ke Dal 
Ture New Cup Lazor Law.—Massachusetts has 
long been in the lead in humanitarian legislation and the 
progressive spirit which has characterized the past must 
control future legislation. Of these legislative problems 
none have been more difficult to solve than the problems 
of child employment. Several feeble efforts have been 
made to meet this situation, and the piece-meal legislation 
has been slowly changing the conditions of child Tabor in 
Massachusetts. The most comprehensive law ever en- 
acted by a state went into effect September 1st. As was 
to be expected storms of protests went up from many 
sides. The objections and protests should receive consid- 
eration by every fair-minded individual, but it must ever 
be born in mind that there can be no effective reform work 
done without some individuals suffering. The principle of 
vicarious suffering still holds good. There is no doubt that 
thousands are temporarily embarrassed because of the 
law, but in the end the law must work to the general ad- 
vantage of the children of the state. It may be true that 
the school committees are embarrassed by a larger number 
of children applying for school privileges. This is the very 
thing well-minded citizens desire. ‘The school committees 
of Massachusetts are competent enough to solve their 
problem. The complaint that overseers of poor are receiv- 
ing requests from families that otherwise were able to 
maintain themselves is unfortunate and may be true, but 
if ws cheaper for the commonwealth, judging by ultimate 
standards, to meet this increased expense than to have the 
children deprived of their opportunities for future ad; 
vancement. ‘There can be no doubt that the perfect law 
has not yet been enacted, but even in law the age of creep- 
ing must precede walking. The intent of the law is good 
and it will not take very long for the public to detect the 
errors and correct them. Meanwhile a mystified public 
that hears the protests and does not understand the intent 
of the law or the intent of the protest should remember 
that the introduction of machinery into England to dis- 
place labor caused riots and bloodshed. Many men were 
temporarily thrown out of employment and faced. pov- 
erty; but, can it be said that machinery should have been 
sacrificed to the derands of the men of that day. It is 
unfortunate that progress cannot be made without losses. 
Everyone regrets the suffering that must attend the dimi- 
nution of the income of many homes, but in the end the 
working man and child will be benefited by the sincere 
efforts being made by the Massachusetts legislature to 
ameliorate the conditions of its children. 
Tite GREAT GARDNER CAMPAIGN is now in full swing 
and things will hun. All is quiet in Essex County. Con- 
gressman Gardner’s popularity here as a Congressman has 
given him an efficient spring board from which to leap in 
his gubernatorial contest. The man is good. His record 
is good... His platform is good. What better can the Re- 
publican voters do, than to nominate him to carry the 
gubernatorial banner ? 
With Bay Strate Gas at nineteen cents it would not 
take very much money for one to be a “large stock” 
holder, 
Tue Free Universrty—The Central Labor Union in 
Boston adopted resolution on Sunday favorable to the 
establishment of a Free State University. The motive 
back of the resolution is a good one and is compelling in 
its force. Other states have universities which are sup- 
ported by the state and to which children of citizens of the 
state may go and receive free instruction as in the other 
schools of the state. In Wisconsin this state university 
plan has been well developed and tiday the University of 
Wisconsin is a great power in humanitarian progress and 
in political life oh the state. Michigan has a powerful in- 
stitution of higher learning open to its young people. 
Massachusetts is lamentably behind the times and there 
can be no reason for its present conservative policy being 
continued. ‘The labor union is right in demanding free tut 
tion for its young people of Massachusetts, but it perhaps 
is not so-wise mmdts suggested execution of the idea. The 
establishment of a new university to compete with the 
already established universities of learning would be poor 
economy. ‘The wiser policy to achieve the same results 
would be to grant free tuition to every pupils desiring a 
higher education in any of the already established colleges 
under non-sectarian control. ‘The fees would under this 
plan be paid by the commonwealth into the treasury of the 
colleges. for all Massachusetts students. ‘This policy is 
alr eady operative at the Institute of Technology in a small 
way where because of certain help given by the state the 
institution in return grants scholarship. THe BREEZE com- 
mends the labor union for its interest in the broader prob- 
lems of life in the community. Wide-awake interest in 
the larger problem will bring life to the organizations and 
will go a lene way tow ard removing the shadows that 
sometime have fallen on labor unions in their self-centered 
interests. 
Pritip Dexter, of the Manchester summer colony, is 
quoted as saying that steel cars do not solve the problem 
of car construction and that wrecked steel cars may be- 
come steel tombs. The industry of car building is still in 
its infancy and it may be that the steel car is not the way 
to avoid disasters attributed to wooden cars. Laymen 
are not competent to give expert opinion. Mr. Dexter has 
had experience on the board of the New Haven railroad 
and his views, because of his experience, should compel 
attention. He may be right but the consensus of opinion 
seems to be different. 
THe ANNOUNCEMENT that the dry-digging is com- 
pleted in Panama and that the Canal will be flooded in 
October is the beginning of the end of the greatest en- 
gineering feat ever attempted or completed by man. It 
will be a great. day for the world when the waters of the 
Pacific and the Atlantic mingle. 
THE Quiet UNHERALDED Work of John Hays Ham- 
mond, Jr., in his laboratory in Gloucester is constructive. 
If the dreams and visions now being worked out are as 
successful as the experiments already completed Glouces- 
ter will have something to make it famous save its ancient 
fish industry and its artist colony. 
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