Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1910-03-21
SENATORS SCORED
FOR HOLDING Up
CHILD LABOR BILL
Jersey City Pastor Says Public
Won't Have Measure ThrOt=
tied Behind Scenes.

JERSEY CITY, March 21.-The Sem
ate committee on labor and industry
was assailed last night by the Rev. John
L. Scudder, pastor of the First Congre-
gational Church, because of its failure
to report the dwell child labor measure
The Rev. Mr.. Scudder said:
Among the many mean capitalistic
games that are played in American
legislatures none are more despicable
than the present attempt of Interested
parties in New Jersey to kill the child
labor bill, which has already passed the
Assembly with only one dissenting vote
and which the advocates of the measure
declare to be lying in the unsympathetic
keeping of the committee on labor ana
industry, which is composed. If | am
rightly informed, of Senators Plummer,
Lewis and Cornish.
"The long continued refusal of this
committee to report this excellent bill,
even after considerable pressure from
without, has aroused justihable rage
among the people, who are now clamor-
ing for an explanation of this persistent
and unwarrantable delay. Why IS not
this humane and righteous measure
brought out before the Senate to be dis
cussed in manly fashion and receive the
consideration it deserves? Are our
senators afraid to ventilate their sent-
ments upon this VITAL economic prob
lem of child labor and permit their
constituents to know exactly where
they stand? Are they artful dodgers or
real men who invite publicity and are
willing to go on record as either favor-
ing CIR opposing this bill?
10 rafr AZ n
this fair and wholesome bill to be throt-
tied behind the scenes. If in this leg
islative tragedy murder is to be COM
mitted let the crime be perpetrated on
the stage where we all can see it.
I'VE believe in the true American
plan of bringing things out in the open.
We want a fair fight in the sunlight
no stabbing in the dark. The people of
New Jersey are too fair minded to pass
hasty Judgment upon the Senatorial
trio and are anxious to relieve them oil
certain dark suspicious connected with
their inexplicable conduct The mem
bers of this committee owe it to them
selves to rise and explain their dilatori-
ness in reporting this bill, whose just
provisions will not suffer little children
to work over eight hours a day, nor
during the night, when every child
should enjoy his American birthright
to be in bed and asleep; repairing the
waste of his jaded system, and laying
the foundation of future healthful citi-
zenship.
I'VE want to know why this commit
tee sleeps and fails to act. Is their
lethargy due to Indifference, or are they
quietly playing into the hands of heart
less industrial despots, who overwork
and maltreat our children? There are
those who believe that the greed of
heartless, cruel employers is exerting a
subtle and sinister influence upon our
so-called representatives of the people;
that there is an understanding among
our leading politicians; that this bill
must not become law; that the pres
ent game consists in allowing the bill
to pass with bells on in the Assembly
but to choke it to death in the Senate.
Nov, if this is the program the
people claim the right to witness the
execution and demand that the afore-
said strangulation shall be conducted in
open sight and not behind closed doors.
AT this juncture we are just curious
enough to ascertain which Senators
are inclined to wind their fingers
around the throat Oh InlS innocent VIC
tim and squeeze the life out of it.
"If this committee on labor and in
dustry persist in refusing to report this
child labor bill we propose to give them
whole lot of gratuitous advertise
ment. We will make them famous all
over the State of New Jersey and not
charge them a cent. Are they or are
they not the friends of little children
who are now compelled to overwork
and carry their labor far into the
night? Where do these gentlemen
stand? We ask them to speak out in
meeting.
Last Thursday night representatives
of six denominations met in Jersey City
and boldly demanded the cause of the
apparently iniquitous delay in report
ing this bill. They expressed their feel
ings in no uncertain sound. If Sena-
tors Plummer. Lewis and Cornish fail
to respond to this growing popular de-
mand let them be roasted on the spit
of public indignation. Let them be
turned over to the eternal contempt of
every father and mother in New Jer-
sey, every lover of little children.
'It is not too late for these statesmen
to set themselves right in the eyes of
the public by promptly bringing this
neglected bill to the consideration of
their fellow Senators and 4allowing it
tc stand or fall on it's merits"