Farmers Opposed Child Labor Regulations
Family farms throughout history have relied on child labor. Jack Mitchell, 5 years old, and his older sister Bitsey, 13, continue the tradition. They work on their father’s tobacco farm in Trigg County, Kentucky. Bitsey goes to the Wallonia School when she isn’t helping with the farm. Jack is busy helping with the fields.
As his mother says, “He worms and he suckers. Quite a worker but he ain’t old enough to go to school yet.” The Mitchell’s case is common; farmers have always relied on their own children to help out with chores and farm duties. Other children worked as farm hands for a low wage. Since farmers were reliant on this labor market, they were often vocally opposed to regulations on child labor.
