The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-20
LOOKING AFTER THE WAITS
An Association That Gives Evidence of
Having Done Much Good to Society.
Evils That Not Only Threaten Homeless Chill.
drsn but That Are Destroying Boys and
Girls Having the Best Of Care.

AT the First Baptist Church YESTERDAY morn
ing. the Boys and Girls National Home and
Employment Association began its third annual
convention, with quite q number Of delegates
responding to ~roll-call, some Of whom came as
Representatives Of States. After devotional ex-
~ercises, led By the Rev DR.. Joseph S Jenckes,
chairman of the associations executive commit
tee, and selecting the Rev. William Teller, OF
the California-street II. Z. Church. ss secretary,
L. w. Halford, in the unavoidabts absence Of
Mayor Denny. addressed the delegates, welcom-
ing them to the city. He said that the Mayors
ofncial duties had prevented his being present,
although his warm friendship for the oreaniza-
ton prompted him 20 give IL all the encourage
ment he could.
Mr.. Halford then alluded to the efforts of
what be termed applied Christianity in this
country-etforts for the public's good. Of which
this organization WAS one. He referred to the
claims OF such movements upon the people from
the mere plane Of citizenship, to say nothing OF
Christianity. Every citizen was interested in
doing what he or she could 70 throw good in1u-
ences around the waits Of the large cities. in mp
lifting and making them fellow -citizens. He
NPehby ~ ioiostb nfo
we are told, on good authority" said he. ''thas
not a sparrow falls without our
heavenly Fathers notice, the good
people Of this city have no right
TO fold their hands and look with indiffer-
enc' on the miseries of these strsys Of society.
We must take care of them and surround them
with those influences and environments which
viii elevate them and make them what they
ought TO be- He then welcomed the delegates
on behalf or the people Of indianapolis, and ad-
jured them to take courage and press on in the
WORK, even though their numbers might be
small. The workers in the local organization
ne warned not to become faint in heart. when
tney saw the tramping thousands that advanced
10 otaer causes, while SO few came to their own.
List them ~rsmember,' he said, 'that they at
least had the Encouragement of q good heart
ana fellow workmen at hand, who were
smene the best organizers IN our
churches of to-day In conclusion. he
remarked that il is a good work that greatly
needs to be done, this placing the waite OF hu-
msuity in tho charge Of intelligent and philsn-
thropic peopls.
The president Of the association, Colonel Al
exandsr Hoeeland, 10 responding. said: ut is
inmates In che meeting OF this association. 1
have visited go cities and towns, delivering ad-
crosses IN churches, colleges and public institu-
lions. l have spoken To thousands upon thou
SANDS OF operatives In factories. ] have been,
without exception. everywhere received with
demonstrations OF warmest sympathy from CON-
mlttees OF citizens, chiefs OF police, and super
intendents OF schools. During these years l
have personally secured employment for some
3OO boys and the local associations formed by
me have provided for 3. 900 more. An influential
editor IN 81. Louis said To me 1t is not SO much
what You have done individually: as it Ia the ed
ue.tion You have given us for which we are
grateful" The Colonel then struck the central
thought OK the entire convention during the day
10 saying that employment is the great need In
the reformation OF boys. 1t is idleness alone
which originally opens the sluice ways OF vice.
There are" he contlnusd, zone hundred male
convlcts 10 our State prisons for every female.
~ costs our taxpayers. In round numbers.
q sf'''' tb ssr the . Ss''''' 45 '''' per- Of cent :nih 'e Of
the c~onvicts. as the records show. 60
back o second time. We have in our State
prisons an army Of 10000 convicts. to-day, and
this number 10 renewed once in every two years.
Then. We are selling their time at 40 cents per
day TO contractors, and they compete with
iaoorers who have committed no wrong. What
employment weuld / give c~onvistsi Drop the
infamous contract system. open three or four
Dig camps. and set them to work breaking stone,
shs State paying the ~convicts family 81 per
day. less the cost of keeping him. This may be
held as a depression, but the prisons are the
natural outgrowth Of the neglect OF our boys
We can understand the vaerancy of some
classes OF youth when We reflect that
convict labor is doing honest men a great wrong,
and thousands are compelled to abandon the
trades OF their early manhood"
The Colonel stated that at its second annual
convention in Chicago. last year, the association
had formulated laws TO regulate the truancy Of
minors, asking for State legislation on the sub
ject IL also asked for laws for the establish
ment of public county intelligence Offices in
charge of county agents, to be appointed as
school superintendents are. Our obligations
in this respect" he said. 'ars certainly not less
than in securing the education Of the children
Of the American Indians. for whom the gov
m has done so much. They are assisted
every way. while our white boy-tramps are
despised. and said to be mo good Thousands
OF the latter are arrested annually in our great
cities on the sole charge OF yasrancy. They are
found sleeping in hall ways, cellars and filthy
alleys. The chiefs OF police of various cities
last year sent out circulars asking ten ques-
tons, the hrst being, How many bands of boy
robbers have You in your eityP Some OF tn
replies were astonishing, aud it was learned
that the ST Louis Stock Exchange, the burning
Of which caused a loss of 500. 600, was commit
ted by one of these gangs"
The Colonel said that the association was fully
prepared to offer q remedy for all this. 1t was
to be found IN the laws which the association
had formulated. These laws would shortly be
brought before the legislatures in every State
by the Ministerial Association 10 the several
capital cities.
Attef Loi9 ADDRESS the discussion arose on
"W hat Is the best plan for preventing boys
from becoming tramps" the principal speeches
being by President Hogsand and DIR. S. A.
Keen, pastor of Roberts Park Church. The
methods proposed were uniformly those of pro-
viding employment and shelter for the boys and
girls. and In so doing 10 remove them as far as
possible from the evil Influences OF city life.
DIR. Ford. OF the Centralavenus Nj Il. Church.
in his talk on the Influence of Evil Literature
on Boys and Girls said thar in every cry. as
boys passed along the streets, they saw pictures
of lewd import in thousands Of windows. They
were placed every where before them. ''Taese
pictures Of the nude are by some called the
highest art" he said, shut they are cursed with
the sting of Satan. The cigarette packages and
the cigar boxes are covered with them as ad-
refreshments; the theatrical she's bills and pho
toersphs are all teeming with these agencies OF
evil. Right here could be found
an options OF the whole philosophy Of the
rise and fall of boys. 1t bchooved Us to
look the matter fairly in the face. In Chicago.
In an art musem, / saw on one side Of the ball
o beautiful picture or the Madonna, ehaste and
pure 10 It's high conssption, and on the other
side one OF the lewdest pictures In nude art /
have ever seen anywhere. thought / would
learn a lesson. walked on q few PAGES. look.
ing at other pictures. TO q point where / could
see which of the two first would command most
attention. One hundred snd forty-four people,
having given . passing glance TO the other.
other pictured One solitary lady, in a veil Of
mourning, of all that crowd, stood before il
many minutes, looking at the sweet face and
then walked sadly away. This shows the brutal
instincts Of the human nature We are striving TO
REFORM