THE ILLINOIS CHILD-LABOR LAW $OI
tions by constitutional methods is the profound discouragement of the wage-earners in this state as to the feasibility of this method. To them it seems that, in Utah under its new con- stitution, or in Massachusetts under its old, but liberally inter- preted, constitution, good may be accomplished by the enact- ment and enforcement of statutes ; or, even in New York and Pennsylvania, where parts of the labor code have been upheld by the state Supreme Courts. But the annulment of many labor statutes has convinced them that in Illinois, under our present constitution as interpreted by our Supreme Court, there is no encouragement for workingmen to spend their energies in this way. This is the worst demoralization that can befall wage- earning people ; for if faith in amelioration by constitutional methods be finally sapped, and energy no longer spent in this direction, what is the inevitable alternative ?
Fortunately, two other agencies besides the workingmen are in the field on behalf of such legislation, and its enforcement: the educators, especially those who, living in settlements, are constantly forced to the perception that without it social con- ditions cannot be comprehensively and effectually improved ; and the factory inspectors who, by virtue of their technical knowledge and by the very nature of their daily work, are con- stantly stimulated to ask for better measures on behalf of the young employe's. To the initiative of these two sets of people, reenforced by the petitions and resolutions of the labor organi- zations, is due the present child-labor law of Illinois.
The helplessness and need of the children, the difficulty of the task, the apathy of the workingmen by reason of discourage- ment, and the small numerical force of those who now furnish the initiative, all appeal to the public-spirited to lend a hand by insisting that the present law be complied with, and that its provisions be so extended at the next legislature as to place Illinois abreast of those states which already possess the most enlightened measures for protection of the working children.
FLORENCE KELLEY. HULL HOUSE, CHICAGO.
