Child Labor Through the Eyes of an American Women

...

hats…for us to buy.” As Kelley repeats the word “us”, she skillfully provides a guilty feeling as she reminds her listeners that most of their everyday items are made from the sweat of small children.

Throughout the entire speech, Kelley adopts an informative tone as she shares which states tolerates child labor. “In Alabama law provides that a child under sixteen years of age shall not work in a cotton mill at night longer than eight hours…”. As the American social worker lays this fact down upon her audience she also adds, “...Alabama does better in respect than any other southern state.” To where the point is made that this law is better than any other state is appalling! As children are freed an extra four hours during the night is accounted as respect is completely unacceptable, especially for children at such a young age. Following she then drops the fact, “In Georgia there is no restriction whatever!” As the horrible follow up to something already so alarming, this bit of information is sickening. “A girl of six or seven years, just tall enough to reach the bobbin, may work eleven hours hours by day or night.” For any sensible listener of Kelley, that piece of the passage strikes the hearts of mothers and fathers everywhere.

Towards the end of her speech Florence Kelley proudly states, "We do not wish this. We prefer to have our work done by men and women. But we are almost powerless. Not wholly powerless, however, are citizens who enjoy the right of petition. For myself, I shall use this power in every possible way until the right to the ballot is granted, and then I shall continue to use both.” This along with many other passages containing powerful and heavy rhetorical strategies, making Kelley able to make her righteous opinion of the issues of child labor clear for many citizens across the United States of America.