INFANT LABOUR.
THE new number of the Quarterly Review contains an article on the Infant Labour question. The remedies prescribed to cure the evil of over-working children savour snore of the quack-doctor than of the scientific physician. The Reviewer proposes legislative restrictions on the time for which children may be kept at work, and church-extension—nothing more. Before the adoption of such remedies, some preliminary inquiries are requisite which the Re- viewer entirely overlooks. What ministers of religion are to be sent forth ? Who are to judge of their qualification for the office previous to their appointment ? Should not an attempt be made to render the funds the Church already possesses more available before more money is given ? If more money is to be given to the Church, ought it to be raised by an increase of the existing taxes, which press so disproportionately on the poor ? Or ought it not rather to be raised by a voluntary self-assessment on the part of the wealthy Churchmen ? Even supposing these preliminary questions satisfac- torily answered, there still remains this difficulty—Can famishing people be made to listen to sermons? Can laws be obeyed, the operation of which must be to diminish still further the inadequate allowance of food procurable by the working classes? It is the hunger of the parents that occasions the sacrifice of the children. Parents may be found heartless cuough to speculate on the labour of their infants, but our present economical relations have made this exceptional case the rule. habit may render that sacrifice comparatively easy, but it was made at first with an effort and under the wolfish impulse of hunger. Before laws are made for- bidding the parents to increase the amount of their wages by the trifle their children can earn, those checks upon industry ought to be removed which prevent the parents from earning enough to support their families by their own labour. As to- the additional religious teachers recommended by the Quarter/ys would it not be advisable to precede or accompany that mission by sending a few secular instructors among the people to touch them a little worldly wisdom ?
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