The chronicle=news., 1912-10-29
WHAT THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY
MEANS TO THE CHILD WORKER

lure up to the barcst necessities. We,
some OF our reputable business con,
Germs are built on this vicious foun.
dation.
Nor can We defend the system be
cause these child workers are foreign
Timer are two answers to that arsu
mcnt: The f!rs, is that /, false
the returns of 1890 show that 50 PEI
|ccn, of all working children ar,
American. only ) per cent are for
leigh: the iccond answer is that. II IL
were true. II would he no defense
The fore III child Is part Of on
America. His destiny is our dcs
ltiny. his poverty Is our shame. hi
ignorance Is our weakness aud hi.
vice our peril. II depends ON us rath
cr tian on him whether he become
an asse, or n social liability. ",
cannot afford to have n whole com
munity rise up against our institu
tons aud our laws as they did re
|ccn,ly In Lawrence. Their protes'
arose. according to the testimony oi
both sdlcs. because great indus,r!
was demanding the services Of met
for the wages OF children. was com
with little boys and girls in the labor
market. Such upr!sings are no, u
be supprcsse. by bayoncts nor by
stupid Thirtccnth-ccntury judicla
court decisions.
in,lust rial riots In American -nu b.
aucllcd by Justice and by nothIn'
else. and the generations Of ch!ldrc'
growing up In illi,cracy not onl,
tempt the employers of today I
cvadc the law. as from 30 to 30 pc
lccnt OF them We're found TO do b.
government officials In certain co,toi
manufacturing states recently. bu'
the children themselves will lear'
to dcspIsc u government which OK
ploI,s instead Of protecting them.
Whv Is Il tina; elass so hclpl.s
and yet 50 potcn; for veal or lnjmr'
to our country should have beer
thus far i:norch' Why have th'
great political parties passed by OF
the other side when they have scei
the little child robbed Of JOY. stripped
of opportunity and icf, half dead b.
; the wnysIdcr Whether N Rcpubii
! can Pennsylvania or Democrat
f;cor,in. tn" working child has bcc'
positively the las. consideration o.
the political leader. Today we en-
Joy the un.uur privilege OF sccin'
the child worker raised ms one OF th'
mali Issues of III. great new party
the party tina, recognizes human
J rights ahead Of dollar rights.
Whether men favor or oppose Col
onci Roosevelt and the leaders Of tn,
progressive party they must. at least
! grant them this honor-of havin;
made child labor In reality II nationa
) Political issue.
VIII this mean the abolition o.
) child labor That depends upon you
the voter. rou must first rccoRniz,
) rcrta!n facts. Child labor breed.
poverty. \ recent government re-
lpor, on children under l6 who lei
school to 80 TO work showed that -
per cen; are industries in which tn,
wages OF adults are less than SO
week. Child labor incnaccs cduca
'ion. When little Peter showed M.
his empty sleeve rs VIC walked owe
the mountains. he said. with u sicki,
smile. IL am going to school. now.
lie had been sent to the coal breaker
at years OF age. and was entirely
!llitcrate. He had to sacrifice al
arm. torn out at the shoulder, be.
fore his parents or the communit:
coId realize that child labor was I.
bad bargain.
Child labor destroys health
school physicians claim that over ~
per cent of the school children ~
New York city have defective vision
Is It not possible that the labor of I,
little girl OIL fine necdlework under 8
dim gas Jet at midnight has some
thing to do with her vision
Child labor disintegratcs the fam.
lily. There are honest laboriny mcr
who will go to the polls on Novembc'
. who recognize that in their trade =
IS harder TO make n decent livinr
than II was for their father or thcii
grandfather. Many of tscse mcr
have told me they would consider T.
criminal to bring children into th'
world. who would find IT still more
difficult to maintain n decent livcli
hood than they find II Can VIZ af
ford to pcrpe'uate system whicl
compcls the mother and the children
to comDcte with the father for n lob