The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-01-07

| resident OF PaduCah-had at four o'clock
in the morning of the day on which the
child was found, applied for admittance to
the house Of Isem Hill, on Poplar, between
Tenth and Eleventh streets, where she saw
a light burning. Upon pitiously begging
for admitance and saying that she was very
i'll and had been out all night,
she was admitted Upon entering, and
while sitting near the fire, she came very
near fainting, but after partaking of a few
refreshments, left the house and her where
abouts, Notwithstanding that the officers
have secured every bagnio in the city, has
remained mystery. The general suppo-
sition Of those who have enquired into the
matter is that this woman is the guilty
party
What we lack in this community is
earnestness and enterprise. We are in
clined to be satisfied with our present
condition, and to move along in the old
ruts rather than to make determined
effort for progress and improvement
There are a few, perhaps, who have a
fair share of thrift and energy, and who
recognize the necessity of radical
change in the management Of our af-
fairs Their recommendations and sug.
gestlons however, meet with either in
difference or opposition. The want of
encouragement and the impossibility
of securing anything like harmoni-
Gus and unanimous action soon reduces
them to silence. The men who are most
instrumental in bringing about improve
ments are too often fercely denounced by
men whose interests in the city's welfare is
but skin deep and spasmodical This
should not be-especially should it not be
at the present time. The opportunity for
Cairos growth and prosperity is now better
than ever before and the united and well
directed efforts of our people may in very
short time, work wonders.
Just why we should have such 'ex-
tremely cold and dlsagreeable weather as
is affecting us is not fully eXplainable, but
no doubt we have deserved it all. We
have in Cairo left undone many things we
should have done and done those things
we ought not to have done and, If retribu-
ton comes on US through the temperature,
we have no reasonable ground for COM
plant. While our crimes have not been,
perhaps, as numerous as those Of Sodom or
Gommorrahor Paducah, nor of the such vile
character, they have been, at least, abundant.
We have failed to exert the force of pub
lie opinion as we should have done. We
have permitted the vilest villains to make
their headquarters among us, during the
winter months. The prayer meetings dur
ing this, the week Of prayer, have not been
as well attended as they should have been.
We moan over the condition of our
streets, but denounce every new pavement
as fraud, and have no unity Of purpose in
seeking tor Improvements. We growl at
bad gas and at the course of the authorities.
We grumbe at monopolies, at the decisions
Of police courts, and at things in general,
and so the frost comes and nips us and the
wind chills and the icy pavements trip us
up and we are made generally miserable by
the constantly falling snow.
AT the meeting of the city council on
last Thursday night Mayor Thistlewood re-
ported to that honorable body that the city
jail was full. This is indeed a dilemma
which may be seriously felt sooner Or later
The necessity of enlarged quarters will grow
every year, and it is apparent that, either
much larger quarters must be provided,
or some plan adopted which
will prevent men from seeking
to become occupants of our Jail. The
object should be first to prevent crime,
and secondly, to make the criminal pay
for his crime. 1t is our opinion that, under
the circumstances, the best way
to accomplish the first, is to
deprive the punishment for crime ofall its
to the would-be criminal. Do
not hold up to him the prospect of shell
ter from the wintry blasts, plenty of food
and a life of idleness as a "punishment.'
Those who are in the habit
of committing crimes of any kind do not
care for the dishonor that is attached to
merely, and look upon Jail
life. such as awaits them in this city, as
pleasant respite from active duty
'ather than as a punishment.
The way to make criminals
Day for their crime is to com.
ply with Alderman Blake's resolution -
furnish means by which those who
either will not or cannot pay their fines in :
rroap no la CON do az with ,,,,,olo -. -