Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1891-05-08
pUNIsAMINr o. NAuaATY soYa
zihe Rod to BE Applied When Occasion
warrants II IN Eneland.

me- Rod to Be Applied When Oeonaiaa
Warrants It IN England.
The careful student OF our police report,
must have noticed the increasing boldness
not to say the increasing depravity Of
what is called the Juvenile oGender-botl
male and female. When these interesting
cadets Of the criminal brigade take q
burning down houses, promoting explo-
sions Of gas, breaking street lamps steal
ing steam launches and committing rob
berry under arms" on the queens highway
they become something more than a nui-
sance. EVENT. they stop short Of dropping
bricks on the roofs Of railway carriages or
practicing with a revolversof heavy caliber
in the back garden. they require to be sup.
pressed with some severity.
At the same time there is no kind Of
punishment which seems to be more care
fully graduated than that intended for the
young.
useful little bill which has been in
troduced by the home secretary is skill
fully devised, as well for the benefit Of the
youthful offenders as for that OF the So
ciety which they infest. It should be pre-
missed that the expression youthful Of
fender" in the bill means a boy or girl
under sixteen years Of age. The measure,
so far as it affects boy offenders, is based
on the knowledge of the great law which
a famous sehoolmaster threw into the
aphorlsm that the conscience Of a lad IS /
lodged in the cuticle Of his skin.
Mr.. Matthews proposes to approach the
young offenders better feelings that way. 4
In other words, he will allow magistrates
to infict the penalty Of whipping where
D fnrN al 1
the language Of ordinary life. any very
naughty boy-"shan have committed any
Oftense punishable by the court" There
are due safeguards against excessive use Of
the rod, since the boy is not to have more
than dozen strokes If he is under twelve.
or more than eighteen strokes If he is over
that age; and the governor Of the prison,
or some other person having authority. is
10 be present to see that the warden or
1ther minister Of justice who Yields the
birch does not LAY it ON with superauous
Energy.
Also, the boys parent may be present II
le desires. No doubt be win usually de-
ire to assist at the ceremony. Apart al
ogether from any parental emotions I
7hleh may agitate his breast, he will have
strong personal interest in the affair.
Or the bill enacts that the court may fine /
I'm any sum not exceeding one pound, =
nd may also order him to compensate the u
erson or persons injured by the Juvenile
TENDER. " whether boy or girl, to the ex- z
mt OF nve pounds, always provided the d
'urt Is satisfied that there has been meg
ct or default on the part Of the parent" "
relation to that offender. s.
This is beginning at the right end, both $,
lth the child and the father The latter ~
III have an additional inducement to look nj
ter his child himself, and his objection to y
at kind Of youthful exuberance which
inmates in fdaJnaging other peoples
operty and putting other peoples lives
d limbs IN danger will be intensified
Zen he reeollects that he may be asked to 70
1tEieiasef toward the expenses OF the
lie su
Boys will be boys, but they need not be
ung rufiians or saVages. II they show
y tendency to develop that way, a dozen
okes with a tough and wiry birch rod.
piled with science, are likely to act as an lie
'ellent corrective. English public school n;
n who have been brought up in those II
at seminaries from which the birch and tai
cane are not yet banished know this +
Il enough. Te,
hey know that fiogging has very +
Dressive moral and physical effect on Lei
? high spirited youngster, while leaving
! none the worse for it permanently. Iegl
there can be no question that to give
I'd whipping to any lad not hOpelesslv you
rupted or depraved is very much better OF
n to infect him with the prison faint BY ''9 ~
ding him to Jail, or to break his spirit BY r,a
ping him for years in a reformatorv,- 70
don Standard. o.