Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-12-20

any public provision for the relief of
the poor. Strikes and trade unions are
unknown; there are no proviledged
classes and few social distinctions-in
word. here is country, an actual ex-
ample of the dream Of all the latter
, day social reformers, where the men,
bers Of the common herd, stand on the
same plane as his supposed superiors.
Baltimore Sun.
Columbia, December Is: 'The
refutation Of the unjust and untrue
charges made against the south by
agitators. relative to labor conditions
in the cotton mills is complete and
fully answered by these figures" said
Commissioner Of Agriculture, Com
merce and Institutes e. J.. Watson
in reviewing the conditions Of the tex
tile industry Of South Carolina at the
close of the year. The condition is
gratifying and shows great strides not
only in bettering the conditions Of the
laboring people and the increase Of
wages paid them. but also In the In
creased profits for the cotton mill
manufacturers themselves. ut is
noteworthy" said Commissioner Wat
son. ''that this year $1,s35.4Ss more
money has been paid for wages than
last year. The only decrease in the
amount of wages paid shown by any
class Of labor, is in the classification,
applying to girls under 1s years Of
age. which indicates that their work
In the mills has been irregular, that
they have been taking longer rests
and more frequently attending
schools" The total number of per-
sons employed in the textile of South
Carolina Is now 47.767. which is an
increase of 2.16s over 1911. It is
gratifying that the largest portion Of
the increase in the number Of persons
actually employed, IL In males over 16
years Of age; that increase being rep
resented by 1925. There were more
women over 16 years Of age employed
during the year. 1912 than during the
year 1911 by 1.o12. Considering the con-
dition of child labor 1t IL profitable to
mote that there are 468 less children
employed in the textiles In this state
today than year ago, and all Of them
are now over IL years Of Gge. This
has occurred notwithstanding the In
crease in the number Of people en-
ployed. In 1909 there were S.432 un-
der 16 years Of age employed; In 1910
there were 1912; In 1911, 1858, and
in 1912, 1890. There has been during
the year a decrease Of 517 boys and
the increase Of girls has been only
40; thaf class Of employment having
been kept practically at standstill,
The general assembly Of the state
has a law preventing the employ
ment OF children in the mills under
IL years of age and two inspectors
are employed TO see that this law is
carried out, violators being subjected
to heavy fine. These inspectors are
under Commissioner Watson's depart
ment and calling attention to the Inn
proved conditions he says: Il might
call attention TO the tact that just
lnree years ago In the year 1908 we
had 726 children under II years or age
az work In the texliies. The next year,
1910, tnat number mad been reduced 10
$40. Last year the numper had been
further Increased 10 4lu and only loS
OF these being girls. Tnen the law
striking out ali or the old exemptions
anu making IL impossible tor child
unaer ~ years OF age TO work Tor any
cause, became effective ana this year
mere Is not single chlid under IL
years of age employed as TAR as we
nave been able TO md through In
spection, though there may be an oc-
casional case tnat has escaped the In
spec,ors. 1t Is Of much gratincation
to me Notwithstanding. the rapid
growth anu development OF the tex
die industry that In three years
time with, the average number OF en-
ployed people steadiiy increasing, we
come 10 the end of the year 1912
with 944 less children under 16 years
OF age at work than we had at the be-
ginning Of that period. am gratihed,
100, that without the use OF extensive
child labor the textiles are this year
able to pay nearly $2,000,000 more to
the employees In wages and shows an
increase in the value Of their annual
product Of over $2,500,000. The show
ing made by the textiles at the end OF
the year is indeed q handsome one and
it is a significant one, for 1t shows
very substantial and material develop
lment Of the new industry, and what
| Is Of more general concern perhaps,
very much better conditions as to Ia
bor. The total spindleage is now A.
I463,922 against 4,322.264 last year,
this being an increase Of 141,646 dur
Il ing the year Just closing. There has
also been an increase Of 1852 looms.
The capital in cotton mills is now
$83,769,646, which shows the very
handsome increase Of $4.880,492.
The value Of the annual product Of
the textiles has jumped to S7S,502 0S0.,
which Is an increase over last year OF