The Labor enquirer., 1886-01-09
COLORADQ ILRDA II. JANUARY s. 1885

i
would be provided for, not only woul'
chidmurder come to an end. bnt air
Ignorance and consequent vice diap
pear. Goyernments handle more hug
concerns than its population. Could
writer's and politicians so agitate thil
subject that due consideration could b
induced from statesmen and those
mighty minds who are able to grasp the
theme and formulate q method OF &C.
complishment, the people Of this cen
tury would find the care of the childreH
by alpaternal government as noiseless
parts Of good machinery. Sentiment
need scarcely dwell upon the changed
situation Of the father Of family under
Isuch system of government. Imagi.
nation is needed to draw pictures of one
who knows that every child born to him
means not so much less in the larder, b vi
50 much more; one who knows also that
ignorance, with cruel hand, can never
clutch BY the throat. with the throttling
grasp Of murderer. the child of hid
love. rs such Z One there Is no need 81
thought-stifine potations; the great
need to shut out from despairin9 gaze
the drowning of life's hope would be
gone. for hope will have become the an.
gel of life's ship. and that ship safe in
the harbors Of government of peace
and plenty.
Where shall we, the people, look for
the encouragement that shall lead to
this end2 Who will labor to secure the
passage of such a law7 To woman, to
woman we turn our beseeching eyes
with pleading prayer that she, who is SO
Immediately concerned in the results,
shall labor for its framing. Agitation
alone can force the matter upon the as
tute minds of our rulers. They are too
deeply. engaged in appropriating the
public moneys-in absurd propositions,
take cognizance of population only.
Monarchical rulers have ever realized
the need of good citizens and shown q
fostering care of the children. Woman,
who loves the children, must labor for
their recognition at the hands of the
government.
But how shall woman effect this great
end? By advocatingit. Woman has
no vote, but she has powerful voice.
If a woman keeps on asking for anything
long enough the world grants it. Yes.
It comes down to just this-a pension
for every child born. during its tender
years. Crime will be lessened. All life
WILDE effected by this law. Laugh
who will, but even while laughing ask
that children's ension act be passed.
Money enodgh will be saved blythe
dimunition of crime to pay the expense,
were there no other way of accumulat-
ing it. It will bemAqey that, like the
bread cast nnon the N g. returns afteri
MANY days. Three ha1dred and fortv-
four thousand three hundred and
seventy five dollars and eighty-eight.
cents In appropriation for the state pun
ishment of crime in Illinois last year,
leaving out the town and county e1pen-
ditures. Add to this the school tax, If
in Cook county in it's southwestern dis
tfict, where 81 ,46O are expended yearly
on the education of each child, and we
can see how easily pension for every
child could be raised.
Only think of it'll Reader, glance at
your children, and think if each one of
those now dependent little creatures
possessing a pension had a yearly in-
come of no beggarlv proportions,
wouldn't all life be changed for you as
well as for them2
Self-respect would be born into every
child then, and you would haye little
difficulty in training such child into
noble courses. Imagine it! First
welcome child, honorably provided for,
ward of the government; never to 60
hungry, never i'll clad no victim of ig-
norance or ill.treatment-too important
a apersonage for that.
When that time arrives everything
will change for the better.
A government that begins at the bot
tom will never need to patch out the
top. Take care of the children and the
adults will take care of themselves.
Ill" Mrs. W. P. BLACK.
CHICAGO, Dec. %. .....~