THE WILMINGTON MESSENGER, FRIDAY, JFEBUARY 3. 1905
Of
TIIE CIIILD IiABOR QUESTIOX
We gladly give space in this Issue cf
The Messenger to a communication by
Rev. A. J. McKelway, in reply to an
editorials of ours of the 22nd instant on
the question of child labor in fac
tories;. We are glad to learn from Mr. Mc
Kelway's letter that Mr. Hunter, from
i
whom we quoted that thousands of
children in New York are forced to go
to school each morning with empty
stomachs because they or their parents
are so poverty stricken that these lit
tie ones can not be provided with
breakfas:, Is such reliable authority
on the subject of compulsory cduca
tion and the enforcement of the anti-
child labor law in that city.
The question we would like to have
answered is whether those children
who are forced to school day after day
with empty stomachs and frost
pinched faces will make any better
citizens when they are grown than if
they had been allowed to stay away
from school and earn enough honest
pennies each day to enable them to
keep off the cravings of hunger? What
good are daily attempts at grinding in
books going to do a child whose
stomach is empty and craving for
food, whose physical nature is daily
giving vay under the pangs of hunger
while the -weakened mind is being tor
tured with the strain of attempted
mental improvement? Is it not better
to produce a man or woman with
healthy body and sound mind who Is
capable of absorbing a certain amount
of education from their surroundings
than one of weak, starved physical
condition, producing an entellect un
able, because of the enfeebled body, to
comprehend and apply the mentaj in
struction offered aye, enforced .upon
it?
We would like to see. as we said in
our article of the 22nd, every white
child in this state given a rudamentary
education. Under present conditions
this is Impossible. We might establish
the best public school system ever
adopted by any state or nation or
even ever dreamed of by the greatest
enthusiast on public education and. still
this much-desired result could not be
accompi'snea. so long a3 mere is
poverty abroad in the land just so long
will there be little children whose con
dition in life is so unfortunate that
they will have to labor for their ovn
living or in aid of a feeble v idowed
mother or a decrepit father, instead of
taking advantage of the opportunities
offered them by the state for securing
an education. That such conditions
exist is deplorable; but that they can
not be avoided is indisputable. And it
is for this reason that wo oppose the
drastic anti-child labor law which Mr,
McKclway, representing the anti-child
labor committee of New York, is try
ing to Induce our legislature to pass.
This committee has its headquarters
in a northern city. (Tt Is true there are
some southern men on t) and is doing
"missionary" work in the southern
states, where, by reason of less strln
gent labor laws, cotton factories can
turn out their products at less ex
pense than can the factories in the
New England and the Middle states.
Wo believe that the matter of child
labor in factories should be regulated
to some extent by law, but we do not
want to see adopted for this state any
such law as that proposed for us by
this New York committee.
"Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes"
"We fear the Greeks even bearing
presents." That principle was im
planted in the human breast long be
fore Laocoon made his famous ad
dress of warning to the Trojans when
they wished to bring the Greek wood
en horse within their gates, and it is
there still.
It does seem to us that we people of
Nortn Carolina have brains enough to
regulate the internal affairs of our
state and humanity enough to protect
from oppression by the sordid and the
grinding the young boys and girls who
are so unfortunate as to be forced-to
work for their living.
And again, we have that confidence
in the goodness and the charity of
human nature which leads us to dis
credit the horrible stories of persecu
tion and cruelty on the part of the mill
owners of our state toward young chil
dren that some of the enthusiasts on
anti-child labor are constantly treating
,us to.
That there are some mill owners
who take advantage of the condition
of unfortunates cannot be denied. Re
strict and. punish them; but do not
visit their sins upon the entire class
of our mill owners upon those who
are generous and kind, who are doing
all' fh?y can to lift up this unfortunate
class of our people. That there are
such we suppose even th fanatics on
the other side of the question will ad
,mit. '
Let the legislature go slow in this
matter. Hasty action may do much
harm.
Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Weed, of Fayette
yille, spent last, night fcithe city.
w -
HENRY CIEWS & CO'S LETTER.
The current number of Henry Clews
& Cos weekly market letter treats
chiefly of the situation in Russia, the
prospects of revolution in that empire
and what the results are likely to be
and what their effect upon the financial
and Industrial interests of other coun
tries. While rencent events in Russia
tries. While recent events In Russia
tions in American and European coun
tries, France especially among the lat
ter, the conditions have improved by ;
reason of the promptness with which j
the government put down the revolt and
the consequent disorder. Still Clews
& co. are of the opinion that we have
not seen the end of this revolution.
They feel that the time has come for
the Russian people to rise up and assert
their human rights.
