French Broad hustler and Western Carolina Democrat. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1915-1916, 1916-01-20
EDITOR SAYS MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
DON'T BELIEVE IN EDUCATION.
Says Men of the State Would Resort
to Corruption If Held up by Insvec-
tors; His Statement Startle.
Parker r. Anderson in Greensboro
News.)

- "
Parker R.. Anderson in Greensboro
NeWs.)
Washington, Jan. 12.-David Clark
of Charlotte, editor of the Textile Mag;
azine gave some very interesting, and
perhaps embarrassing testimony tc
the cotton mill men of the south, while
testifying before the house labor com
mittee on the Heating child labor bill
While Clark was called as a witness
for the cotton manufacturers, the ma
ticnal child labor committee will use
his testimony in their effort to pass the
bill.
Mr.. Clark stated, according to the
official stenOgrapher's report, that the
reason there was no compulsory educa'
ticnal law was because the mountain
PEOPLE of the state did not believe in
education and the further reason that
isolated districts would go Republican
i. forced education was put upon them.
He further stated to the committee
that the mill men of North Carolina
would resort to corruption if held Up
by the inspectors, in order that they
might get a clean bill. He said he
considered the government inspection
a "grafter proposition"
This statement startled members OF
the committee and caused some en-
barrassment to former Governor Kitch-
in, as well as other representatives OF
the cotton manufacturers. Later Mr..
Kitchin endeavored to explain what
Nj. Clark meant:
In explaining to the committee just
what he meant, Mr.. Clark said that the
mill owners would resort to corruption
if the were driven to it.
Questioned by members of the COM
mittee, the following colloquy took
place
Mr.. London-What do you mean by
a grating proposition?
MI. Clark am moth prepared to give
you the facts, but my understanding is
that if you pay you get a clean bill OF
health.
Mr.. London-You believe that your
mill owners would resot to corruption
in order to escape a fair inspection?
Mr.. Clark-Not more than any 9th
ers; not more than was necessary.
Mr.. London-You mean they would
resort to corruption of a government
official?
Mr.. London-Well, if the inspector
was insisting upon compliance with
the law. do you think that would DC
holding them up?
Mr.. Clark-Well, if it is to be done
ty county superintendent 1 would IA
For it.
Mr.. Heating. the author of the bill
then called Mr.. Clark's attention to the
recommendation of former Governor
Kitchin to the legislature of North
Carolina that factory inspection be
provided. Mr.. Heating quoted a part
OF this message to the legislature,
which reads as follows: 81 renew my
recommendation of two years ago that
factory inspection be provided to in
sure better enforcement of our law
with respect to factory conditions and
labor"
Mr.. Heating asked Mr.. Clark if he
felt that the recommendation was not
justified and that the legislature was
justified in refusing to act on it. It
was at this point that Mr.. Clark stated
that he did not favor the inspection be-
caUs it was largely a giraffe PROPOSE
tion.
Later, while being questioned by
Representatives Van Dyke. Summers
and Smith, Mr.. Clark made the state
ment about the mountain people.
Mr.. Van Dyke-Do 1 understand you
to say that a child's education cease at
14I
MI. C1ark-No, sir; I think that it
should be optional after that time. l
think the parents are petty well capa-
bic Of taking care of the children and
they have the right to look after their
education. That has been the law OF
the world?
Mr.. Summers-If you leave the ques-
ton of education to the parents, after
they are IA years OF age, why not leave
it to them all the time, and if you don't
leave it to them all the time, why leave
il to them any time?
Mr.. Clark-When these people come
from the mountains they do not believe
in education. That is the a we
do not have compulsory education il
North Carolina. because the mountain
districts are isolated districts and