The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-03-01
GIVE TEE BOYS A CHANCE.


all these efforts, they usually result
in the. same general and highl!
satisfactory, interesting and com
mendable reply namely: "Marry
them to good men," Such a dispo
sition of a girl is altogether the best
that can be made. Happily the
| girls think so also, hence the uni
Yersal (almos0 unanimity with
which the girls accept the solu-
tion. For this city and this Terri
tory, an equally important conun-
drum is, what shall we do with the
boys? To be convinced that some
thing should be done with them,
one need spend but an hour On East
Temple Street and in the saloons,
billiard halls and bowling alleys.
He can count at these places in the
time indicated, scores. if not hun
dreds of young people from the lad
of 15 years to the man of 80, none
of them with any apparent object
in life beyond the avoidance of toll.
We do not believe the Salt Lake
boy, in his normal condition,
is less inclined to labor
than his fellow elsewhere; aud
certainly he IS lacking in none of
the mental or physical qualities and
qualifications that others of his
own age possess. He Is as ready
and bright intellectually as the New
York lad. and physically compares
favorably with any boys in this
zone. Whenever and wherever he
has applied himself, whether in
pursuits requiring mental or bodily
exertion, he has achieved as great
success as the boy Of the east or
west. If he is starting out in life
in direction that leads downward,
the reason for it must be found in
something besides a want of powers
and capabilities to pursue another
course. We believe the real cause
for so many of the Salt Lake youth
wasting their years In dangerous
and injurious pleasures can
be found in lack of opportunity
to do otherwise. Some boys may
create opportunities and occasions
butthe average lad has to have
them ready made for him, when he
can take advantage of them. So far !
the Salt Lake boys have been no
more Prone to evil than the boys
elsewhere; they have been guilty of |
offenses against society, law and |
order no oftener than other lads
indeed, their natures seem less
vicious than the boys of the ordin-
airy Christian community. But it |
suggests itself to the thoughtful
that considerable numbers of the
local youth are treading in danger
ous paths, from which earnest eff
forts should be made to divert
them. How best to accomplish the
desired object is the question. Wei
believe it may be done by providing
something for the boys to do. If
one will look about him he will
discover comparatively few open
ings for the many boys that are
growing up in the community.
Only few of the young men are
for the professions and
for statesmen, clerks and accountants.
The others must look to other voca-
tons for q Livelihood. And what
other YOcatiohs are thersP The few
factories are supplied, boys cannot
dig in the mines, and If they could
mine-owners would not employ
them; and this is not a farming
region, Wat are the boys to do? p
TheansWef should suggest itself to
the wealth., men of the Place. If
the youth are provided with profit
able work they will desert the
streets and saloons, and turn to
lives Of industry, honest labor and
responsibility. Our rich men owe
it to the community in which they
have made their money, if not to
themselves, to establish factories
and provide means Whereby the
people may sustain Themselves hon.
orally. There is room here for
doubling and trebling tie present
manufacturing power Of the Terri
tory. The business may not imme-
diately be IS profitable as loan |
ing money at high rates of |
interest, but in the long run the in
vestment will prove eminently
more remunerative. An industrious,
upright man adds to the value of |
every dollar in the community, just
as lazy, lawless fellow decreases
the value; hence, regardless of the
moral obligation upon those able to |