The evening times., 1896-09-23

al Chl!u1tn Dy iItll la
rents AS a matter Of course. tie offending
parent, in ninet y-nine cases out Cf Lun-
dred. is the father. for mother. be she
never SO depraved, will cling 10 Ter Off
spriDg until the very last, and not infre-
quenuy seek death for herself and ii. rather
than give II up to strangers. There are
instances OF abandonment OF Children by
their mothers, il tue. Lut they are com
parativc!y few, ard tie majority are due
either To the wish If sLmc poor soul To save
her rcpu aiion. iraLiiity 70 ruperly care
for tic infant. II il different with the uan
He Will abandon vile and ct-ilCIen from
dozen causes, one less excusablc Than the
oiher In NEST cases it is !Gok Of the
sense of mora. responsibility, or dissI alton:
rarely the physical inability to provide
some means for tie care and maintenance
of tue child
The complaint OF the managers OF the
Industrial Home School, however. relates
TO quite another class OF offenders than
those referred 10 above. They deal with
husbands who have abandoned their fam
port, and thrown them upon the charity
of tue world Applications avefrequenty
been made SO says tie report. Ito aGmit
wards into our home by weeping mothers,
whohaye been a abandoned by ytheirhUshands,
thus leaving the deserted family without
aid or support although in some instances
such men are earning a living and are, by
. fl...fY
money for improper purposes There
are few Of the readers Of The Times that
are not cogniZant of such dcrehctiens on the
part of fathers. 1t is a duty which society
owes itself to protect itself against j
moral and material burden which such
men seek TO place upon it No parent, or
course, is justified in shifting from his
shoulders 10 those Of others the respcDa-
bility for the care Of his offspring. That 1t
occurs is sad commentary upon the way
wardDeSs of human nature, and male human
nature in particular
The managers Of the Industrial Home
School naturally look upon this matter more
from a material than moral standpoint,
though. in the treatment of the question.
both phases come inseparably to the front
THE report says:
The abandonment of children by pa
rents should b, made a penal offense, pun
ishabIe through the District courts, and
if separation of family relations Continue
the court should have power and authority
to compel the parent, male or female, To
periodical pay over some portion of money
earned for the care and support Of their
progeny.
When nuptiai ties are severed by di-
vorce the payment of allmonyi Is part Of the
decree. Why should not analogous prac-
tice be followed when voluntary rupture
Of welded contracts ensue, or when the
family uunion is violently or Cprrup:ly sew
cred? If it becomes the practice 10 adopt
children abandoncd 10y either or both pa
rents in Institutions such as ours, without
calling such parties To strict account be
fore "A tribunal having due authority in
such matters, it follows, as a matter OF
course. that. in effect, such evil acts are,
IN a measure, supported and encouraged;
aud not only are public expenditures be-
ing thus most uniustly drawn upon, but the
essential rules OF morality and religion
are openly violated.
There can be no question that the law
should interpose to hold the parent to ac-
count and protect society against bur-
den and responsibility which none but
himself should bear. II father is able
to support his offspring he should be made
to do it or he punished for failing in bis
obligations. Congress should give its at
tention to this very Important subject as
soon as practicable.