The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-19

The arrest OF Mrs. EVER simply because
she permitted her seven year-old daughter
to dance In q Broadway theatre was an out
rage against the rights OF parent which
has been made possible by Legislation OBJ
tanned by cranky busybodies and meddle-
some scntimentalists.
The child MILDRED is known on the stage
as La REaALoNcrTA. and before appearing
in public she had exhibited In private a
skill in dancing indicative OF a genius for
that beautiful art. At the Broadway thea
tire on Monday night she danced In all for
seven minutes only. and az the perform
aDce was fun for her she could not have
suffered any physical or moral injury from
the exercise. A physician who examined
the child after q performance at Philadel-
phia testified that 1t did her no harm; and
her bearing In the jefferson Market Court.
whittier she accompanied her mother.
showed that she Is happy and henlthful.
No charge is made that Mrs. EVER Is In
any way unfit for the management OF her
daughter or neglected. Of her welfare. She.
the mother. Ia the one who ID first OF all
and most Of all concerned for the good OF
the little girl and according to her solicit
tous maternal judgment MILDRED is not
harmed by the dancing In which she was
Interrupted by the agents Of Mr.. GKHRr's
society. The child seems not to have been
driven to the display Of her art. but 10 have
gone into 1t with tho genuine delight Of
an artist.
Yet the low gives Mr.. GERRY and his de-
tectives the authority to take from Mrs.
EVER the control Of her own child. though
she is mother against whose fitness to
care for the little girl nothing Is alleged.
and whose affectionate consideration for
her daughter is not questioned.
1t turns over the management Of the
EVER family from the parents to
Mr.. GERRY and his agents. Judge
DlrTENHoEFER. Mrs. EwER's counsel. ls
determined to question whether the
Legislature has the constitutional right to
interfere thus with the power and discretion
OF a mother whose general qualifications for
rearing her children are not denied.
We are glad the point Ia to be made.
1t ls for the Interest OF society that 1t
should be discussed fully and reasonably.
for tho law under which Mrs. EVER was ar
rested was passed incousiderately by q
Legislature unduly Influenced by we'll
meaning but mlschievous busybodies.
Carried to its logical conclusion. 1t would
destroy parental authority over tho child
altogether. The State would assume the
whole authority. II MILDRED's mother Is
not allowed to decide at what age the little
girl shall put to profitable use her accom-.
pishments as dancer. why should she be
permitted to decide when and where she
should go to school. how she should dress.
what She should eat. when she should 20 to
bed and when she should get up2 II Mr..
GERRY must be consulted in one matter.
why should he not DO consulted In all ? II
his Judgment is better than the mothers as
to the child's dancing. why Is it not better
in everything That concerns the welfare Of
MILDRED He might think that Mrs
EVER was not obeying strictly the In
junction against spariug the rod. and
insist that the Legislature should give him
authority to enter the EVER household to
supply the deficiency. Mrs. EVER might
prefer to train a sou to be a lawyer when
Nr. GERRY wanted him to be doctor. Ills
notions as to the proper diet for children
might differ from hers: or he might think
that they were not under the proper medi-
cal care, and that she ought to be arrested
because she did not agree with him. Many
people believe that they are far more COM
petent to manage their neighbors' affairs
than are their ueighbors themselves. This
notion Is more especially Puritan lnherl-
tance. possessed by men and women OF the
very best Intentions They regard them
selves as divinely commissioned to regulate
the morals OF everybody else.
Such meddlesomeness Of disposition Is
harmless impertinence in itself. but when
1t receives the authority Of law. it becomes
an outrage on the rights Of the individual.
A terrible serial tyranny results. Every
man is at the mercy Of u busting crank or
a well-meaning PAUL PRY.
It is time that society rose up In protest
against these troublesome laws enacted by
Legislatures anxious to get rid Of the i'm
portunities OF bores and l,usybodes search
ing utter further opportunities to make
themselves nuisanceS