“There is no reason under heaven, save that of unenlightened greed, why the same industry in the South should not be put upon a better basis than anywhere else in the world, so that it shall become one of which we may all be proud, rather than one whose profits smell of blood.”
Children. The future of this nation depends on them. Without the proper guidance, care, and education, this nation will never achieve success and prosperity. Prominent progressive reformer and muckraker, Jane Addams, has recently reported the death of a child laborer while falling off a platform. “When the injury of one of these boys resulted in his death, we felt quite sure that the owners of the factory would share our horror and remorse and that they would do everything possible to prevent the recurrence of such a tragedy. To our surprise they did nothing...”. Jane Addams goes on to explain it only costs but a few dollars to install railings for safety measures. However, managers and business owners make no attempts to resolve the issue, since many more children are at their disposal. It is this carelessness, negligence, and corruptness that results in the deaths of hundreds of children in the workforce. Our children. This nation’s future.
Jane Addams is not the only one that has spotted this evil; Mother Mary Jones has also visited a laborious factory full of children. “…Little girls and boys, barefooted, walked up and down between the spindles, rows of spindles, reaching thin little hands into the machinery to repair snapped threads. They crawled under machinery to do it. They replaced spindles a11 day long, all day long; night through, night through. Tiny babies of six years old with faces of sixty did an eight hour- shift for ten cents a day.”. Hazardous conditions of faulty machinery, such as these, can be found in factories throughout this nation. Fingers, hands, and even harms can be severed while fixing such dangerous equipment. Not only are the children at risk of injuries, they are overworked, from 8 to 15 hours a day. Even in such harsh conditions, children are paid poorly, of about 10 cents a day. These cruel methods of work enforcement doom America’s future.
Recently, photographer Lewis Hine, had visited Ewen Breaker of the Pennsylvania Coal Co., returning with horrifying images. As seen in the image, Hine was able to snap a picture of the current condition of the facility. The results, were horrifying. Due to the poor ventilation, clouds of dust filled the room, making it hard to see, let alone breathe. All of the workers, teens and young children, were covered in coal dust, several choking on it. Not only were these children in such horrible condition, the supervisors would often kick them into obedience if they were not pleased with the work.
Not only are we neglecting these horrible conditions, we are accepting them. Once we, the current generation are gone, who will be there to guide the next generation, and the generation after? It is our duty, as Americans, to guide our children and raise leaders rather than slaves. Leaders that will guide this country into a glorious age.
Children. The future of this nation depends on them. Without the proper guidance, care, and education, this nation will never achieve success and prosperity. Prominent progressive reformer and muckraker, Jane Addams, has recently reported the death of a child laborer while falling off a platform. “When the injury of one of these boys resulted in his death, we felt quite sure that the owners of the factory would share our horror and remorse and that they would do everything possible to prevent the recurrence of such a tragedy. To our surprise they did nothing...”. Jane Addams goes on to explain it only costs but a few dollars to install railings for safety measures. However, managers and business owners make no attempts to resolve the issue, since many more children are at their disposal. It is this carelessness, negligence, and corruptness that results in the deaths of hundreds of children in the workforce. Our children. This nation’s future.
Jane Addams is not the only one that has spotted this evil; Mother Mary Jones has also visited a laborious factory full of children. “…Little girls and boys, barefooted, walked up and down between the spindles, rows of spindles, reaching thin little hands into the machinery to repair snapped threads. They crawled under machinery to do it. They replaced spindles a11 day long, all day long; night through, night through. Tiny babies of six years old with faces of sixty did an eight hour- shift for ten cents a day.”. Hazardous conditions of faulty machinery, such as these, can be found in factories throughout this nation. Fingers, hands, and even harms can be severed while fixing such dangerous equipment. Not only are the children at risk of injuries, they are overworked, from 8 to 15 hours a day. Even in such harsh conditions, children are paid poorly, of about 10 cents a day. These cruel methods of work enforcement doom America’s future.
Recently, photographer Lewis Hine, had visited Ewen Breaker of the Pennsylvania Coal Co., returning with horrifying images. As seen in the image, Hine was able to snap a picture of the current condition of the facility. The results, were horrifying. Due to the poor ventilation, clouds of dust filled the room, making it hard to see, let alone breathe. All of the workers, teens and young children, were covered in coal dust, several choking on it. Not only were these children in such horrible condition, the supervisors would often kick them into obedience if they were not pleased with the work.
Not only are we neglecting these horrible conditions, we are accepting them. Once we, the current generation are gone, who will be there to guide the next generation, and the generation after? It is our duty, as Americans, to guide our children and raise leaders rather than slaves. Leaders that will guide this country into a glorious age.