The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-02-09

The solicitude which all judicious par.
ents feel about keeping their own chill
dren out of corrupt associations is proof
positive of their conviction tnat men
and women are apt to be just what cir
cumstances have made them. While SO
fearful of evil influences, and so careful
of their own children, how can they be
Indifferent to the well-being of the great
mass Of children whose company they
do not consider good enough for theil
own! Believing what they do about
| the power OF evil communications
and knowing that there are children ev-
erywhere, and in cities large armies Of
them, that have no other associations,
why do they not stir themselves in eff
forts to bring all children under proper
influences?
Is this world to be forever run by self
ishness? Is bene1icence to be forever
| the luxury of only here and there an in.
dividual, and he or she too poor and
powerless to effect much? Vice, crime,
Incidence, vagabondism and general de-
pravity are increasing everywhere in
this country. Forty years ago no coun-
tryman thought it necessary TO provide
either dwelling or barn with locks or
bolts. Every woman felt safe in her
house night and day during the absence
of the male members of the family. Now,
q woman does not feel sale in walkag
alone on the public highway in broad
daylight, and very few have the courage
to spend the evening alone in their own
houses. The whole country is full of
"tramps." Not every one who travels
without money, begs his food and sleeps
in barns, deserves that name; Tor many
are out Of employment and have no other
resource than to tramp, tramp, tramp in
search of something to do.
All this results from several causes.
/. Lack OF adequate practical educa-
tion.
q Having been brought up under evil
influences.
8. The system of monopoly that in
creases the number of the poor and the
difficulty of getting living.
Education is adequate to overcome the
evil if properly and universally applied.
1t would cause every young man to save
his wages and become the owner of his
own homestead, in which both parents
and children could feel some self-respect.
1t would also enable the mass of the peo-
pie to reform all that is wrong in our
laws.
The intelligent and well-to-do class
have the complete redemption of the
poor and ignorant in their own hands.
There arc protesting Christians enough
to Go it. Ten good Christians in each
large city, having means to enable them
to devote their time to the work, could
save all the rising generation in the ci-
ties, with very few exceptions.
What could they DO? What did the
poor mason. Giovanni Borgi, do? He
was born in Rome in 1856, and originated
dragged Schools" He was entirely un-
educated and worked at his trade for
living. ln.his daily walks he noliced
troops ofvagrant children in the streets,
fast ripening into vice and crime. He
took them home to his humble lodgings,
and after clothing them with the aid of
aims which he had collected, he appren-
ticed them to trades. His work excited
admiration, and 1t soon SO increased on
his hands as to require assistants who
gladly volunteered their aid. A commo-
dious building was rented, and school
was opened for the children, where they
were taught the common branches. Pope
Plus vi became the patron of the move
ment. After each days work they went
to the school.
A poor shoemaker in England made
successful experiments of a similar
character; but alas, such man can not
live forever, and good works are too apt
to die with the good men who make prac-
tical proofot what could 80 easily be ac-
complished by few good men and wo-
men in the wealthier and more infiuen-
tial classes.
Strange that in such city as Cincin-
natl there are not reapers for this har-
vest. and that single child goes about
unkempt, unclad, unschooled
and friendless.