The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1879-01-17
rurAr noY OF Youns.


sonville Times, was written by George
H. Strong, formerly of the 0regotaian.
Permit the Times, as faithful guar
dian of public safety and consci entiouH
contributor to domestic peace and hap
piness, to warn you that that boy Of
yours is on the street far too much
for the peace Of the community
and the welfare Of himself. 1t Is not
no much that his presence in our thor
oughfares by day is threatening. II Is
rather the stealthy visit by night,
when ho prowls among dark alleys,
lodging tho unfriendly street lamp,
running tho gauntlet OF lighted busi-
ness windows, like fugitive and mis-
orealit, and everywhere screening his
wayward course with the cover Of
darkness.
Where is your boy ut night Is bo
TO DO found by the family hearth,
studying his lessons for the morrow,
reading a healthful literature and join
ing ia the cheerful chat Of home :
Perhaps you answer "No." Where is
he, theni In the saloon, listening TO
the ribald jest In the opium den, rcek-
ing with filth aud heavy with the fumes
of that most pernieions and damnable
Of all intoxicants Or is he in the
brothel, a foolish, thoughtlesS victim to
the worst form of depravityl
About that boy of yours cling the
tenderest reeollections of home. He
is the eldest (mayhap the youngest) in
whom you sec the growing impulse Of
manhood struggling 10 free itself from
the gentle restraint of the watchful
mother, or Sullenly restraining the
grave warning Of the father. His pres
ent life is holiday made joyous by
your generosity generosity supplied
by anxious business cares and frugal
industry. No shadow of darker day
clouds his brow or restrains his careless
oxuberance. To him father aud moth
or and the sweet influences Of sister
hood are but matters Of association.
In the excitement of the debauch and
the insiduous approaches Of laBcivioua
companions he finds but one object in
life lfgratifcation. What wonder
then that when the relentless years
have accomplished their never, chang.
ing purpose when locks are gray and
toil-weary hands are tremulant when
the strong arm is needed for support
and the CHEEKY voice for comfort--what
wonder that your boy is to be found in
squalid misery or gilded sin, forgetfnl
of duty, deaf TO counsel, defiant TO re
proashl lie has been training for this.
and to this, you, who might have
brought him up to the honor aud ro-
spect of society, have, through lax dis
cipline, suffered him TO come. The
idol of your early years is crushed and
broken. Tho threshold of home no
longer echoes the manly step OF con.
scious integrity. There is tcnseneSs
Of certain chords about the heart when
you reflect that mother and father, ais
ter and brother, high impulse and noble
ambition, have all gone down in the
vortex Of sin and crime. From such
son, matured in vice or stepped in con-
scious or thoughtlcss crime. age has no
reverence, and for him time and eter-
nifty have no place nor hope.
Where is this boy of yoursl The
shadow Of the scaiFold is upon him. The
gloom Of thu dungeon overhangs his
needless steps To him there will come
day when tears, entreaties and petit
tions will fall unheeded upon his ear
Then an outraged society, compelled by
an inexorable law, will complete his
destiny. To you will come the igno-
miny, the disgrace, Of his ill-spent life
| We speak TO you, parents, in terms
not only of admonition, but Of ro.
proach. Your boys are ON the high
way to ruin, disgrace and death. The
veal demands that that which is daily
spoken upon the streets should find a
sterner and more efEectual voice in the
press. For your own comfort, present
and prospective, for the best interests
Of your sons, for the peace and safety
of the community, we have addressed
these words, born of long-suffering for
bearance and most kindly pupose. The
wine garden, the brewery, the brothel
and the opium den are not fit places for
the youth upon whose shoulders shall
some day rest social problemsof a nature
as grave as this which we shall agitate
until satisfactory conclusion is reach
ed. Nature and the commonwealth con-
fide that boy of yours to you in trust
for lofty purpose. The community
must take no detriment from your
neglect. +" Put your household in or
der" Watch your sons habits and as
sociations as carefully as you guard the
the honor and integrity of your daugh-
ter. See to that boy of yours.
.o$fN fEesN ILat