Out of all this turmoil and revolution
Is likely to come great good to the bal
ance of the nations of Eurpoe and to
America the ending of the Russian
Japanese war in favor of the "little
brown men" and the consequent estab
lishment of the "open door" in the Far
East, which would not follow success
of the Russian arms in this war. Wiat
great advantage the United states is
to derive from the establishment of the
open door in the Far East and tn.3 in
tegrity of China, Clews & Co. say is
understood by only a few, and for the
fact that our country will be among
those chiefly benefitted, they declare
thanks are largely due to our "able and
far- sighted secretary of state, John
Hay."
Their letter says in part:
The New York financial situation has
been more or less affected by the out
break in Russia. For a period it waa
impossible to tell what would be the ex
tent and consequences of an uprising
which has long been feared, an,d which
has not yet by any means culminated.
The fact, however, that the government
at St. Petersburg had taken vigorous
methods of suppressing disorder, and
with considerable success, tended to
partially restore confidence and there
was much less uneasiness in the latter
part of the week than when the out
break first began.
It is quite premature, however, to as
sume that the trouble is over. While
the final outcome is beyond human fore
sight, it is practically certain that the
enlightened political freedom which
Russia needs and must have for her
natural development is only deferred
and cannot be postponed indefinitely.
Whether it will be obtained by peaceful
or by revolutionary methods remains
to be seen. The czar, a humane but
weak ruler, is unfortunately under com
plete control of the bureaucracy, and
no concessions of importance are ex
pected at present from that quarter.
The revolutionists, which include all
classes from anarchists to the Zemstvos,
are a body thus far incapable of organ
ization and entirely lacking in able or
forceful leadership. Such being the
case, the government may be able to
maintain order if the army continues
loyal; but the whole situation is highly
volcanic and contains all the elements
of a great revolution the natural up
rising of a long-suffering people who
have been held down by the iron rule
of an arbitrary and autocratic govern
ment. Evidently the time has come for
the Russian people to rise up and as
sert their human rights, to be m"re in
keeping with this enlightened age. The
czar should not hesitate to liberalize
governmental methods for the benefit
of the people and so restore content
ment and make his subjects truly patri
otic. Such chaotic conditions must exercise
a repressing influence upon European
bourses, "Paris being the centre of in
terest from the financial standpont.
Fiench holdings of Russian bonds are
said to aggregate about $1,800,000,000,
which have only been saved from sharp
depreciation through the most powerful
support on the part of the great Euro
pean bankers. (Parisian bankers, how
ever, have been unquestionably
strengthening themselves, and much of
the gold withdrawn from this and oth
er markets during the past few months
has gone to Paris for the puropse of
giving support where most needed, and
more seems likely to follow.
The most hopeful aspect of the whole
question is the probability of the Russo
Japanese war coming to a speedy close.
Russia is evidently unable to carry the
conflict to a successful issue, her credit
being threatened . and her troops being
'needed at home to prevent dissolution
of the empire. This crisis permits an
honorable retreat. If such be the out
come, it will largely counteract, tem
porarily a,t least, the effect of Russia's
internal trouble. The stoppage of the
enormous waste of life and capital
which the war involves would b an
immedate relief to the international
money markets; wrhile the subsequent
restoration of vast territory and im
mense populations to the more benefi
cent influence will rapidly restore con
fidence and stimulate industry in all
parts of the world. The great value to all
civilized nations of the open door in he
Far East and the integrity of China,
both of which would have been destroy
ed by Russian success, is not yet fully
appreciated except by few. Japan has
fought and won a war that will benefit
other nations equally with herself, and
the United States will not be the least
- stimulate the TORPID LIVriv.
strengthen the digestive orgic. '
regulate the bowels and arc u.
equaled as an
ANTI-BILIOUS MEDICINE,
in malarial districts their virtues sre
widely recognized, as they possess
peculiar properties in freeing the
system from that poison. Elegcatij
sugar coated.
iltifi
In If
,thus advantaged, thanks largely to our
able and far-sighted secretary of state,
John Hay. ' .
THE WHIPPING POST. .
Ever since President Roosevelt's last
message to congress there has been
much comment in the press of he !
country on his recommendation that
congress should establish the whip
ping post for wife-beaters In the Dis
trict of Columbia. These criticisms
have taken wide range from . ridicule
and f arcastic utterances to hearty ap
proval. The matter has been discussed
In all Its lights and from every stand
point. There is one fact, though, which
has not been adverted to In connection
with the attitude of the president
toward the principal of corporal pun
ishment in such cases that- it was
Mr. Roosevelt's party which abolished
the whipping post and other corporal
punishment for higher crimes than
wife beating in North Carolina and
other southern states. Mr. Roosevelt's
party forced upon the people of this
state in 1S68 a constitutional provision
forever abolishing corporal punishment.
