Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-08-12
REVIVE THE ROCK PILE.
Some Excellent Advice for the Pun
ishment of n Certain Glass of Of
tenders from One who Knows

some Excellent Advice for the Pun
fshment of Certain Glass of Of |
Tenders from One who Knows
Far as it would be from my mind orin-
tention to criticize the Maker of all things |
or His handiwork" remarked lawyer
this morning who had figured either in |
behalf of or against-it mattered not |
which-many an offender against the |
municipal and the state code, Il think |
could suggest an improvement or two IN |
the economy of nature. There is poison |
in mans purest cup; there is malaria in |
the very air that sustalns his life; there |
is a secret sorrow in every heart, an I'M
satisfactory proportion of foam in every |
glass of beer. We reach out for the rose
and get stung by the thorn. Yea" SAID |
the lawyer. becoming surprised at his
own eioquence. 1--WE bet on our home
base ball nine and 90 dry for a week, and
IN that ind ourselves victims Of decep,
tions that swarm on every hand would
however, had the power. to begin the par
ticular system of reform to which | al.
lute right here in the city of Rock Isl
and"
Several cases that have come under
my observation have convinced me that
justice demands revision in the city
and state code pertaining to certain of,
lenses. One must be lawyer to know
how many cases of domestic infelicity and
family jars come up in the course of a
week, and in many cases where helps
less wife will % to lawyer and plead
for the laws of protection against the
abuse Of brutal husband she will be
found to have changed her mind either
through Intimidation or other influence
by the time the lawyer gets the papers
ready to proceed. and the consequence is
that the case is dropped until the ofrense
is repeated. Then when these cases are
brought to trial the punishment is noth>
ing more than imprisonment. and in
nine cases out of ten of such cases
the defendant Is the family's main
stay and provider and his incarcer-
alton only adds to their distress. But
do not mean TO infer that the offender
should 60 unpublished That would he
violation of justice. We're | asked to
suggest change of the law in these
premises | should reply that some mode
Of punishment be provided for such of
Tenders as will not only impress upon
them the seriousness and the consequence
of their otfense, but will prove beneficial
10 the county or city rs the case may be.
1t would be a good plan If stone ward
WAS reestsbished and that offenders such
as have alluded TO- be compelled to put
in twelve hours of hard work each day
during the period of their incarceration
ii they be sent in by the county let the
county get the benefit and let the city be
the gamer if the prisoner has violated the
municipal laws. In this way the city
and the county could get much more
nacadam than they now do and without
much cost either"
'"There are class of men 10 this city
who, when they GET tired of work, will
commit some otfense AS will send them
down for sufficient length of time to
rest up, and they take it easy while their
families slarve and suffer II is there's
fore, that say-cUnsilering vagrancy one
OF the oifenses to which this punishment
should apply that the stone pile is the
only remedy for men who abuse and
neglect their families. Us many of them
do it because they are too l4zg to fulfill
these obligations. This suggested change
would place an effective weapon in the
won ans own hands, which she could use
to prevent any neglect Of the solemn duties
deVolVlnE upon the head of family.
Those are my sentiments as outlined in
these dreamy August days, and | believe
proper conception o. them BY those
whose duty it is to enforce the laws would
result in the actual rcmodeling of some
men, Don't yOus"