Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 November 1906 — Senator Beveridge Will Stop Child Labor [ARTICLE]

Senator Beveridge Will Stop Child Labor

An attempt to slop child labor , made by Senator Albert J. Beveridge, according to his statement Saturday at a meeting of the representatives of the Young Men’s Christian* Association of Indiana held in Richmond, Ind. The senator announced that on the opening day of the coming ses sion of Congress he will introduce a measure to prohibit child labor, He also plans to present a bill amending the meat inspection law. He said the child labor bill will provide that no railroad, steamship, steamboat, or other carrier of interstate commerce shall transport or accept for transportation jhe product of any factory or mine that employs children under 14 years of age. The bill, he said, will pro vide that every carrier of interstate commerce shall require an affidavit from every factory or mine owner shipping his product that he does not employ children under 14 years of age, the form of the affidavit to be prescribed by the department of Commerce and Labor or <he Interstate Commerce Commission, with heavy penalties, both civil and criminal, for violation of thclaw. The bill if it becomes a law, he he 'believes will stop the practice of ruining future citizens by working children of tender age in factories and mines. There is -no other way he said, to reach the growing evil. A federal statute -cannot be passed directly controlling the factories and mines in the states. That is the province of the states. But Congress has absolute power over the railroads, boats, ships and other agencies of interstate commerce, and unlimited power under the constitution to provide that; they shall not carry the products j of factories and mines which employ children.