The law of May 19th, 1874, regulating the child and minor girls labor, an ``intermediate'' law?

The law of May 19th, 1874, regulating the children and minor girls labor, is classically presented as an ``intermediate'' law in history of law. A traditional contempt is attached to this qualifier, giving to think that this law hardly counted and that if it is replaced by that of November 2nd, 1892 it is the reason that it hardly showed a big efficiency. Yet, the analysis of the archives of a district gives to think of the opposite. The study of the implementation of the law, within the framework of the third district of inspection, reveals on the contrary that this standard was determining in the evolution of the mentalities. Much more than by the work of the legislator, the condition of the children in industrial environment was improved by the central role of the inspectors, created by the law of 1874. Certainly, the law presents gaps, its scope quickly shows itself too much limited, but this law represents a crucial piece for the evolution of the working conditions of the children in factory. This work also allows to measure the importance of the appeal to the archival sources, which give an exact idea of the implementation of a law, an essential complement to the legislative text.