It Is somewhat singular that the leader
of that party,, thirty-six years later,
should recommend to the republicans
in control of the legislative branch of
the government the reestablish ment of
this mode of punishment for a section
of the country over which congress
has lolice and criminal jurisdiction.
All who use Atomizers in treating
nasal catarrh will get the best result
from Ely's Liquid Cream Balm. Price,
including spraying tube, 75 cts. Sold
by druggists or mailed by Ely Bros.. G6
Warren St., N. Y.
New Orleans, Sept. 1, 1900.
Messrs. Ely Bros. I sold two bot
tles of your Liquid Cream Balm to a
customer, Wm. Lamberton, 1415 Del
achaise St., New Orleans; he has used
the two bottles, giving him wonderful
and most satisfactory results. Geo. W.
McDuff, Pharmacist.
WON'T MTT NEGRO TROOPS GO.
Gov. Terrell, of Georgia, Decides to
Deny the Application of a Maeon
Company Wishing to Attend the
President's Inauguration.
Atlanta, January 29. Negro troops
from Georgia will not be allowed to at
tend the inauguration of President
Roosevelt March 4. Governor Terrell
will not grant permission to the colored
troops to leave the state.
The Lincoln Guards of Macon, com
manded by Sandy Lockhart, have al
ready made arrangements to attend
the inauguration of the President, but
when formal request for leave of ab
sence of the company is made, it will
be denied by the governor, on the
ground that he does not want the state
of Georgia represented on such an oc
casion by negro troops.
Tonic to tlie System.
For liver troubles and constipation
there is' nothing better than DeWitt's
Little Early Risers, the famous, little
Pills. They do not weaken the stomach.
Their action upon the system is mild,
pleasant and harmless. Bob Moore, of
LaFayette, Ind says: "No use talking,
DeWitt's Little Early Risers do their
work. All other Pills I have used gripe
and make me sick in the stomach and
never cured me. DeWitt's Little Early
Risers proved to be the long sought re
lief. They are simply perfect." Persons
traveling find Little Early Risers, the
most reliable remedy to carry with
them, sold by R. R. Bellamy.
CASTOR I A
For Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have Always Bought
Bears the
Signature of
Tooi Lawson is to be dissected, the
advertisements say, by Dennis Donahoe
of the New York Commercial. Judging
from the name we shall have a "wake.''
Durham Sun.
Tha Kind Yoa HavB Always Bons
Signature
of
Announcement comes that both John
D. and William Rockfeller, frenzied
financiers of "Standard Oil" are snowed
In their homes. Perhaps this "s the
result of that order to freeze out Tom
Lawson. Charlotte News.
STOXlXAi
Bears the ) ulu M"a ou A'P
Tha Kind You Hava Always Bought
The Lenoir News thinks the legisla
ture ehould turn its attention to "some
such thing- as coca-cola, pepsicoia," etc.
By all means and while it is at it why
snot pass a 3awi against the use of to
bacco and other things that people
could do without? Charlotte Observer.
LOSS CONFIXED TO $50,000.
Portsmouth's Entire Business Section
- Would nave Been Destroyed But
for Heroic Work by Marines.
Norfolk. Va.. January 29. Almost
a score of buildings were destroyed or
seriously damaged by the fire which
started in C. R. Nash's ice warehouse,
on Queen street, Portsmouth, early
Sunday morning. The loss is placed in
ttic neigaournooa ot ou,uuu. Ut lor i
the heroic work of 250 United States !
marines, sent by Admiral Harrington
from the navy yard with a yard fire
engine, together with assistance ren
dered by a Norfolk engine company,
the entire business section. of the city
would have been .swept away. The
fire started at 1:30 o'clock,, and was
not controlled until 4 o'clock this j
morning. j
Defence of the Child Labor Bill.
Raleigh, N. C. Jan. 28.
Editor of The Messenger: r
Having been away from this city I
did not see your editorial of last Sun-
day, or I should have attempted to re
ply to it sooner. I beg a brief space
in your columns.
