Evening journal., 1915-03-26

mission looked in vain toward the
State administration to sustain il. We
were pilloried. discredited. destroyed,
to serve political ends. Having thus
ready settled at that time, and would
have gone on just the same IL would
only have been embarrassing either
TO explain this to me or to deny 1t.
Against the power of the State
used to crush it, a State Commission
is Of course helpless. We were able
only to stand for principle and perish
where VIC stood. I believe. however,
that the brave precedent we set will
not be forgotten, and that no incom-
petent inspector will henceforth be
quite secure in child labor work. Ex-
cept for that precedent, the Child
Labor Commission was not materially
different from many other bodies on
which have served. and in some
Of which you have been a fellow
member. l recall, indeed, that the
tuberculosis Commission, about four
years ago, dismissed an inefficient
employe, who went into the paper
with a very plausible list Of accusa-
tions against il, and carried the mat
ter TO the Legislature of 1911. But
also recall that the State administra-
ton of that date stood by the com-
mission and gave it justice.
81 speak from knowledge, not theory,
when 1 say that there was no valid rea-
son in the Child Labor Commission itself,
or in its work during the first year, that
warranted its abolshment. The trouble
came from certain politicians. Two
curious private statements. one made by
you, the other by legislators, confirm
mission was in the right, but that the
feeling of the Legislature against it was
too strong for you to control. -Four OF
the legislators, on the other hand, as
sured US that they knew that the COM
mission was in the right, but they trust
cd the Governor, and must carry out his
program. / am glad to feel that these
conflicting testimonies agreed on one es-
sential point-that the commission did
its duty by the children whom it was
set to guard.
"But we suffered for a larger mat
ter even than child labor. important as
that is. We suffered for the cause OF
good government. Our destruction
gave warning that unless State COM
missions are made secure from unjust
and covetous political persecution
there is no safety for those who serve
on them. or for the law which they
administer. We will not have been
sacrificed in vain, if we have set the
State thinking in earnest on this vi
tai point This is a State matter
which counts, and on which there can
be no respect of persons. l call your
attention to the fact that this destruc-
tive attack on a State commission has
stirred all Delaware deeply. and that
thousands of citizens have stood be-
hind us, and protested against the
wrong done to us.
81 have asked nothing better than
TO spend and be spent for Delaware.
IL is therefore with the sincerest re-
/ gret that I give up official work for
: my native State. Fortunately. public
work is not confined to State chan
nels. Hope Farm antedates the Tu-
1 berculosis Commission. and there is
as much TO be done for tuberculosis
outside the commission as on il. Tn,
same is true of child labor matters
even now. The utmost discredit thai
this administration can throw upon
woman cannot prevent her from
working unoficially for the publ,
good. l. return. therefore, in thank
fulness and security. 10 the solit
foundations Of private work for the
community.
yours truly.
EMILY T. BISSELL'