The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-12
THERE Is NO EXCUSE.

Persons have no right to assume
parental duties aud obligations who are
incapable Of fulfilling them, pecuniariIy
and otherwise, in a way that will give
their children fair start in the great
race Of life. If this declaration be rad
ical, "make the most Of IT,"
We have all heard thriftless do
naughts utter this lame and altogether
contemplate excuse for bringing up
their children in ignorance, 81 can't
afford to educate them. Even if schools
are free, there are books to be bought
besides, must have their help at home"
The young America Of to-day quickly
responds, "Wby, then, am here ?"
And pater fan,ilias, nonplussed aud
irate, lights his pipe and groans over the
degeneracy of the times, and relates
stories Of the days when he was boy
and "three months schoolin' was cou-
sidered enough, and children weren't
allowed to ask impertinent questions
either" All Of this has very little to
do with the question, which, though
impertinent perhaps, is still pertinent,
and waiting to be solved.
Harriet Beecher Stowe, in her adj
mirable story, "Pink and White Tyr
amy" speaking of the disposition to
throw OFF matrimonial bonds when a
man discovers he has drawn a blank in
[ the great lottery, says: "Let them re-
| fleet before marriage; that is the only
proper time for reflection" So we say
Of those who seek pretext to shirk
/ parental duties; let them consider these
| responsibility, before they are volunta-
| rily assumed, aud be not guilty Of the
awful sin Of making existence a curse to
any human creature. To bring children
unasked Of themselves or the world into
life, knowing their inability as parents
to provide pleasant homes, comfortable
raiment, and fair educational advan-
tages for them is totally inexcusable in
any one, and such parents have 10 right
to expect their children to "rise up and
call them blessed" The offspring, moi
of reason aud love, but OF blind mis-
chance, or worse; deprived Of an equa
start in life, their undoubted birthright
pinched by peDury; the sport and prey
of ignorance, the lives of thousands ar,
foredoomed failures, and the pitiful plei
of parental inability is the only one of
fered to defrauded humanity.
"There is but one place for her to 90, >
is the significant whisper, as the stor.
is rehearsed Of an unsophisticated coun
try girl who came to the city to earn he
living, and falling to do so, was cas-
moneyless and friendless into the street
We tried, Notwithstanding the signif
cant tone, to hope for sweet charity
sake that this place was her father
house. What man has right to be
father who would permit girl Of six
teen to attempt to earn her own livin
in a strange city, aud that without
trade, or preparation Of any sort? Lu
macy or paralysis are the only excuse:
Children have a right to a home an
. care and food and clothing until able {
take care of themselves; and in retur
for the discharge Of these voluntaril
assumed obligations to children and {
the world, parents have a right to eS
pect obedience and filial regard froI
their children during minority, an
; care and kindness when age overtakt
them. 4 father who allows his youn
daughter, all unused to the wiles an
ways Of the wicked, to drift helplessl
:, into a city in search Of work to enabI
her to keep "life afoot," is guilty Of
!, crime against the peace and dignity
the commonwealth for which there
. absolutely no defense.