The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-10-07

oe great efforts made to keep thes.
idrlllieS from going to the mills.
WI not this condition exist as lone
a. chlloren compete with adults. In
all probability this is one Of the req
aohs why wages are SO low and pa
rents are almost forced to- hire ON
their children.
10 continue to work children |
means the continuation If the very
poverty which seems to drive. The
penalty Tor all this will have TO be
paid sometime. 1t would be wisdom
20 give the child some ADVANTAGES now
lest he and his untaught fellows be-
come a menace later.
4. 1t is Better TO Rave tie Child in
the NAH Thai Out OF IL.
Unless there are very unusual con-
dltlonS the child OF The mill can STAY
OUT OF the mill with Just as much safe
" as any other child. re is not a
different animal at all.
The average child does not have 10
be shut UP. Why this enid? If there
Is any need OF it, it must be because of
the fact that the village life is not
good or that the mother can give no
care. To say this can To condemn
the village life. ! find no reason for
this. The child does not need to be
caScd. The G OF the child Is
no better inside than out. Most of
the children would De IN school. TIE
village life will not, in rnyoDinion,
corrupt the others.
,. Ii the Family Moves TO the Mil.
Were the Children Are Pat 50 Work
the Whole Family is Better.
Suppose that this be true, is that
any reason for allowing the child
work? One can hardly think that good
life in tho D1in UilI3oa ic ICnnD1ap4
upon the working Of the young child.
If it is the price to be paid, it seems
to me high, far too high. To be forced
to pay the price Of the joys of ones
own children and OF their future good
as we'll just for the privilege of living
in a mill village seems altogether too
much.
On this point the story Of n man
will suffice.
Il moved to a cotton mill in 1912.
? | had been a renter in the mountains.
| When I got to the mill I had three
hundred dollars in cash. l worked
| myself. Two boys also worked One
2 girl Is years old, worked. One boy
10 years old worked
r 'At the end of a little raore than
year left. had just $50 with on5
1 big bill not paid"
T My little girl was pale. My two
older BOYS had become spindling. Ny
n little boy had lost his leg from in
I jury"
II have been out a year, you ough
q to see my children nov. We are saw
ing up money"
"A cotton mill is nc place for
n man with children. Min need to g
t to school. but ct the mill they had t.
work all the time. They came out IL
n bad health. 1t is especially hard O.
h girls, standing all day
IS 6. No Hurt ON 10 a Child Iron
Working in a Mill.
: Hurt comes to men from sitting i
u well aired Offices. Children need sun
e shine and pure air. | have observe
that all cotton mill operatives com
, out covered with lint. That lin va
8 in the air. The death rate from IL
~berculosis is high among female cot
II ton mill operatives. There must b
&c some cause fer his. 1t is the shut-in
- life, which is not good for cMlo Iaoo1
&c Z. T. c Cotton Mill Business Itsi'e
ciaIly Has Demo Great Things ser Cil
- State. and il Needs Boys and Girls &c
Continued Success.
u 1t is very questionable whether tn
's business has been a blessing TO a Wa
~ jority Of actual operatives. In m
~ opinion many Of them had better nav
/ staid on the farm. Very. very re
: | nave DOuSnt HCNScS. -
y mills own the home. very 1e" con
out with any money.
on the other hand. big money h;
q been made. A part OF this has pee
lis made off the toll of children and tn
eS to the hurt of those children.
n This has its weight $.
ne nv mind. It is against human
~ thought.
&. \ Great Deal is Being Done
MiU Owners in Building Sch0cl
IA G. .prcE,es, Y. Nj. c. As and IN be
=. = terHne1,t Work. i,
'tr Due credit ought to be given to tt
few men who are doing this. IH'
make a small percentage OF al Il
at mill owners. They are SO few IN
ry they are famous. But II al were u
rs. ing this then what matters Il. II
u Young worker rarely ever goes 10
'es Y. M. C.. A., never to school. rarely
,e- church. and is too tired to get al
benefit from the night schooi or l
@g~-r r. QN these co.