How did the Progressive movement in South Carolina approach child labor differently than the Progressive movement nationwide?
Progressives across the country desired a national law against factory work by those under 18 years old; in South Carolina, Progressives sought to set 16 years as the minimum work age.
Child labor issues in textile mills were addressed with legislation in South Carolina as early as 1903; national progress on child labor issues did not come about until much later, in 1912.
In South Carolina, the issue of child labor was connected to educational reforms and graduation standards; across the country, other Progressives tied child labor directly to age.
To support farmers, South Carolina Progressives lobbied the state legislature to avoid the passage of child labor laws; across the nation, Progressives pushed for legislation addressing the issue.