Daily Republican., 1885-09-19
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TAK sODIETY FOR THE PREyEH.
TlOH OF CRUELTY TO CMIL.
DREN MEETING.
HARRINGTON'S REPORT,

| - AAs1VA4No L OxN ~ tLl Ol IL
Apublic meeting of the Society for
the Prevention Of Cruelty to Chi idren
was held last evening in the Board OF
Trade rooms, with President Ii. T,
IGAuse In the chair. Considerable tim q
WAS spent In discussion, after which
Austin Harrington, Esq, secretary and
attorney for the society, presented the
following report
1t has been suggested that, at
this meeting, the secretary present
report In relation to the general wor K
OF the society, but as it is proposed to
issue In short time, for circulation,
. pamphlet giving . resume Of its work
since the organ zation, together with
. detailed statement OF some of the
more aggravated cases, 1t is unnecessary
TO do this at this time. The purpose OF
the little book is not to parade the
society's work, but to increase the
interest Of the people in regard to the
necessity OF looking after cases of
cruelty which exist in th is comm un ity
and. State, as they exist in any com
munity or State where there is poverty
and crime.
1t might not, however, be out of place
In making q report OF matters since the
last meeting Of the Board, held on Tues
day, 10 call attention briefly to one or
two features of the work In view Of the
general discussion to might.
The number of cases Of cruelty to
children reported and attended to, as
will be shown by the classified list, has
greatly increased during the past two
years. In fact, never during the time
since the cause of the little ones was
taken up, has the number been 30 large.
This fact might say am glad to
note, taking 1t as do, not as An indica.
tion Of an increase in the number of
cases Of cruelty to children really exist.
ing, but as An evidence OF an increased
interest in their welfare by the friends
Of humanity, wider spread apprecia-
tion Of the enOrmity of the offences
against them and q more general know.
ledge Of the power and workings Of the
society as the proper channel through
which TO obtain not only redress of
grievances, bat the punishment Of of
tenders.
Now, ,as TO the methods 10 reach these
cases. Upon q complaint being made,
the statement of those making It is ia
ken down. No judgment Is formed as to
the truthfulness until the evidence Ia
collected. After this is done, the ques-
tion comes how shall the case be dealt
with? The experience is that In many
| cases, when the approach Is made to the
defendants in kindly way, the result
desired by the society IL generally
reached. refer more particularly to
cases in which wives and husbands,
who have been separated for trivial
reasons, and rs consequence their
/ children are allowed to go uncared for.
After receiving advice and admonitions
In many cases they have become recon-
ciled and have returned to their homes,
thereby rendering families happy
(which woaia vtnuT " Sse nave been bro:
ken up and to whom public prosecu.
tion would have only been disgrace.
But there are other causes where sum.
mary action Is needed, and after being
sure of the proofs we do not hesitate TO
institute proceedings and inflict the
] punishment provided under the stat
utes. 1t sometimes happens that in
stances Of cruelty are reported that
prove to be mere stories, actuated per.
haps by malicious motives. Most of the
reports, we are sorry to say, are too
true. That we always accomplish the
work Of preventing further cruelty in
those cases that receive attention, we
| uO uOb Cldlm Wo Ohiy w buo pceO Wo
can under the circumstances. While 1t
is not an enviable work, it is attended
by q certain degree Of satisfaction in
that we have for a time relieved the
suffering.
The work Is increasing, and, as we
had an instance the other day, IL
lis extending itself. throughout
| the State, and persons disposed to in
fiict cruelty have come to a more heal.
thy regard for the society. We need an
agent In each county OF the State, whose
especial duty shall be to discover cases
of cruelty and report them. This re-
Iquires means, and now that our win ter
work is commencing our present need
lis financial aid and more general CO.
Operation on the part of those interest
ed In the cause.
An appeal to the public for funds has
been suggested, and we believe such a
request ought to meet with generous
response. In other States such socie-
ties have agents in nearly every town.
These agents are constantly on the alert
tor instances OF cruelty, and whenever
found they are reported. Thus the
entire State is surprised and but few
offences escape attention. Delaware
should have a similar system. To carry
it on successfully requires more money
than we have yet received, and unit
we can have q fund, the income OF
which shall meet all our reasonable ex-
perses, we must solicit donations from
those who are inclined TO look with
favor upon our efforts.
We are informed that there are hun
Idreds of iudentured children in Sussex
lCounty who have been sent there from
lhomes in Pennsylvania and elsewhere.
Some Of the places where these children
! now are are remote and require some one
to visit and look after them. 1t is to be
hoped that there are no more instances
of such cruelty as that recently inves.
: tigated and acted upon by this society
, | In the lower part of the State but thit
l instance, in view of the many little
children within our Jurisdiction,
makes IL important that some au.
Ithorized officer should look after their
. interest.
Another matter which we presume
Twill be discussed and to which we can
but allude is that the work in our city
should be put on more effective basis
The city should be divided into dis
tricts. in each OF which some one should
/ be named, whose especial work Il
should be to visit and report cases
: INDEX our present arrangement actor
Icannot be taken except when com
lplaints are made by those suffering
= directly from cruel treatment, Their
] are many instances where good can b.
l accomplished Il a system of investiga
ltion and injury into the condition o
lour people is adopted. Before closini
this report we wish to say that W
cannot express too high our praise an
apprec alton for the assistance AM
kindly aid extended to us by the homer