Mr. Robert Hunter, from whose
great book you quote, is chairman of
the New York State Committee en
Child Labor and a member of the Na
tional Committee. He has done more
than any one lu New York state to
trlng about the enforcement of the
New York law which makes the age
limit . fourteen for children that can
rad and write and sixteea for those
who cannot. Mr. Hunter attributes
much of the pauperism of our day to
child labor, the child taking away the
man's work by being forced to work
himself. Certainly there would be
fewer people out of work tody if the
demand for child labor 3houid be stop
ped altogether. I am unabhs to see
v hy North Carolina should not have,
finally, as humane a law for th pro
tection of its children, a. New York
or any other state. But just now we
are only trying to save the girls who
hax-e to go into the mil?.? at. twelve
years of age. and at that most delicate
and critical period of a young girl s
life stand up for twelve hours a day
or night, at work lit the mill. And the
forbidding boys to tnter the mill under
fourteen, unless they can read and
write, will send lhose undsr- that a&v
to. school, as has been the experience
of twenty states in the union, three
southern states among them. This is
no new thing. It was recommended
by Superintendent Joyner two years
ago and by Governor Aycock, and by
Commissioner of Labor Lacy, some
years before.
The present law is ineffective. There
are hundreds of ten and eleven year
o'rt children in tha mills contrary to
law. because their parents say they are
twelve and the mill superintendents
take their word for it. Jf all the mill
men have said about the "vampire
parent" is true, he is not the most
trustworthy .individual. Experience
has again demonstrated that the only
way to have the law enforced is to
connect it with the educational system
and have the teacher ive iho certifi
cate. Superintendent Joyner has showed
up the illiteracy of the mill districts in
spjte of all that has been cliimed
about the generosity of the mill men
in building schools. , I should be the
last to question that generosity and
yet if the mill districts were encour
aged to vote a special tax of thirty
cents on the hundred dollars, ;:s hun
dreds of schooldistricts have done in
North Catolina, there wou'd be a
larger school fund in every instance.
It is perhaps true in some instances
that the family is better off at the miil
than on the farm. I have such a fond
ness for the farm myself that I have
found it hard to believe it. But cer
tainly the child of twelve years who
is put to work for eleven hours and
fifty minutes every day with a half
holiday on Saturday, is not the gainer
by the change. We are "crediting the
pood fortune of the family to the mis
fortune of the child." And there is a
demand for labor in North Carolina
and the employment of children makes
the competition unfair between the
mill and the farm, and! North Carolina
farms are suffering from that com
petition today.
The cause of the children is bound
to win. And we suspect that ten years
from now The Messenger will be
ashamed that any editorial against
that cause was written fov its files.
Respectfully.
A. J. McKELWA Y".
When you feel a sense of weight and
oppression after meals it means indi
gestion. Hollister's Rocky Mountain
Tea positively cures indigestion, con
stipation and stomach troubles. St.
cents. R . R. Bellamy.
Before Selecting
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HARDWARE
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Settlement made by the Northwestern Mutual T.if TncnMnn.
- VUiUpauY
jwith a prominent lawyer in Wilmington, N. C, on the 5th of January 1305
oeing me enu uv a. lwcihj jrcxia nun on nis &j years Endowment Pol
io taken out in 1885, for $5,000. Assured was 29 years old. and hispre-
mmms were M9-.e per annum, mereiore ror tne twenty years the premium
should have been $3,073, but the assured paid quarterly, and the rhar
was a little more.
1st. The Company offered to give him $3,937.13 Cash, and cancel the policy.
He has had therefore twenty years insurance for $5,000 and paid (should
have) $3,073 and has $863.60 cash over and above "what his innjrance
should have cost him.
2nd. He can withdraw in cash $1,383.53, and continue the policy, by the,
payment of the original premium ($153.65) for the next ten years, and
at the end of that time draw $5,00 0 Cash, plus the dividends that have
accrued during the ten years.
3rd. Or take the dividends in payment for the next ten years, and have an
income of $2S.43 per annumpra the dividends as they accrue annually,
and draw $5,000 cash at the end of the ten years.
4th. Or he can take his cash offered (13,937.13) arid buy a paid up policy
for $fi,350. this policy will draw dividends annually, and thereby jgo on
Increasing as long as the assured lives, and Is payable at his death with
all the dividends added. .
5th. Or he can take the cash offered, $3,937.13, and invest it. and from
the Interest of the investment, he can take another policy of $5,000,
thereby having his cash $3,937.13 and a policy of $5,000, makfns his pro
tection $8,937.13 instcad of $5,000. and said protection is now costing him
nothing. - - v "
' The name of the above with referenr Will Ha ? 11 n t ciVt w4 r anvna in
terested enough to call upon us for It,
I H, BOATWRIGHT & SON, Agents
Is the Joy of the household, for without
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sweet the picture of mother and babe,
angels smile at and , commend the
thoughts and aspirations of the mother
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ever, is so full of danger and suffering that
rpr7Tnr?rn
li U I
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Buck's Store."
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Wilmington, H. C.
!3
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BBERS
All
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WILMINGTON, N. C,
,
P
X
.1 (