The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-06-17
UNIQUE EXHIBIT SHOWING THE
HORRORS OF CHILD LABOR
IN OUR OWN COUNTRY.
147 BUDS FOR ONE CENT
One Cent Paid for One Hundred and
Forty-Seven Artificial suds-No
No Rest or Play for Children.
New York, June 9.-How would

New York, June 9-How would
you like to live on the proceeds OF
making pink roses at the rate OF
one cent for each one hundred and
forty-seven flowers you turned out?
Yet that is the fate Of several
hundred thousands, maybe, OF the
children of New York. And it is
shown by photographs as well rs
figures at an interesting exhibit now
being held by the Consumers Lea
que in conjunction with the Child La
Dor committee at the Church of the
Messiah. Thirty-fourth street ami
Park avenue. The exhibit is open
every day until the fifteenth of June
from to S.
Strung all along the walls are
squares of white cardboard, each
one decorated with bright colored
artificial flowers. the kind to BE-
bought in the and 10 cent stores
at such marvellously low prices. But
printed below on the card is the rea-
son for the cheapness. the actual
rate Of payment for the flower work
ers, who are mostly little children.
who work at "holae, the factory
without closing hour"
Below these startling records are
the pictures of those same children
actually at home. They are crowd
ed together around small tables III
badly lighted, cluttered. poverty,
strickes apartments, eyes and fin
gers blued to their work.
They can't even stop and look up
to have their pictures taken That
would waste whole minutes. and :,
flower can be made in minute. The
skilful little fingers can even FASH
ion the pink rosebuds at the rate OF
one every three-quarters of min
ute, but remember there are twelve
flowers to bunch, and twelve
punches to one cent of wages. Work
ing all day and far into the night,
the babies can earn about 60 cents
apiece.
What Other Work Brings.
II they object to this work they
can make punches Of violets each
containing about twenty separate
flowers at the rate of two cents a
bunch; or twelve yellow roses, rath-
er larger than the pink ones, for five
cents for IA: or silk peoples at
fifty cents gross. one gross being a
hard days work.
All these things are shown in tbs
photographs. and there are other
interesting illustrations. There is a
tiny boy, described as four years ola
and looking about half that age,
seated on the edge of the table bust
ly pulling out hastings from the
coats his mother has just been fin
fishing. There are older children IN
another picture engaged in that task
Of finishing at the rate of five cents
coat. Other little ones are busy
rolling cigarette wrappers, and still
others are snapshotted in the stree:
carrying on their heads great bundles
Of finished work to the factories and
sweat shops. Then there Is scene
in sweat shop where the children s
mothers and elder sisters are work,
ing under all the discomforts OF
svercrowding. foot power machines
poor light and worse ventilation, and
topping it all Is the significant quo
tation: with all our national waste
fulness we are more profligate Of
childhood than any other factor II
our nations life"
Another conspicuous poster reads
do you know where your bread
and beans come FROM" On ono
slime this is flanked by photo of .
typical cellar bakery of the wors
type, on the other by sleeping
room where beans are cooked"
On the opposite wall of the exhi
bition room are shown the shocking
" low prices paid to women for va
rious sorts Of needlework compared
significantly with the retail prices ol
the finished garment. Twelve and
a half cents was the sum paid Il
one woman for her work in finishing
. child's white coat-hemming il:
lining it. putting on cape, sleeves