National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-02
PROTECTION OF CHILDREN.
Report OF the Senate Committee on Thii
Important Subject.

important sunJects
on Thursday, Mr.. Rddleberger, from tho dis
trict committee Of the senate, presented the fol
lowing report upon the bill for the protection Of
children, and the bill was placed upon the calen-
dar:
Numerous petitions, signed by many Of the
best and most Influential citizens aud residents of
INC district, have been referred to your commit
tee, all praying for the IA sage of this bill upon
tue ground that there i, now no law In force in
lht District of columbia for the protection or
colliren from cruelty and abuse aud the pctl'
uOn' r. represent That III their opinion he neces-
slty Tor some such legislation is urgent IN the OK
IRENE. these petitions havo received thal con
sluernuon NJ the hands OF the committee whlcl
they merit, aud, after the inquiry. the committee
arc disposed 10 concur, for he most part Ill the
view, eNrr,s>et by The letii mere .
SUCH stntut ry mw rs is now III force IN ms us
trct IS TO he iound a. IN he Old MarLl ,nd statutes
existing prior to The establishment OF the national
government at Washington. (2l in The revised sAt-
utcS OF 1873 relating to the u strict " COLUMBIA,
(3 In the statutes Mt large enacted since the ~
vision Of 1870, a. in ,hy old ordinances Of the old
cor ration OF Was ing'un AMI Georgetown, aid
(5) III the numerous acts of he late territorial
iS7ls' - "'''''' was ''>''''''s'
In all these repositories of legislation, civil aud
criminal, there Is to hG Ound no statute designed
for the projection vi culliren from cruelty ana
dbu Z. Al the same time, both in the corporation
ordinances, in the pgisiajiun OF con resS, and in
hat ui Z errioriul legislature, elaborate pro-
Nis II Is made for tue prevent on and punishment
o. cruelty to animals. II is u remedy this some
ta'iuu the present bill Is designed.
he penal provis onS OF THIS nil are merely n
conutlsatiuH ct The laws upon the same subject
which have cen III force in various states of the
uiUH, uudcspruially la the state of New York, for
several years pAsg-aw5 which have proved very
beneficial in the pro ccou of young children
rom many Vi the rrucltiCs to which experience
show, they are often subjected ut tue hands OF
VICIOUS ana criminal parents, or more frequently
AZ me olu, OF O'hGT persons INTO Whvse custody
ihey may have fallen as helpless waits and Or
phahs.
The first Of these provisions makes 1t a punish
able otiemo TO torture, cruelty beat, abusv, Ur
wiliuly multreut any child. There is nothing
II this provision when can be construed u inter-
lere in tie silghtcs, degree with the ue exercise
of parental discipline, which is y perry legafded
nS outside the range OF legislative rcgulailolL
IIc pr vision in question merely iorbids ana pun
i'hcs torture ana cruety and police records 81 re;
cent years show some case, of cruelties inflicted
upon uhi ren IN this district 50 revolving thut
"tOTture' is no more than an appropriate descrip.
tlye term Tor me oense. IL Is t's class ni cases
nd II hss been the law in regard 10 dumb ami
vi, 81 GO 1871.
The next provision makes it punishable of
tense in - parent o, custudi.n oil ANY 'h.ld under
III years oi Hge to- wiliully abandon IL. The same
Jaw is already in iOIce i'll relation ~ sick Or dis
Nhici animals,
The mex, provision forbids the employment of
any chi unicr II years OF age ci. Gus rider
s"ue Wuikcr, or In any other Ike dangerous occu-
patton; or tn employment OF any such child us
streGt music an, ur what is generally the same
thlug) a. u street b1ggar.
Another provision makes tia punishable otlense
to "rnicC, deCOy, take, place, or receive" any
rIild into house OF III fame ,Or the purpose of
PROSTITUTION. Al present there is no law 10 deal
IN thiS species OF of nse, and your committee
are advised, although reluctant to believe, that n
usauess of so disrcpltable character has been
20 some extent carried Oh in this city, mud with
absolute impunity so far AS the law is concerned.
roar committee believe that this provision Is
open to no rational objection, and that 1t needs
no special Justification.
Stlll mn Their provision in the bill authorizes the
chld under 10 years of age which may b. SUP
ItCiGd TO cruelty aud abuse, or which may lie
iuull IN any house Of III lame, to commit sucn
qua to an orphan asylum or other charitable iu-
,u .iion, with the CO sent OF Tho auth rites
t"yreOi, where II may receive care ana protection;
thi provision Is expressly made Tor al appeal TO
hr supreme court OF the district by any person
" 10 may feel aggrieved by any order of tie pc.
ce court in such case. This is II much needed
pawer in the court For as matters now stand the
tlstodinn Of any child, who may be guilty Of
dch gross ana open Outragas upon 1t as to be con
Y. cted of assault and battery, 49, upon paying the
Inc or serving out his sentence, Immediately re-
Ored 70 TIE possession of the helplcs' child,
which thus goes back again into the hands of the
erSou, who , by his criminal acts has demon
,irntad his to'al uufi.ne's Tor the trust.
The remaining provisions of the bill are de-
'gned to iagiliatt the enforcement of those al
70 ny rec ted. They provide that the "AssOcia-
lion for the Prevention of Cruelty 10 Animals" AN
nrgaulzadun iucorpornted ny aspecial act OF com
tess Jan. IL 1870 snail hereafter be knewn rs the
Washington Humane society" and they au-
thorzs thi; society by its agents To prefer COM
plants a-iLst pe.sons guilty Oh cruelty 10 emil.
dren as IL now does IN OF cruelty TO animals.
and TO aid in bringing the facts before the court
IN Gny proceeding taken.
Similar Olganizl ions performing similar tunc:;
tons exist in almoS every large CITY III the United
st IS, and are of great assistance in discovering
and Furnishing, AMI also In preventing many of
the wors. case, of cruelty which too often escape
the vigilance of the ordinary authorities. the
day is probably past when any argument is
necessary to justify ythcr the existence o. the
philanJnropic work of these organz tIon..
The r,OwGr. Conferred IN the bill In rela ion TO
Ia arrest Of olenucTs WITH AMI under SOM CT
,tunCes without, warrant ARE sub tLnIially tnr
.ame as those now daily exercised in tue arrest
.ld pr seculiom Uf offenders az inst the law for
&c pfevGn II OF cruelty t. Hnlmals
YOUR committee annex here n letter from the
uiRt Of the police urt ui The district suggesting
ing Il ght mode Gtipas but strongly commend.
she general leu ugeS of the bill also resOlu-
NJ to the same effect adopted by the board of
IurIgers of tHC Associated Charities; also brief
intact from the annual report of the Society Tor
hG Prevention of Cruelty 10 Animals for the yea
-; and II copy OF one OF ne petitions considered
the committee, with the names OF u lew OF the
Ia uers.
The report closes with unanimous recommended.
tOn Of the committee thNt the bill be passed.
"BuCHU-PAIBA," Great Kidney aud Urinary Cure