It will be remembered that when Mr. Mundella, the English member of Parliament, who has accomplished so much in educational and other reforms in Great Britain, was here, he stated in a public address that the evils of children's overwork seemed as great here as in England. Our investigations confirm this opinion. The evil is already vast in New York, and must be checked. It can only be restrained by legislation. What have other States done in the matter?
MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATION.
The great manufacturing State of New England has long felt the evil from children's overwork, but has only in recent years attempted to check it by strict legislation. In 1866, the Legislature of Massachusetts passed an act restraining "the employment of children of tender years in manufacturing establishments," which was subsequently repealed and replaced by a more complete and stringent law in 1867 (chapter 285). By this act, no child under ten years of age is permitted to be employed in any manufacturing or mechanical establishment in the State. And no child between ten and fifteen years can be so employed, unless he has attended some Day-school for at least three months of the year preceding, or a "halftime school" during the six months. Nor shall the employment continue, if this amount of education is not secured. The school also must be approved by the School Committee of the town where the child resides.
It is further provided, that no child under fifteen shall be so employed more than sixty hours per week. The penalty for the violation of the act is fifty dollars, both to employer and parent. The execution of the law is made the duty of the State Constable.
The report of the Deputy State Comptroller, Gen. Oliver, shows certain defects in the phraseology of the act, and various difficulties in its execution, but no more than might naturally be expected in such legislation. Thus, there is not sufficient power conferred on the executive officer to enter manufacturing establishments, or to secure satisfactory evidence of the law having been violated; and no sufficient certificates or forms of registration of the age and school attendance of factory children are provided for. The act, too, it is claimed, is not sufficiently yielding, and therefore may bear severely in certain cases on the poor.
The reports, however, from this officer, and from the Boston "Bureau of Labor," show how much is already being accomplished in Massachusetts to bring public attention to bear on the subject. Laws often act as favorably by indirect means as by direct. They arouse conscience and awaken consideration, even if they cannot be fully executed. As a class, New England manufacturers are exceedingly intelligent and public-spirited, and when their attention was called to this growing evil by the law, they at once set about efforts to remedy it. Many of them have established "half-time schools," which they require their young employes to attend; and they find their own interests advanced by this, as they get a better class of laborers. Others arrange "double gangs" of young workers, so that one-half may take the place of the other in the mill, while the former are in school. Others have founded "Night-schools." There is no question that the law, with all its defects, has already served to lessen the evil.
RHODE ISLAND LEGISLATION.
The Rhode Island act (chapter 139) does not differ materially from that of Massachusetts, except that twelve years is made the minimum age at which a child can be employed in factories; and children, even during the nine months of factory work every year, are not allowed to be employed more than eleven hours per day. The penalty is made but twenty dollars, which can be recovered before any Justice of the Peace, and one-half is to go to the complainant and the other to the District or Public School.
CONNECTICUT LEGISLATION.
In matters of educational reform Connecticut is always the leading State of the Union. On this subject of children's overwork, and consequent want of education, she has legislated since 1842.