating a
State board of Cancellation and arbitra-
ton
Understanding the fact that the
law creating the Maine bureau Of
mines aud mining, has been on the
statutes for several years, no organi-
cation of the bureau has ever been eff
| fected. The reason for this is that tn,
statute rrescribes duties which ne
| cessitat2 the expenditure Of money, but
no appropriation has ever been made
| to carry cut the provisions. Much 10
our regret we are obliged to report
| that the Maine mining bureau exists
| in name only and that information in
| regard to our mineral deposits and
resources are not available. This i'm
portant matter should be given more
consideration.
In reference to child labor and edu-
cation of the children the report in
part says:
1T is an inco:nprche nSibe condition.
| Notwithstanding the fact that we i'm
pose q tax upon all the property in the
| State for the purpose of maintaining
| free schools IN order that all children
| may have an opportunity to secure an
| education, that We lave to make laws
| to compel them to take advantage of
| the opportunity.
| The menace of an iliterate clothed
with the right and privilege of citi-
Zenship is more to be dreaded and
| guarded against than an individual at
| hiCted with a contagious disease, and
Yet we Will not permit Il person in this
| condition to pass beyond the bounds
| of quarantine for fear of the safety of
the community will be endangercd
| aud public safety should demand that
no child under Is years of age nc par-
united to work in any manufacturing.
| mechanical or mercantile csIahi&h-
mcnt during the time that The public
schools are in session, unless he has
procured at least the rudiments of a
| common school education.
| IAN Investigation of conditions in
connection with child labor will bring
to light many sides of the problem that
are not always visible to the general
public. Instances have come to our
| notice where children are working i'm a
| factory ander the supposition that the
| ElDOI - necessary " assist Il poor
| father when, it is sometimes the case,
| the father eXpends the earnings of The
| child for liquors. There are other
cases where parents are struggling
against adverse circumstances and
| making sacrifices in order that their
| children MAY be fitted to occupy a
| higher plane than was their lot. but
| their is a limit beyond which even ne
| cessity cannot go without coming
! within the bounds Of the soup house.
| ard the children are necessarily taken
| from school and they become members
of unlumbered millions struggling for
an existence and recognized as the
| lowest strata of society.
! AN educational qualification would
| b. Of great assistance in the enforce
ment OF tho child labor LAW 1t l..
| possible to ialsify birth certificates. but
there IS no way to dodge an cducatinn-
al test. and if such q law was in force
parents would be more particular about
sending their children to school
Maine is tagging in this particular line
| of progressive legislation, being the
Only one of the New England states
not having a law of this kind. The
matter deserves the consideration of
| the Legislature.
| "A review of happenings in the in
Gustrlal field especially during the past
year. leads to the belief that there
| should be a State board of Cancellation
| and arbitration. The services of such
boards in other states are considered
| to be invaluable and indispensable. In
a great many cases the parties in dis
| pute are willing to submit to arbitra-
ton. but the difficulty is agreeing upon
| the arbitrator.
1T is true that the services of q
| state board are not always accepted.
| but there is this advantage, a State
board is always available. and in
many industrial disputes their efforts
! along the line of mediation often re
suit in conciiation and harmonizing OF
conflicting interests. Such board
should be composed of men of ac-
| lnoWledged honesty and imbued with
a sense of justice that will lead them
| to consider all cases impartially anC
! give a decision strictly in accord with
| tho merits Of each case. ANY method
| that tends toward industrial peace
| should have the endorsement of the
law-making power of the State